Hip replacement surgery - Page 1

Hello everyone! It's been ages since I've been on, and a lot has happened since I last posted.

Well, Shelby is just over a year old (a year and 4 months), and she's now scheduled to have a hip replacement surgery on the 30th of this month. It's certainly felt like a long process to get to this place. Her hydrotherapy didn't have the results that we were hoping for, and about a month and a half ago she went lame for a few days until we put her back on anti-inflammatories. 

She just had her latest set of x-rays the other week. Her right is definitely worse than the left (also the leg she went lame in), with osteoarthritis already started in that hip. The left hip has a little, but not nearly as much. Our surgeon is actually really optimistic that just replacing the right hip will work wonders for her. She's been on limited exercise for what feels like the longest time now. She always gets so excited when we go to take her on a walk, but her walks are so short that she starts whining a little as soon as we turn up the path to come into the house. 

I'm getting a little nervous about the surgery. I think the surgery itself will be fine- I have complete confidence in our surgeon and the clinic we're taking her to. I'm mostly nervous about the recovery. My baby is due in the 3rd week of July, so that will be interesting enough, coupled with taking care of Shelby too. Plus, in September we're going to visit family back home for almost a month (flights are expensive after all), and will either have to board her (which I don't want to do because all she will want to do is roughhouse with the other dogs, and I don't want her to injure herself), or have someone stay at the house. But then, if someone stays here, then how will I know for sure if they're being diligent about making sure she doens't over do it? Gah, a person could go nuts trying to figure this out, I swear.... At least, her heat cycle just ended, so we don't have to worry about having to deal with that as well as a surgery.

I'd appreciate any advice you guys would have for figuring this all out. I'm just praying that she gets through this okay and will **finally** be able to do all of the things that she wants to do.

I at all possible I would postpone the surgery until you come back from your vacation. You would then have more time to devote to her needs and be sure she is getting what she needs. 

Why do the surgery and then hope someone does not mess it up and you have to do over if possible.

We are doing the surgery then because it's the last date before our insurance renews. We had planned on doing the surgery last month, but hit a few snafu's and so had to wait until the end of this month. Our insurance company has already said that they will cover the surgery, and I'm worried about them saying they won't do it when it renews because it could be considered a pre-existing condition. 

You don't think that 2 months is enough time for her to not need constant attention? :-/

I have never had one of mine go through this but a friend did and I can remember she was slow for a long time maybe it depends on the type of hip surgery.

Would she need help to go outside and do her business after two months probably not if all goes well. Make plans for if it does not go well. What if she gets an infection, won't cooperate and be quiet and keeps overdoing it, falls while trying to walk etc.

If your dog is kenneled and in a kennel of it's own would she bounce off the walls in excitment then no to that.

If she is going to be put out with other dogs a for sure big no on that.

Ask your insurance company if they will cover her (get it in writeing and signed) and then pay for your renewal now early it helps to lock them in.

My friend was told that her dog only needed one hip done but after the surgery so much strain was put on the other leg she then needed surgery on that leg.

He was a 7 month old pup.

I had a pup that had hip surgery, TPO on both hips. The recovery took quite a long time. Your dog is going to be under enough stress during the healing process and to leave her with someone else at home or at a kennel will add to the stress. Not a good situation for your dog. Plus  no one will take care of your girl like you will. I would not leave my dog after surgery for at least 3 to 4 months, but that is me. Can you postpone your trip a few months? If not, I would try to figure out a way to postpone the surgery or if you must keep everything scheduled as it is, maybe you could hire a trustworthy vet tech to stay with her at your house.  JMO

I too had had a GSD who underwent hip replacement. The most important factor in a good outcome is post op care for at least the following 3 months. It isn't that they need 'constant care' as such after a month or two, but the exercise regime needs to be diligently and tightly controlled. If it goes wrong, it really is a problem.

If you cant postpone the surgery, I would postpone the vacation. To me it is that important, you can take a vacation another time, you won't get a second chance to make the surgery a sucess.

Will your vet board your dog while you are gone?  We had a dog in rescue who needed bilateral ACL repair and we had it done while we were on vacation as my vet felt his staff could handle caring for the dog as well as we could.  By the time we got back (we were gone 3 weeks) they dog was able to walk without to much assisance.  I have also had 4 or 5 rescue dogs undergo hip surgery including a Min Pin who had the hip needing surgery and a broken front leg, he had been hit by a car - the recovery went well assisted by the staff at the vets office.

As far as I know I have to agree with AbbyNomal; I don't think you would want to take a chance of something going wrong and you have to be diligent about aftercare;  like there is no second chances here for success.  Why risk it when you do have other options.  JMO  Thx for consulting the forum though.  All good points and of course other experiences.  Nan