Everyone's Opinions on getting Hip x-ray's - Page 2

Thanks for everyone's opinions/advise!!! I live in Michigan, so I could drive 2 hours to U of M to get them done, or drive an hour to my vet that actually use to breed and show GSD's. She is the one that prefer's not to put them under. The other vet I have would prefer to put them under. I just wanted to see on this forum, who prefer's what? and which one is the best to do? if there is a best one?

Sorry,

Forgot to mention, that I will try it without putting them under to see how it looks. If it doesn't look good then we will try it with them under.

Thanks

Kel

Every time you anesthetize an animal, you are potentially putting his life at risk--even with the best anesthesia protocols.

I will try it without putting them under to see how it looks. If it doesn't look good then we will try it with them under.

At best, simply take the "edge" off with a little (~2-3mg) of Acepromazine give IV or IM tramqilization

Neither O.F.A. nor the S.V requite anesthaesia for any of the radiographs, although it is nearly impossible to make the correct position for an elbow radiograph without using some anesthaesia. The key word here is "some." It should never be necessary to knock the dog out stone cold-I do not care what the veterinarian tells you.

Personally, I do not use anesthaesia for hip radiographs, but do use it for the elbows. The type that I demand be used is a two-part dose of that the second part is used to quickly revive the dog if there is a problem. Know that many dogs have died while anesthaesized, and I do not like to take the chance with any of mine.

The use of an anesthaesia WILL NOT cause poor joints to appear better than they really are. But, if an animal is heavily anesthaesized, it is easier to displace the joints through improper positioning and cause a joint (namely the hip joint) to appear more lax than it really is. That is where it pays to use a veterinarian and staff who are highly skilled at this practice.

My practice? Allow the dog to exercise all day and tighten his muscles before the radiograph. In addition to having tighter joints, he will be more calm while at the veterinary clinic. I also stand there and examine the developed films myself for positioning quality, and if they are not good, we take another until we make it right.

Good Luck,

Bob-O

IMO,  it depends on the dog/bitch, and who is taking the xrays,,,we are lucky, the lady who does our xrays use to read for ofa,,some of ours we give a seditive, some go all the way under,, and some nothing,,,

john

I had Dr. Mitosky of MSU do my bitches hips (a Golden bitch of mine) at 29months. He said Good to Excellent, and I trusted him, as he was on the OFA board and used to read them and determin. My bitch got a Fair. He came highly recommended to me, and that isn't the first time he guessed wrong on my dog's hips. I won't use him again. Kelly, he's in Lansing at the Teaching Hospital, and he lightly put my dog under, both were still able to walk, and listened, they were just REEEAAAALLLLYYYYY SSSSSLLLLLOOOOOWWWW

Dante was under for hip prelims because I had them done when he was neutered at 14 months.

Certification x-rays of hips and elbows was done with a "very light sedative".

Kelly-

I have to second "Bob-O"s post: it should never be necessary to knock them out stone cold simply to take xrays. At the last vet I worked for, we did alot of OFA hip films, and we also used the "two-part" sedation. The dogs received an IM "cocktail" beforehand, then the first of the two-part sedation. All of the dogs were on monitors to watch pulse and oxygen saturation, and the vets were right there to look at the developed films as they came out.   When the films were completed, the dog was given the reversal (second part) IM. Sedation allows for better films/positioning , and there is less stress on the dog as the positioning can be uncomfortable. Most dogs went home approx 1hour afterwards like nothing happened.....

I've seen a few dogs that had to be knocked out stone cold to get hip xrays or xrays of any kind. One was a GSD that would have ripped anyone apart at the drop of a hat.  He was seriously snapping even after 3 cc's of acepromazine and after struggling with him and some of us bleeding, the vet knocked his butt out stone cold.....yippee!!! He recovered just fine and was ready for a rematch in less than half an hour. I hated that darned dog.

Tranquilizing actually makes some dogs more aggressive. It's not common, but it does happen.

The vet I use to have knocked mine out to do the x-ray's. I personally didn't like that, but at the same time it did seem easier because there wasn't any struggling with the dog, and possible stressing the dog out for being put on his back. I will try it without and see what they look like. I also look at the x-ray's myself and I am right there when they are taken. It seems most on this forum reccommend having it done without being knocked out, so that is the way I'm going to go with my other dog's. I will go to my vet that is an hour away and she use to breed and show her own GSD's, and prefers not to knock them out.

Thank you for all of your opinions and advise

Kel