Elbow Dysplasia help - Page 3

Angusmom -

Thank you for the info.  I currently use VPI for both of my GSD's.  Did you look into the Wellness Endorsement from VPI?  Normally, I wouldn't have done that endorsement but my female was due for a teeth cleaning this year anyway so I thought I'd give it a try.  Between the teeth cleaning reimbursement and her Frontline Plus and HeartGuard reimbursements - those paid for the annual Wellness Endorsement premium.  I'll cancel it next year though as I don't vaccinate every year nor do I want to subject her to anesthesia every year for her teeth cleaning (unless they need it).  I'll just continue brushing them

crazee4gsds,

The enzymes in the raw meat diet help keep our dogs teeth perfectly white & clean, also we switched to a dog food "Canidae" which helps tremendously with my females food allergies which many time presents itselft with joint pain (personal experience with wheat gluten intolerance)

Somethings I learned the hard way.

Bob-O My girl was classified as Grade 1. At the time of the OFA you would not have known. By 7 years she began to limp with exercise. Now she is almost 10 years old and is exercise intolerant. She gets walked everyday (about a half mile) so she doesn't stiffen up, but she cannot go anywhere near what she use to be able to. She now limps all the time. So it does get worse on some dogs. She is also on RAW so grain free (mostly) diet. Its pretty sad because everything else is there ready and wanting to go...hips were OFA good and her other elbow normal.

Then how can OFA certification ever guarantee like everyone thinks it will?

Clewsk9,

I'm not sure I understand your question there.

There is no 100% guarantee when it comes to dog breeding.  We can only hope that these screening tests can lesson the instance of hip or elbow dyslasia.  Dogs can have generations of dogs with good hips and/or elbows behind them and still throw bad hips or elbows.

Rezkat5

I guess that is my point, breeding dogs with good hip/elbow certifications will hopefully produce pups that have a better chance of good hips/elbows but there is never a guarantee in life.  My husband and I just recently had to put our Chow to sleep from hip problems and after having her as a family member for 9 years it was hard to do.  She didn't start showing any problems until she was 6 years old though.

Are there DNA studies being done like those in Torsion / Cancer for GSD's?

Unfortunately as far as I know, there is no genetic marker for hip dysplasia.  Hopefully someday there will be. 

I have heard some people suggest that as a puppy if the dog lays flat on the floor with its rear legs flattened out that the hips will be good.  I notice in our pups that they do this but have seen other dogs (like our chow) who won't - an old wives tale?

i think that to be an old wives tale.  none of my dogs can do that and all have good hips.  :)   although, i was always impressed with my older dog, how far she could stretch out her back legs, and then immediately flip herself into a sit.  a couple of years back she had a back injury and i had xrayed her hips again.  and at 8 years old, they still looked perfect.  you expect to see some changes, but the vet had said.  "hard to believe that these are an 8 year old dog's hips" 

in which after reading on this board.  i consider myself to be very lucky.  3/3 as far as the GSD hips go.  :)

When my old boy started showing his hip dysplasia, the vet started him on a series of shots to increase the lubrication in the joints. Starts once a week and wean it down to when he is in pain take him in. He is 11 now still has some pain but he is on pain pills. The shots made him feel so good that he ended up injuring both his knees running the fence line barking at the dog next door. Finally had to put up a solid wood fence to keep him quiet. He is doing ok has pain but just lost 10 pounds, down to 99 now. Vet says he has the best muscle mass he has had in years. Get a second opinion on any surgery my vet is not big on surgery but she sent my 1 year old in for a second opinion just in case. He looked her over and said until she shows signs of pain don't do anything. Replacvements are like in humans they last about 10 years so if you replace at 2 yrs your looking to do it again at 12 or put him down 12 is very old for a procedure like that.