Hip evaluation , need opinions please - Page 3

Laxity in the hips is an early INDICATOR of DJD later in life. OFA looks at a 2-dimensional view, and it is subjective, and that view often DOES change (not for the better).

TIG, in the 50+ years of owning GSD, you must have accumulated quite a bit of valuable first-hand DATA in regards to hips/x-rays and ages. I would love that you SHARE that data with the board..  show any hip x-rays that got "better" with age, and any that were THAT lax at 5 months that IMPROVED over time.

I have literally dozens and dozens of x-rays, all taken over dog lifetimes, followed up with PennHip scores to compare. My data is very meticulously kept, matching chips/tattooes/offspring, etc.

I work closely with a good friend and colleage who keeps the same meticulous data.

Our data is from all different lines/types of GSD bloodlines, personally known to us both.

 

Did you READ the link I posted from the site in one of my previous posts on this subject?? That vet who wrote it summarizes FAR BETTER than I can do on this short time frame on everything you have written about.

 

http://www.2ndchance.info/hipdysplasiadog.htm

 

PENNHIP is a REALLY REALLY useful TOOL for GERMAN SHEPHERD breeders to utilize in their modern selection of dogs for BREEDING. After nearly 30 years in this breed,  (most of them spent raising/training/titling/working and then breeding) I have made very small advances in consistency of hip scores UNTIL I added the three dimensional PennHip scoring method to my protocol. 

Different breeds utilize different methods for testing, I am not here to speak for all breeds, neither is the thread about other breeds.

BTW, PennHip scores are EASILY added to a dog's OFA page..  that makes it public.

ALL PennHip procedure dogs are SENT IN to their database..  unlike the OFFA one where non-passing dogs are either NOT sent in, or can be  kept out of the database by either owners/breeders or crooks trying to pawn off a dog who FAILS.

 

When I talk about this owner DOING RIGHT by this pup, that means simply that NOW THAT THEY KNOW this animal does NOT have "normal" hips, they can DO RIGHT by the animal, rather than just "waiting" till its so far gone that nothing can be done to help build it up for its future life of dysfunction.

That means pretty much ALL of the suggestions mentioned by others, managing it with proven supplements, swimming, ortho beds, etc etc..  (been there, done that MANY MANY times).

 

AS A BREEDER and potential PRODUCER of dogs that may very well have hips that are like this...  I am PERSONALLY most interested in hearing from ANYONE who has done the JPH procedure on a 4-5 month old GERMAN SHEPHERD puppy.. and how that worked out.

If I bred a puppy like this, I would want to offer EVERY chance for the new owner to have their animal live a pain-free and more mobile life, even if it meant some type of early surgery. (Sadly, neutering was not one of the good choices).

 

I have an article I found from 1990, interviewing Dr Gail Smith. It is very long, quite detailed, and doesnt exactly follow what you are saying, TIG.

If this thread ever gets put back up, I will scan it and POST it here for PDB readers to see and read.

As I update this post, it has been missing from the topic list for about 10 hours.

Hope it comes back.

 

Tying legs together as part of the neuter surgery...um, riiiight.   Think about that a moment.

I've assisted and watched a few spay/neuter surgeries and for both males and females, the dog is tied to the surgical table on its back, with its legs splayed apart.

The thread is missing from the post lineup because it was accidentally stickied. This has happened before and seems to be the result of a software glitch. I will PM a mod to see if they can fix it.

Its back!

I'll post the interview from Dog World tomorrow.. need to scan it all in to the computer.

 

I don't know what the tied up leg thing is in that x-ray..  havent seen that before, but it didn't MAKE the hips lax.

Ask the vet who did it..  also, we have no way to know... maybe the OWNER requested the pup be neutered and THAT was why it was there, since as OP says, it didn't have hip issues that were causing it problems.

Puppies have soft ligaments as joints are still growing. Tying the thighs together, then pulling the legs straight is going to put abnormal stress on the joints...something must give and since ligaments are softer and more pliable than thigh bones, the ligaments holding the ball in the socket will stretch, creating the picture in the exray. The vet should be sued for malpractice or at least turned in to AMVA or whoever would teach the dumb vet the proper way to exray hips without causing damage.