When should an x-ray be done on the hips - Page 1

Experts - I have a friend that just had his 6 month old GSD x-rayed during a tacking of the stomach surgery.  The vet agreed and the x-ray was performed and showed moderate HD on left side and severe on the right.  Now that was the reading of his vet.  I thought you really can not tell the status until the are 1 year old and the x-rays to be read by a radiologist not a vet.  I am right or wrong.  He purchase the pup from a reputable kennel here in the States that has been mentioned before on this board.  He does a an appointment at the University of Minnesota in October - but he is confused  and very concerned at this point.  Any good information would be appreciated and I will pass it on to him.  I do have a copy of the digital x-ray and if I was savy enough on the comp. I would put it up for you to read - like previous individuals.  I am still trying to figure out how you all post pictures with your emails..................those darn blondes..............

one year old

 German A stamp program at one year.  A veterinarian can read x-rays correctly.  What's vital is positioning.  I would not wait until the dog is a year to re-xray.  If the positioning is good, and the vet is right about moderate & severe hip dysplasia, I would be very concerned.  If the vet is right, I don't think you would see improvement, so what would be the purpose of waiting until the dog is one year?

That sounds pretty bad for 6 months. Alot has to do with how the pup was positioned. Also bone changes.Trying to err on the positive side, I would get a reading from Uof M before I got to worried. In answer to your question, OFA will evaluate xrays at 4 months of age.

I would have them re read by another hip vet that is known in your area , that  does OFA german shepherds.....some vets do them but are not known for their expertise.......Severe hip at 6 mos is not gonna change......so you need to know to contact your breeder for any agreement of puppy replacement she or he may have......I always replace a pup at that early of an age, no matter whether I have a contract or not....that is too obvious that you did not cause it........

Not to question your intentions, but why were you have a stomach tact..?

I know they do this for tortioning prevention, if you think its hereditary....but in 25 dogs over 25 years Ive never tacked a stomach...wonder why and w hat made you decide to do it?

I was going to ask about the tacking too. If it was my dog I would re x-ray asap for my own piece of mind. Like others have said, if it is that bad a regular vet can see I wouldn't bother with OFA. Hopefully the breeder can read x-rays well enough to see it and a copy to them should be good enough for a replacement pup. If not send the second set in to OFA for a prelim, no need to wait till a year old if the pup is this bad off. I can't imagine any breeder requiring you wait until a final eval. Usually they want word before age 26 months but the sooner the better for the owners to move on. Thats really a shame, I wish them well.

Doesn't sound good. Can anyone help Renz post the x-rays? 

Thanks you guys - I was confused on the tacking of the stomach also - because I have had GSD's for the last 25 years and never did a vet want to tack a stomach of any of my GS puppies- however I did have a wonderful GSD that had a spleenectomy and the vet forgot to tack the stomach during surgery  - which they are suppose to do because of the removal of the spleen leaves the cavity so large that they can develope GVD - and 4 weeks later the dog did the GVD thing and I had to put him thru surgery again (he was 8- love of my life)  But the puppy I am talking about is a family friend and he had no intentions of doing Sch or breeding - basically a companion for his family and doing some therapy work with him - so he decided to have him altered and the vet then said she would like to tack the stomach and that they were doing that with the big chested dogs - however, to my understanding it does not prevent bloat - but does GVD - I need to read more about it.  Then she said she wanted to do the hip xrays and proceeded.  So I am feeling really bad for this family.  They are a quality family and will do what they have to do. 

Wow, that is a major abdomenal surgery to be suggested for a routine neuter which does not involve the abdomen at all-I am really suprised any vet would suggest that, especially in a young pup

VBK9- I don't know that much about it - but the vet told them that tacking the stomach was a minor procedure (small stich).

To my understanding more and more working dogs and police dogs are having it done??????????????????  What do you know about it?