Bailey Frost X Rays... :( - Page 1

Ok..i am done crying...will set up consultation w/ ortho specialist ..... not sure what are my options at this time...was told it will only get worse...

  I'm so sorry LF.

Ortho specialist definitely.  Maybe ask about water treadmill therapy to build up the muscle as much as possible to support the joint if you don't go ahead with a replacement (if replacement is even an option).

I know a couple dysplastic dogs who have done intensive water treadmill therapy for muscle build up and they are still working on the (club level) SchH field.  I don't assume they are as severe as this but just sharing that I've seen WTMT give positive results.  No miracles, just good results.

So sorry to see that, LF.

So sorry, that really sucks. I know how you must be feeling. Poor Baily, & poor you. The advice given was good advice, keep Baily lean & strong.  Hugs to you! (((u)))
jackie harris

thanks guys.....i had a hard time explaining to my 9 year old that she cant throw ball to Bailey anymore...

ok....so, at 10.5 months...she is in worse shape that i thought...i asked vet about hip replacement she said her socket bones are very thin on both sides and ortho would be able to give me better answer ( i got impression that she did not think it would be possible but she was not going to be the one to tell me that) ...another option is to take /cut off her ball joint ....if that is done....any idea what is the recovery time frame and what are side effects? will she limp for life? be able to run? jump?.....

.....this really sucks.....and hurts...but i gotta figure out  and have some sort of plan...

 Her one hip is reasonably ok; this is very odd. Sometimes dogs can compensate w/one good hip if they can build up muscle. Do you live somewhere she can swim regularly? This will be the best thing for building muscle in that bad leg, regardless of what you decide to do. 

Sorry your day sucked. 

Where do you live? Do you know of good ortho vets in your area? 

i'll pm you....

So sorry LF....  Bailey is lucky to have you. 

Oh, I'm sorry, that really sucks   Best to you and Bailey.

So sorry to see such a young dog with hips like this...Always sad when a dog loses the genetic shuffle and gets dealt the bad hip formation cards. :(

Once she's been seen by the ortho vet, you'll have a better idea as to which, if any, surgical options would be best for Bailey.  You might also want to do some research on the 'Net on stem cell therapy, which has been reported to provide excellent results in dysplastic dogs.  Not inexpensive, to be sure, but unfortunately none of the surgical options are going to be bargain-priced, either. 

Is Bailey presently showing evidence of any pain or discomfort?  If not, then keeping her active will actually help her, allowing the muscles in her hindquarters to develop in such a way as to compensate to some degree for the poor hip construction.  Swimming will help with muscle development and toning while reducing stress on the hips as the water supports the dog's body.  Likewise does the use of an underwater treadmill eliminate a great deal of the weight-bearing burden on the hips during the exercise, but it may be difficult to find a facility that offers such therapy in your area.

If she is already in pain, while it's true that having her chase after a ball in a large, open area will likely need to stop, there's no reason the game of fetch can't be modified so both the kid and the dog still get to play together.  You can work on teaching Bailey to catch the ball instead of chasing it, and teaching your daughter just how to gently 'lob' the ball directly to Bailey...  They can play fetch in a small, restricted area with obstacles that will require Bailey to move at a trot rather than a full run, and your daughter could roll the ball for her instead of throwing it. 

As already mentioned, it is important to keep her on the lean side--you shouldn't be able to see her ribs, but you do need to be able to feel them easily without putting any pressure on your fingertips.  If she's not already on a joint supplement such as Cosequin, get that started ASAP.  There are a myriad of products to fill that role, and no prescription is necessary for these.  An injectable joint protectant, marketed under the name "Adequan Canine", can also be quite helpful for dysplastic dogs; it is, however, a prescription product, and requires multiple vet visits for the injections unless your vet is willing to script it out for you so you can do the injections yourself at home.

Take some comfort from the fact that Bailey's are NOT the worst hips ever seen, by far, and in some instances when the fit of the femur into the socket is extremely poor the dog doesn't begin to develop arthritic changes early on simply because the bones never come in contact with each other.  And don't forget that Bailey doesn't know she's got bad hips--so let her tell you what her limits are, instead of you trying to predict what will be too much exercise for her.