Worst Scenario? - Page 1

Background:  An 8 year old GSD bitch who occasionally limps slightly, for a short while, if she exerts herself in a sudden fast sprint.  Hips x-rayed originally when the limping followed after jumping a wall.  This did show mild degree of hip displasia (left side just a little worse).  Vet advised caution to avoid jumping.  Did not prescribe, but suggested giving the dog Glucosamine and Chondroitin, which the Owner does.

As anyone experienced a GSD with a degree of Hip Displasia, and does it automatically progress and worsen?  The dog is 8 years old, and Owners are concerned their dog might eventually require surgery?

Thanks for any personal experience of this.


Regards,
Vixen

If my dog was 8 and had mild HD I would keep the dog lean/thin, keep the dog fit so there is muscle to support the rear (try to do swimming) but avoid activities like jumping or any repetitive movements for the rear, and give the glucosamine/chondroitin supplements.  I don't think surgery would be required unless the dog somehow injured itself pretty bad?

I had a shepherd mix that had HD by 6 months old.  She didn't have any trouble until she was much older.  We kept her trim, took her swimming as much as possible (low contact exercise doesn't stress the joint much), and gave her glucosamine and chondroitin.  There's not a whole lot more you can do.  This site has great prices and the products work well.  http://www.swansonvitamins.com/Search?keyword=glucosamine+chondroitin&doSearch=true&ntt=glucosamine%2Bchondoitin&n=0&ntk=Level1&x=37&y=12  We started off with the fifth one down but switched to the first one on the list after about a year.  Not sure there was actually a big difference between the two though.

Check out this thread of Lady Frost's. She documents the surgery, it is a great thread.

http://www.pedigreedatabase.com/german_shepherd_dog/bulletins.read?mnr=485341

Yes I have had similar experience with older GSD, at 8 years I believe it could get worst over the years if not just a temporary condition due to a hard landing.
I can't see doing surgery on an 8 year old dog.
Moons.

Hi, keeping the dog thin, well muscled, & additives like glucosamine.
My first SAR dog was hit by a car during a search & injured her left hip. She showed no issues with her hip until she turned 10 years old.
She fell the wrong way playing fetch & couldn't walk again, because of the hip dislocated + injured. We did do a hip replacement on her on hip. She was released after surgery 4 days later. She was leashed walk & kept calm for the next 3 weeks. She was going crazy to run & play again. Recovery from hip surgery was amazing & fast. But I would not have done it if she didn't reinjured herself.
 I currently have a 2 year dog with serve HD. She does very well by being kept thin + in shape by swimming & playing fetch on a hill. Having her run up hill really builds the muscle tone in her rear, but can't do it for too long. We use Nupro Joint Support on her with great results too http://www.nuprosupplements.com/joint_formula.htm  
hip . She show

Also should consider discussing the use of Adequan Canine with their vet; in addition to the supplements mentioned above, injections of Adequan (given intermuscularly) can assist the body in it's production of synovial fluid that's normally present in the joints as a 'lubricant' of sorts.  Virtually no adverse effects seen, has been in use for nearly 20 years now, but most dog owners and vets forget about the product for some reason--I've even been guilty of it myself, and my experiences with it go back to before it was available in a canine version, and good experiences they were, too!  The injections start out two or three times weekly for several weeks, and then taper down until you get to the least frequency that still provides sufficient joint lubrication as determined by the dog's freedom of movement, range of motion, exercise tolerance and soundness.  Most dogs with mild dysplasia can eventually go down to injections once or twice per month.  (As an aside, a form of this product is also used in humans with degenerative joint conditions. I just had an injection of it last month, during a recheck of a knee I had surgery on two months ago, and the effects have been noticeable to me.)