Hip dysplasia Surgery or No...

[pitbullgirlbc]

Thankfully not for Buddy but my cousin's dog has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia in both hips. They are wondering what people think of the surgery? Should it be done or can a dog live without it? He is young, I think he is about a year and a bit now and is a lab mix. Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated or past experiences.

Thanks

[AllisonPibbleLvr]

What grade is it? Is the dog symptomatic?

[pitbullgirlbc]

Yes for symptomatic. Not sure of the exact grade at this point but the vet recommended the surgery and said it would be $7000 each hip. He has good days and bad days apparently.

[AllisonPibbleLvr]

For me it would depend on what grade it was but either way I would be seeking a second opinion for something that could affect him for the rest of his life.

Did the vet give other options?

[pitbullgirlbc]

He gave 3 options surgery, pain management or euthanasia. He is under 2 is on limited exercise, has his good days and his bad days. My cousin is also worried about the after care if they opt for surgery but are wondering if surgery is a necessary thing or if a dog can live with the pain management for the rest of his life?

[AllisonPibbleLvr]

I'd personally still seek a second opinion but if those were my options for such young active dog, I'd go with surgery. For the clients at work that have done it with their dogs, the recovery isn't much worse than a typical acl repair. Are they talking hip replacement or FHO?

[Misskiwi67]

If he's already symptomatic, then the answer is yes.

And hurry up, because time is of the essence. Once you have arthritis, TPO is no longer an option, and a couple weeks can make or break you...