If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
How difficult is hip dysplasia surgery?
I just got a 3 year old Border Collie from the humane society. I just found out he has severe hip dysplasia despite the fact he had his hips checked and x-rayed by the humane society's vet. They are offering to pay for the surgery but I need to decide who will perform the surgery. Should I use my vet, who I trust? Or should I use the vet they recommend, who is an orthopedic surgeon. The advantages to using my vet is that he is much closer to my house, I trust him, and he can do the surgery right away. I don't think the orthopedic vet will be able to do the surgery for several weeks. I just don't know if the surgery is considered difficult (Femoral Head and Neck Removal) and if it makes a difference whether a regular vet does it vs an orthopedic specialist. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
wrote in message oups.com... I just got a 3 year old Border Collie from the humane society. I just found out he has severe hip dysplasia despite the fact he had his hips checked and x-rayed by the humane society's vet. They are offering to pay for the surgery ..........wow, I'm impressed, must be a wealthy humane society. but I need to decide who will perform the surgery. Should I use my vet, who I trust? Or should I use the vet they recommend, who is an orthopedic surgeon. .........what it all boils down to is who has done the most of this kind of surgery. They would be the person most familiar with any problems that crop up and would be the most experienced. I'd go with the orthopedic surgeon. You might ask if your vet can do the follow-ups immediately after surgey rather than travel. The advantages to using my vet is that he is much closer to my house, I trust him, and he can do the surgery right away. I don't think the orthopedic vet will be able to do the surgery for several weeks. ........if you just got this pup it might be nice if he could settle into the house for a few weeks. This isn't emergency surgery after all and you both need to get used to each other first. Before he gets hobbled up it might be nice to know if he cues to go outside to pee, for instance. Getting him used to the routine of the house first might make it easier on you both in the long run. good luck buglady take out the dog before replying |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
On 30 Apr 2005 15:06:01 -0700, wrote:
I just got a 3 year old Border Collie from the humane society. I just found out he has severe hip dysplasia despite the fact he had his hips checked and x-rayed by the humane society's vet... I just don't know...if it makes a difference whether a regular vet does it vs an orthopedic specialist. Thank you for adopting a dog from the humane society. Would you want you family practitioner to perform a complex orthopedic procedure on a member of your family? The humane society's vet didn't spot a problem, and your vet might have over looked it, too. That's why the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals ( www.offa.org ) evaluates vet-submitted radiographs and rates the dog's hip [or other joint] condition. My vet said Nightbear's hips looked fine at 14 months of age. But OFA said he had serious problems. By age seven, Nightbear couldn't walk. The extra time you might have to wait will not likely make a significant difference in the surgical results, and medication can relieve the pain until then. If your vet does happen to have the resources and surgical expertise for this procedure, that would be great. Surely he would defer to more capable hands. If not, I'd find a new vet. No vet/physician can be the best at everything. I hope you and your new dog have many happy and healthy years together. When I die, I want to go where dogs go! |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Would you want you family practitioner to perform a complex orthopedic
procedure on a member of your family? A good amount of veterinarians, non boarded in specialties, do this sort of surgery routinely. My husband spends every morning in surgery and FHN and Cruciates for instance are not uncommon at all. To be honest, if I were this owner and distance were not an issue as well as the bill, I'd probably go with the boarded surgeon if the experience of her regular vet was unknown. Best to talk to both vets and ask lots of questions. I agree with Buglady that this can probably wait while the pup gets acclimated and bonds with the new owners. Plenty of time (weeks not months) to research. -Sharon |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Michael A. Ball wrote: The humane society's vet didn't spot a problem, and your vet might have over looked it, too. That's why the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals ( www.offa.org ) evaluates vet-submitted radiographs and rates the dog's hip [or other joint] condition. My vet said Nightbear's hips looked fine at 14 months of age. But OFA said he had serious problems. By age seven, Nightbear couldn't walk. This brings up another issue. My vet knew there was something wrong instantly. My dog is VERY sensitive in the hip area. After he looked at the x-rays he said that is the worst case of hip dysplasia he had ever seen in a 3 year old dog. I saw the x-rays and even I can tell it's severe. He told me no vet could have possibly missed this diagnosis, but the humane society vet specifically examined his hips only 1 month ago. I wanted to find out what happened but the director at the humane society doesn't want any conflicts with her vets. Since they are going to pay (actually I think it's some sort of government program that assists them), I'm not going to create any problems, although I'm very curious. The extra time you might have to wait will not likely make a significant difference in the surgical results, and medication can relieve the pain until then. If your vet does happen to have the resources and surgical expertise for this procedure, that would be great. Surely he would defer to more capable hands. If not, I'd find a new vet. No vet/physician can be the best at everything. I hope you and your new dog have many happy and healthy years together. When I die, I want to go where dogs go! Thanks for the info! I'll know more when I take my dog to the orthopedic for an exam. He's already seen the x-rays from my vet and said it's obviously severe hip dysplasia, but to have the surgery paid for I need to have it checked in person by an orthopedic vet. |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Sharon too wrote: Would you want you family practitioner to perform a complex orthopedic procedure on a member of your family? A good amount of veterinarians, non boarded in specialties, do this sort of surgery routinely. My husband spends every morning in surgery and FHN and Cruciates for instance are not uncommon at all. To be honest, if I were this owner and distance were not an issue as well as the bill, I'd probably go with the boarded surgeon if the experience of her regular vet was unknown. Best to talk to both vets and ask lots of questions. I agree with Buglady that this can probably wait while the pup gets acclimated and bonds with the new owners. Plenty of time (weeks not months) to research. My vet does a lot of surguries. I asked him how many FHN's he's done and he said 50-70, all successful. I'll know more when I visit the orthopedic vet on tuesday. Hs knows my vet well so I'm guessing they will work together to figure out who will do the surgury. |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Scott wrote: I am just curious: both hips or just one? Both. |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
No vet other than an orthopedic vet should be doing they type of surgery.
It is serious and if you don't have an orthopedic vet of your own lined up then I would either find one or have their vet take care of the surgery. I would never consider having my regular vet doing this type of surgery and any vet worth their time wouldn't even try it unless they were certified as an orthopedic. Celeste wrote in message oups.com... I just got a 3 year old Border Collie from the humane society. I just found out he has severe hip dysplasia despite the fact he had his hips checked and x-rayed by the humane society's vet. They are offering to pay for the surgery but I need to decide who will perform the surgery. Should I use my vet, who I trust? Or should I use the vet they recommend, who is an orthopedic surgeon. The advantages to using my vet is that he is much closer to my house, I trust him, and he can do the surgery right away. I don't think the orthopedic vet will be able to do the surgery for several weeks. I just don't know if the surgery is considered difficult (Femoral Head and Neck Removal) and if it makes a difference whether a regular vet does it vs an orthopedic specialist. |
#10
|
|||
|
|||
I would never consider having my regular vet doing this type of surgery
and any vet worth their time wouldn't even try it unless they were certified as an orthopedic. Gee, I'll pass that on to my husband who in 15 years has yet to have complications for all the FHN's he's done and has had other area vets refer cases to him. There's a lot to this. -Sharon |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Hip Dysplasia Surgery? | NewsGroups | Dog health | 3 | January 11th 05 10:16 PM |
Hip Dysplasia Surgery? | NewsGroups | Dogs - general | 3 | January 11th 05 10:16 PM |
Hip Dysplasia / FHO Surgery | S.R. | Dog behavior | 30 | September 4th 04 12:21 AM |
Hip Dysplasia / FHO Surgery | S.R. | Dog behavior | 0 | August 30th 04 12:52 AM |
Hip Dysplasia / FHO Surgery | S.R. | Dog behavior | 0 | August 30th 04 12:52 AM |