Total Hip Replacement - experiences?
Hi
I wonder if you went ahead and had this done? You need to be sure of one particular thing. Is it a full THR they are talking about or a arthoplasty? Both very extensive procedures - one is "total" the other is a partial total hip replacement. Majority of dogs for their lifetime - arthroplasty will do. Where I come from, there is a large percentage of dogs that the Orthopaedic Consultant Vet will not do. They are seen, x-rayed and throughly examined - maybe 1 out of 10 will be suitable. The rest come back to their ordinary vets to carry out the arthroplasty if deemed able to do it.
Orthopaedic Surgery is very invasive. With a person you can "attempt" to explain to them about the procedure. With an animal you cant. Of course you must be guided by your own vet. It must be heart breaking for you in an animal of such young age. Before you decided I would seek a second opinion with a Specialist Orthopaedic Vet.
A picky eater is a nightmare at times - I have one too. She would rather not eat than eat something she didnt like. Thank heavens she is fit and healthy. Our older girl has HD. I opted to cope with her joint problems with diet, restricted exercise etc. I decided that should it ever come to the point that surgery is a must, we would reconsider it then. Your dog will let you know when she has had enough exercise. Instead of taking her out for a long walk she gets taken out 3-4 times a day for a shorter walk. Instead of letting her run free for 30-40 mins, she will do so for 5-10 mins. Obviously as she gets older she does not need so much stimulus.
As for supplements we have found ROYAL JELLY to be very helpful. It does ease any pain they have, improves mobility and gives their general well being a boost. I ran out of it a few weeks ago and within 24 hours both the dog and my elderly mother were in pain and quite immobile. I give it to them in capsule form - you should be able to get it at any good health shop or herbalists. My dog was diagnosed at 18 months with HD. Today she is nearly 7 years and doing very well.
I do know of folk who have had the arthroplasty done to their dog. They had both hips done.
Good luck with whatever decision you come to.
Angel
Replies (10)
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My little beauty has bad hips and the vet suggested a Total Hip Replacement. She still manage it, but it is heartbreaking to watch her jumping as a bunny and know how she would enjoy to really run and race with the older dogs. She is clearly in pain time to time and gets treatment for it. I have tried every possibly diet and supplements to her, but one of the main problems is that she is a really picky eater. I always thought that I knew these kind of eaters, but never have had met a little lady as she is. If she could chose, she would live on tv-remotes, cell-phones and nudles. Try then get her to eat supplements! Only positive side in this is that she is really not too heavy, quite the opposite, she could gladly weight few kilos more than she do. But to the main question: I would like to hear your experiences of the THR-operation and about the rehabilitation.
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Hi Meriam, Your dog and its care is totally up to you. The decision for THR is one that must not be made lightly. THR will not restore full function to your dog and though the technology is getting much better I am not a proponent of these types of invasive procedures. Though I love my dogs dearly I would not put them through that trauma - I would put them down if any injury or condition dictates that they cannot function reasonably anymore. Many will disagree but like I said earlier it is totally a personal choice. As you assess your dogs and your situation it is best to think longterm and see if the pain and expen$e is really worth it. Sorry If I am not much help. You have a very difficult decision ahead of you - personally I would not do it. Good luck. -
I am aware of the fact that this decision is on me and me only. And this is not an easy decision. Have to say that I had a strong opinion about this before I self had to face the choices with my own dogs. It seems to be lot easier to have opinion without burden of decision-making. It is why I would like to hear about the experiences from people who have went trough this with their dogs.
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Good point Meriam. I know of one person who had the procedure done to their dog so will wait for them to reply to you. Good luck.
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Meriam, I hesitate to give you my personal opinion, because I fear it would not be very heartening. I'd like to ask you though, if you could provide some additional information such as ... How old is your dog right now? ... and ... Did the vet indicate what the estimated cost for this THR would be? This would at least allow to do an objective cost-benefit assessment for you. Good luck with everything. We've all been in this situation where we have to make a tough and unselfish decision. Never easy. :( Dan
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The little diva is now 1,5 years old. Otherwise healthy and vivid little friend. And yes, I know the costs of the operation and the physiotherapy following that. It is a lot of money, but since I do not have kids and neither smoke or do restaurants, I do have enough to afford this - I could spend the money much worse. I already do spend quite a good sum for her medicine, food supplements and physiotherapy, so the costs are not the issue. The main issue is if the operation is worth to go trough, would the quality of life be better for her after the operation?
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Hi I wonder if you went ahead and had this done? You need to be sure of one particular thing. Is it a full THR they are talking about or a arthoplasty? Both very extensive procedures - one is "total" the other is a partial total hip replacement. Majority of dogs for their lifetime - arthroplasty will do. Where I come from, there is a large percentage of dogs that the Orthopaedic Consultant Vet will not do. They are seen, x-rayed and throughly examined - maybe 1 out of 10 will be suitable. The rest come back to their ordinary vets to carry out the arthroplasty if deemed able to do it. Orthopaedic Surgery is very invasive. With a person you can "attempt" to explain to them about the procedure. With an animal you cant. Of course you must be guided by your own vet. It must be heart breaking for you in an animal of such young age. Before you decided I would seek a second opinion with a Specialist Orthopaedic Vet. A picky eater is a nightmare at times - I have one too. She would rather not eat than eat something she didnt like. Thank heavens she is fit and healthy. Our older girl has HD. I opted to cope with her joint problems with diet, restricted exercise etc. I decided that should it ever come to the point that surgery is a must, we would reconsider it then. Your dog will let you know when she has had enough exercise. Instead of taking her out for a long walk she gets taken out 3-4 times a day for a shorter walk. Instead of letting her run free for 30-40 mins, she will do so for 5-10 mins. Obviously as she gets older she does not need so much stimulus. As for supplements we have found ROYAL JELLY to be very helpful. It does ease any pain they have, improves mobility and gives their general well being a boost. I ran out of it a few weeks ago and within 24 hours both the dog and my elderly mother were in pain and quite immobile. I give it to them in capsule form - you should be able to get it at any good health shop or herbalists. My dog was diagnosed at 18 months with HD. Today she is nearly 7 years and doing very well. I do know of folk who have had the arthroplasty done to their dog. They had both hips done. Good luck with whatever decision you come to. Angel -
hi Meriam i have a friend with mal female who had to go trough such surgery at about the same age 9 months after she's great, can walk again, won't ever be fully healthy dogs but utlist now she isn't in any pain and can live good life like any other dogs as much as i know such surgerys are very expensive and the after tretment is long, not all the owners are willing to go there i won't tale you to do or not to do it's fully your considerations alone but knw that it'll be long and not easy in the end if this surgery will save and preserve your dogs life and it wroth it :D good luck with it, please update how it all went
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Hi Angel and Irena, thank you for your kind thoughts. I have never heard about the Royal Jelly, will check if it is available here in Finland. Actually I have consulted three leading orthopedic vets here and they all are of same opinion, that my dog would be an ideal patient for THR and would get better quality of life. And as I wrote, for me this is not a question of money - I know the operation to be very expensive. But as I told, I already do put a lot of money on physiotherapy and medicine. As I do see this, it is a question of quality of life (admit that this is a bit easier statement when you can afford it economically). I realize that my dog is not going to be "as good as new" after the operation, but I am hoping to allow her a better life. And one of these vets showed me a video of a Newfounland hound which had gone this kind of operation for six years earlier, the dog seemed to me be quite goo shape compared to the state she were before the operation (it was shot before the operation, immediately after, two years and six years after). And no, to Angels question, the operation is not done. Since we are going ahead to autumn and slippery weather conditions, so we try to manage a bit longer before the operation. It will be easier to walk her out when we get snow. Kind regards, Meriam with three wonderful dogs
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Pantothenic acid in royal jelly helps those with arthritis Some studies involving those suffering with arthritis show that they lack pantothenic acid. In one research project, when arthritis sufferers were injected with pantothenic acid, their blood levels of this B vitamin rose to normal and many of their symptoms disappeared. Once these injections stopped, the symptoms rapidly returned. Reduction or disappearance of the symptoms that commonly accompany arthritis were most pronounced in vegetarians when they received an injection of a combination of pantothenic acid and royal jelly. Some researchers theorize that royal jelly helps arthritis because it contains an ingredient called 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, a substance found to have powerful antimicrobial properties that may contribute to royal jelly's anti-inflammatory effect. Stories about the improvement of various physical disorders after supplementation with royal jelly are so numerous and remarkable that, at first, one may be inclined to dismiss them: recovery from anorexia nervosa (loss of appetite); lowering of cholesterol and triglyceride levels; improved blood circulation; reduction of symptoms of arthritis and asthma; correction of urinary incontinence; and improvement of some types of impotency. Link http://store.omnivit.com/00605.html
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