Hip Dysplasia

[ripley]

Indy went in for his surgery to get neutered today. I asked the vet to take x-rays of his hips and elbows because I had been hoping to do agility with him when he's older (he is about 1 year old right now). The x-rays show that he has mild to moderate hip dysplasia in his left hip. The right hip looks okay and his elbows look okay. Indy seems to be moving fine right now and not showing clinical signs of the dysplasia (he's a very active boy outside and loves to run). However, I am wondering if this might have contributed to his initial fear of going down stairs. He isn't afraid anymore, but still looks awkward going down and often stops as he's going (I thought this was to make sure I'm coming, but now I'm wondering). He also seems reluctant to jump into and out of the car and seems to prefer lying on the floor rather than the seat. I thought this was because he's still a little unsure of things and the floor seemed safer, but perhaps it's because extending those hips is harder for him.

 

At any rate, I'm now trying to make sense of this diagnosis and what it will mean for Indy. The vet was reluctant to rate the severity or make predictions. He said it's very hard to know if and when Indy will start showing clinical signs. He could have problems a year from now or be fine until he's much older. He did recommend against agility or any other dog sport. He also said to avoid jumping or rigorous exercising (walks okay, but excessive running not a good idea).

 

Indy loves to run and he will do it on his own accord. I just open the back door and he will run and run (up and down a steep embankment, laps around my 1/4 acre fenced yard). He also loves to run circles around Yoshi when Yoshi is going for the frisbee. And he's just started to really get into the fetching thing (he runs after the frisbee, but does not jump up for it). Everything is full speed ahead. So, I'm wondering to what degree I should cut down on this type of exercise. How do you not let a 1 year old border collie run? He is so joyful and happy when running. I think I would have to keep him on the leash all the time (even in the yard) to prevent it and what kind of life would that be for a border collie.

 

Are there others out there whose BC's received this diagnosis at such an early age? If so, in what ways did you limit your dog's activity? I know they need some exercise to keep their muscles strong. So, I'm guessing long walks are still okay. Is running in circles or running after toys okay? Indy doesn't seem to jump up for toys, but I would think the quick moves and stops might be hard on the joints. Is any amount of agility out of the question?

 

I also have a question about the OFA certification. They say on their site that they have a 90% accuracy when the dog is at least a year old (it's better when they are 2 years). Would there be any value in getting them to evaluate his x-rays? I'm obviously not breeding him, but would it be helpful in terms of treatment and limiting activity to have a rating of mild, moderate, or severe? For the record, both of Indy's parents have good hips and come from strong herding lines.

 

The vet suggested I start Indy on Dasuquin. Is anyone familiar with that medication?

 

Thanks for any info or words of wisdom you can offer. This was hard news to hear and I'm feeling bad for poor Indy.

[DTrain]

I never got my best dog until he was two. It appears that somewhere along the line he has taken an injury to his right rear hip. He had a very rough start to life and has taken several injuries working in a feed lot. We do not know the full extent of the damage, he is very mobile and my Vet feels that we should just keep an eye on things. He does not work hard and I do not push him. He seems to know when to quite. It is obvious it causes him pain so we treat that with pain killers which gives him some relief. I am not sure what to do, he is only four now and of course he wants to be very active. I don't want to cut him off from activity so we still do our goose work but we limit our stock work. I want him to stay in shape so we give him all the activity we can and we make sure we do not over-feed him, I want to keep weight off. It is difficult but we try our best making sure he is fit, pain free and happy. We watch him very closely.

[juliepoudrier]

I don't think I'd cut down on any exercise Indy initiates himself. As I've noted before on this topic, good muscling can go a long way toward helping to stabilize the joint, so going to the extreme of not letting him exercise is counterproductive, I think. If you want to do sports with him, I think I'd take him to a vet who specializes in sports medicine (or an orthopedic specialist at least) for a thorough evaluation. I would say that mild to moderate isn't a "death sentence" when it comes to sports. My now nearly 13-year-old dog has very (very) bad hips and yet trialed successfully in open sheepdog trials (highest level) until she was around 9 or 10. I firmly believe that it was her fitness and muscling that enabled her to work without any problems. She's only recently (within the past 9 months or so) become unstable and apparently uncomfortable in her rear end.

 

I don't do agility so I have no idea how repetitive activities like that can affect the joints, but it seems to me that the dog's front end would be taking the biggest impact from most agility activities. Anyway, IMO a mild HD diagnosis in one hip shouldn't unduly limit the things Indy does. You might want to start him on joint supplements (that's what Dasuquin is), but beyond that, I personally wouldn't limit him severely.

 

J.

[PSmitty]

Ditto what Julie said.

 

I'm sorry to hear about Indy. I know dogs with mild HD who still participate in agility and flyball, though. Obviously this would all depend on the severity, Indy's comfort level, etc. I'm not recommending going against a vet's orders, but it's worth considering seeing just what he is able to do. I wouldn't limit his activity at all, because the more muscles he has, the better. It's also very important to keep him thin. That's a biggie.

 

Good luck!

[ripley]

Thanks Julie. What you say makes sense. I certainly don't want to keep him from exercising, I'm just not sure how much and what type of activity is too much for him. Like you say, there are a lot of repetitive movements and jumping with agility. Are there any agility folks out there who have an opinion on this issue?

 

I've been researching the Penn Hip procedure and I think I am going to get that done for Indy. From what I understand, the results are more accurate because they take additional x-ray views in different positions and also manually move the leg around. The report seems to give more information than an OFA report would and perhaps will give me a better idea of the degree of Indy's problem. It also doesn't hurt to get another opinion. I found a vet locally who is certified to do the procedure and am hoping to get a call from him tomorrow to find out more information. Has anyone had this done before? If so, what was your experience?

 

I am not sure when to schedule the procedure. I would think that Indy needs to recover from the neuter surgery before being put under anesthesia again. I will ask the vet tomorrow how long he thinks I should wait.

[juliepoudrier]

Ripley,

Do the PennHip folks recommend waiting till he's two, or do that say that one year is acceptable? Doesn't PennHip look at laxity? Remember that there is some belief among working border collie folk that some laxity is necessary for a sound working dog. I really think I'd talk to a sports medicine specialist first (and take the current radiographs with you).

 

The problem with HD is that instability in the joint causes irritation/stress in that joint, which leads to the development of osteoarthritis, which is what ultimately causes lameness. That's why I disagree with cutting way back on Indy's exercise. A well-muscled rear end will add stability to the joint, which in turn *should* help delay the onset of arthritis.

 

If possible, I'd add swimming to Indy's exercise regimen. Swimming is excellent for building muscle without the impact of running, etc. Also, remember that one hip with mild dysplasia (which I guess would maybe be a "fair" hip according to OFA?) is NOT the same as a dog with two poor hips and may never actually affect him to the point where you'd notice. And evaluation of hip radiographs is subjective, so I wouldn't take anything to heart based on your regular vet's diagnosis (mainly because your regular vet probably isn't an expert in this area) but instead would pursue the advice of a vet who specializes in sports or bones for a more definitive diagnosis and up-to-date recommendations on what you can expect from Indy in the way of sports and activity. Frankly, I think your money would be better spent on a second opinion from a specialist vs. a second hip evaluation through PennHip. Let the specialist decide if an additional evaluation is necessary.

 

I'm not trying to dismiss dysplasia, but really I think it's one of those things that people have a knee-jerk reaction to when often the prognosis isn't as bad as you might imagine.

 

J.

[MaryP]

Awe, I'm sorry to hear about Indy's diagnosis. I wouldn't give up on the potential of doing sports with him, though. Milo has HD and was VERY active and did some sports in his younger years. I never knew that he had HD until he was about 8 years old and started showing signs of discomfort. Had I had him x-rayed as a young dog, I probably would have known that he had HD early on. But, I would hate to have prevented him from enjoying his active youth because of it. He's 10 now and these days, he is still quite active, but he also self-polices his activity level. If he is not comfortable, he slows down. So, I don't worry about trying to limit his activities.

 

Also, I'm going to sound like a broken record here, but have you considered Adequan shots? They did wonders for Milo. They turned the clock back several years. I've also heard really good things about stem cell treatments for dogs with HD.

 

Lastly, I never have had x-rays done on my dogs unless there was a reason (i.e., showing signs of discomfort). Charlie is almost 4 and is very active and athletic, and competes in sports. I've never had him x-rayed. Perhaps that is just me putting my head in the sand, but in a lot of ways, I don't want to know if he has HD. I wouldn't want that to cause me to stop him from having a full, active life. Of course, I don't want to do anything to hurt him, but I think his being inactive would be much more harmful in the long run (both for his mental and physical health). The thing with HD is that you just can't predict if or when a dog will start showing clinical symptoms. In fact, they may never show clinical symptoms. It would be sad to limit their activities (IMO) just because they may develop clinical symptoms somewhere down the road. Of course, that's just my opinion and others (like your vet) may disagree with me.

[jenkshipley]

At any rate, I'm now trying to make sense of this diagnosis and what it will mean for Indy. The vet was reluctant to rate the severity or make predictions. He said it's very hard to know if and when Indy will start showing clinical signs. He could have problems a year from now or be fine until he's much older. He did recommend against agility or any other dog sport. He also said to avoid jumping or rigorous exercising (walks okay, but excessive running not a good idea).

 

Where do you live?

 

A. Running is an excellent activity for a dog with dysplastic hips. It keeps muscle mass and tone around the hip which supports the joint and postpones arthritis. I have never heard of a vet recommending limited exercise as far as running. That is, in fact the opposite of what I have been told by an orthopedic vet and a canine physical therapist. Jumping for a Frisbee or repetitive jumping at full height or repetitive aframe work and training may not be ideal for you dog depending on his overall muscle conditioning and the severity of the joint, but I would get a second opinion before I made any decisions about agility.

 

B. Joint supplements, joint supplements, joint supplements! I would use a very good quality, liquid, glucosamine, chondrotin and MSM mixture as well as a good quality fish oil supplement twice a day. Another supplement I like and have used is Dog Gone Pain. People have had excellent results with it.

 

C. Swimming! If you can find a park or local area where you can swim your dog, great. I would swim him as much for as much of the year as you can. If you can't find a local park, look into horse rehab centers that have swimming pools, a lot of them will allow dogs to swim for a fee. Swimming allows full range of motion without impact on the joint which keeps the joint functioning as normally as possible and keeps the muscle and ligaments strong.

 

D. There is a current Border Collie who is trying out for one of the agility world teams who is 8 years old and dysplastic in both hips. She is amazing. My friend's dog won the Grand Prix at USDAA nationals years ago and is mildly dysplastic in both hips. She retired fairly early by comparison to other Border Collies, but it was actually do to arthritis in her wrists and not her hips!

 

E. I would not spend $300 + dollars to have your dog PennHipped. Pennhip is really for breeding purposes. I am a supporter of the program and I do believe that, if people would stop making excuses for why they don't use it before breeding and breed dogs lower then the median only, we would reduce dysplasia overall. However, Pennhip is only going to give you a laxity ratio in the hips. Laxity increases the chances that your dog will develop arthritis in the hip, but it is likelihood, not a definite answer. You have your answer you need right in front of you - the traditional extended position x-ray that shows dysplasia in your dog's hip.

 

The OFA image can vary slightly after 2 but an abnormal joint will not become normal. There really isn't any need to x-ray later unless your dog starts to have lameness or other symptoms. I would not put a young dog on ANY pain medications. They all have side effects including organ damage which accumulate and worsen over time. Don't put him on any conventional pain killer unless he shows obvious signs of discomfort. If he does end up with lameness in that hip, there are always surgical options to correct the joint and remove pain. Border Collies are good candidates for FHO surgery where they remove the ball of the joint which eliminates the bone on bone rubbing that causes pain. There is also total hip replacement surgery where the dog literally gets a new and improved hip, but this is quite expensive.

 

I would take the money you would spend on a PennHip, do some research and find the closest orthopedic or sports injury veterinary practice or canine rehabilitation center near you and take your dog there for a consult. They will be able to give you a much more accurate idea then your regular vet about the likelihood of arthritis, and whether or not to do agility with your dog. If you let us know where you are located, I will see if anyone can recommend a place for you.

 

 

Best,

Jen

Flute, Enna, Fever and now Lava!

[ripley]

Thanks for all the information and advice everyone! It's a relief to hear that I can continue to let Indy run and have fun. The thought of trying to restrict such a young, active boy was awful. Of course I will still try to discourage jumping for the frisbee and get more opinions before deciding on agility.

 

Going to a specialist sounds like a good idea. I'm in Elizabethtown, PA near both Harrisburg and Lancaster. Also, I'm not that far from the MD border, so that would be a possibility too. I drove to Towsen a couple years ago for Yoshi to meet with a cardiologist for an echocardiogram (he's fine by the way... he has a very low heart rate and the specialist concluded that his heart is fine and that he's just very athletic). If you can recommend someone, that would be great.

[jenkshipley]

I'm in Elizabethtown, PA near both Harrisburg and Lancaster. Also, I'm not that far from the MD border, so that would be a possibility too.

 

There are lots of people out that way that compete in agility. Let me ask around. Also, Dr. Canapp is in MD and has an excellent reputation. Pricey though, but he is really good. If I needed surgery on one of my dogs, I would probably go to him. There is a decent vet who does hip replacement surgeries and therefore should be able to give you an accurate read on your dog's hip in Lititz, PA. Let me find out her name....

[jenkshipley]

There are lots of people out that way that compete in agility. Let me ask around. Also, Dr. Canapp is in MD and has an excellent reputation. Pricey though, but he is really good. If I needed surgery on one of my dogs, I would probably go to him. There is a decent vet who does hip replacement surgeries and therefore should be able to give you an accurate read on your dog's hip in Lititz, PA. Let me find out her name....

 

Lititz Veterinary Clinic: Runnels Christine DVM

 

This Veterinarian did my brother's lab's hip replacement surgery. She is very good and might be able to point you in the right direction. If you don't mind a drive. I'd do a consult with Dr. Canapp in MD.

 

Here is their site:

 

http://www.vetsportsmedicine.com/

 

I would say they are probably the best canine sports medicine practice in the Northeast.

 

Best,

Jen

[urge to herd]

One more HD story. We had Buzz xrayed at around age 9 and a half, as part of the diagnostic procedures for osteo sarcoma. Even to my amateur eyes, his hips looked dysplastic, and that's the first thing the ortho vet mentioned.

 

Up until that point, we had no idea that Buzz had any problems at all. He ran, jumped, cavorted and generally threw himself into all of his activities with wild abandon. He was a very athletic dog, so I think his muscle tone supported his joints.

 

If he hadn't had that x ray, we might never have known about his hips.

 

Ruth

[elegy]

I don't know that Dr. Runnels would be of much help other than for her staff to potentially point you elsewhere. She's pretty much *just* a surgeon, and apparently just wants to deal with dogs with diagnoses that are looking for a surgical procedure to be done. (She's really really nice and did Luce's second knee surgery and I'd pick her as a surgeon for my dogs in a heartbeat.)

 

Smoketown is an option. They do rehab stuff, so they might be able to help.

 

Also, if you're looking for somewhere to swim him year round, Canine Companions in Bainbridge has an indoor heated pool that is *sweet*.

 

I have a friend who went to VOSM with her Portie and she had nothing but good things to say about them.

[Alaska]

I believe that Dasuquin is a joint supplement (basically glucosamine), not a medication.

 

I too had a dog who reached the age of 9 before I had any inkling she had hip dysplasia (not a BC, but BC-size). That was before I discovered agility, but she led a very active life. She had a run-in with a car at 9 and the hip joint wouldn't stay together after that, so the vet did an FHO (cut off the head of the femur, basically) and she got another 3 years out of that joint before cancer in the other leg did her in.

[jenkshipley]

I believe that Dasuquin is a joint supplement (basically glucosamine), not a medication.

 

 

 

Yes, you are right!

 

I never used supplements marketed specifically for dogs when I can get the same supplements for humans so I assumed it was one of the newer NSAIDs that they keep creating so they can say the side effects aren't as bad. I find the dog marketed items to be way overpriced so I always opt for human supplements and dose appropriately for the dogs. However, it does look like a decent gluco/chond/msm mix.

[ripley]

Thanks for the advice and recommendations everyone! I talked with a vet nearby (Dr. Book at Londonderry Animal Hospital) who does the Penn Hip procedure. He was very nice and knowledgeable. He agreed that getting the Penn Hip doesn't make sense since I am not planning to breed Indy. However, he said he could take a look at the current x-ray and let me know if additional x-rays would add anything. He also said we could do the x-rays without putting Indy under anesthesia again (he can use a sedative if needed) since we aren't going to use them for an official certification. He thinks he will be able to tell some things from the physical exam as well and also offered to send the x-rays off to a radiologist for another opinion, if needed. Since Indy isn't actually showing any symptoms at the moment, I think this is a good first step. I can always go to a specialist down the road, if things change.

 

By the way, I am familiar with Canine Companions. I take agility classes there with Coleen and also send Yoshi to their day camp once a week. It's a fantastic place. I haven't tried the swimming yet, but perhaps I will after Indy has recovered from his surgery. He's still quite skittish in new situations, so I'm not sure if he would be up for that yet.

[Denise Wall]

Pennhip is really for breeding purposes. I am a supporter of the program and I do believe that, if people would stop making excuses for why they don't use it before breeding and breed dogs lower then the median only, we would reduce dysplasia overall.

 

Okay, I've been stewing over this for a few days and I finally have to comment. Other factors besides laxity are involved in the development of hip dysplasia, and it varies by breed. PennHIP themselves (now) accepts and reports that its effectiveness in reducing hip dysplasia varies from breed to breed. Yeah, it's real effective for German Shepherds because they have no muscle left in their back ends. All breeds are not the same.

 

Here's an article I *researched* and wrote about it years ago. It still holds up IMO:

 

My Thoughts on Developing a Wider View of Hip Dysplasia in the Border Collie

 

It pisses me off a little when someone implies that I'm simply "making excuses" for not using PennHIP for my breeding dogs just because I don't happen think it's a very good test for border collies. Please note that I am in NO WAY implying in this article that border collies with hips so lax that they are dysplastic is the desired goal. Some people have tried to take this message away from the article in the past and that is not what is being said.

 

Sorry to hijack the thread but it sounds like the OP has a good plan at this point.

[mjk05]

I have a kelpie with mild unilateral hip dysplasia. He injured a knee at 2yo (possibly a partial cruciate tear) and had his hips Xrayed at that time. He's 5 now, and until recently I would have said he didn't even notice his hip problem.

 

Of course, the knee injury may have been linked to his bad hip, although they are on opposite sides. After his knee injury, he would sometimes pull up lame after a sharp turn at high speed on an agility course, and we both started to become cautious and a bit nervous about running agility all out, which is part of the reason we don't do it anymore. But the hip was never really an issue.

 

He's always been lean (difficult to put weight on, in fact) and I've had him on nutriceuticals (glucosamine, MSM, fish oil) since he was diagnosed. He's very active, runs and plays with the other dogs and is an incredible jumper, he sails over our backyard pool-style fencing without a thought. But... just in the last 12 months I've started noticing him slowing down when working sheep, he just doesn't seem as quick to cover- partly that's inherent lack of cover, and poor training, but on his bad days I can also notice a slight hitch in his gait on his outrun, on his bad hip side. If it gets much worse we'll probably get repeat Xrays and see what's going on.

 

If I were in your situation, I think I'd probably treat the dog rather than the imaging, if you know what I mean. It won't hurt to get as much information about Indy's hips as you can, now that you know there might be a problem, but if it's only mild dysplasia, personally I'd go on with life and agility as normal, just making sure you keep him fit and add in regular joint supplements.

[herdcentral]

I have a dog with mildly dysplastic elbows and one with 2 TPLO repairs for cruciates and I have start working them along with my sound BC on the egg ball from clean run. They enjoy it and it is a great way to devlop core muscle strength and my elbow dog has great front end muscles and doesnt limp at all.

 

Swimming is also great and keeps both my ortho cases very fit and well muscled so they can enjoying going out and chasing rabbits and other doggy things on long hikes.

[DTrain]

I little off topic but concerning pain medications. My Vet talked me into trying Deramaxx on a test basis for my dog Pete who has a problem with his right rear hip. He has shown signs of being in pain. We watched carefully and at first he seemed better but after several days he began to change. I have read some bad stuff about this drug on the internet and it is commonly and widely used for hip and joint pain. First we noticed that Pete's sleeping habits changed. He slept in a different location and still is from his normal spot. He showed signs of being out of it, not attentive. We noticed that he had trouble going, he wanted to but nothing would happen. He began digging constantly, we have never seen him dig in the past. He is fixated and stares constantly especially at me. It sometimes takes several tries to get him to respond, he does not seem all there. He became very restless and finally he began to show aggression with out other dogs. These are things that are out of character for Pete and oddly enough they popped up shortly after starting the drug test. There is little information or warning information about this drug concerning the sorts of things Pete is displaying. Our Vet doubts the medication has anything to do with any of this claiming he has not seen it in other dogs. I am not taking any chances, I have seen enough to be concerned and I am worried about long term effect. I have stopped the medication and I am looking for other ways to help Pete with his pain. If this medication is suggested to you for your dog please be very careful and watch very carefully for any signs of change, even minor.

[juliepoudrier]

DTrain,

Google DogGonePain--it might be a solution for you and Pete.

 

J.

[shysheperdess]

Hello! sorry to here about Indy's hips

 

My bc just turned 3 and was 2 when he was diagnosed with mild-moderate unilateral hip dysplasia. My dog was already in great shape and the vet told me to try to keep it that way! Keeping him lean and well-muscled helps stabalize the joints and minimize impact. My vet said not to do any sort of prescription pain-killers at this time as he is still young and not symptomatic and there are risks associated with using said drugs. He told me to let my dog be the guide as to whats "to much" or if he appears to be hurting. Of course that's hard with a bc when they put there heart into everything they do regardless of pain!!!

 

I do ALOT of supplements and I have tried different ones and believe me, in my opinion one supplement is not equal to another! I tried several different brands and finally landed on the Dasequin with MSN which I believe has given my dog the best results(he got really stiff during the cold winter months and this supplement definetly proved the best)! It is more expensive but worth it! I also give him Nordic naturals Omega 3 pills, plus Salmon oil in his food, Vitamin C and E(human supp.) which has somewhat proven to help with hip dysplasia and a homeopathic anti-inflammatory serum.

 

He gets LOTS of exercise, jogging(not alot on pavement) ball play while hiking(short spurts of ball play) and lots of swimming! We have started agility but mostly do alot of herding! I also make sure to stretch him good and warm him up before any strenuous activity. There are also certain stretches and tricks you can practice to help build muscle and flexibility in his hind-end.

 

He has remained a-symptomatic up until this point, minus the stiffness in the winter. I to am hoping for the best and crossing my fingers! I have been told by many whom have been there-done-that that the surgeries(other than the total hip) really are more of a band-aid and don't resolve much. They are mostly geared to the severly arthritic dogs who have severe dysplasia which may be the case for both of our dogs later on down the road. But in a young healthy dog with no symptoms it's really not necessary yet! And the THR is the only surgery that completely "cures" the problem and can cost anywhere from $5-10,000 a hip from what I hear.

 

good luck!!!

[lexio2]

Having two dogs with HD and one with arthritis, this is the joint supplement i use.

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/SW1081/Item...il?n=4294967190

You cannot find a cheaper price ANYWHERE for them and (in combination with a physical therapy regime) Qwill transformed from a dog who had major difficulties standing up from a down, to a dog who runs around like the wind with stiff days few and far between. Qwill has moderate to severe HD in both hips, btw. He is 3 years old.

 

When Q was initially diagnosed i had a very lengthy chat with my vet. She said that extended periods of trotting are much better for building up hip muscles than all out running (less jarring). she also said that exercise was the best thing for him! Swimming, like has been posted before, is also a great way to build up muscles since it is virtually NO-impact. I made a video of my physical therapy routine with Q, altho the sound is lost for some reason, i can post it here if you'd like to see that as well.

 

I decided very early on tho that i wouldn't limit my dogs from being dogs, as rescues they had some crappy times in past lives, they're here to live out their days loved and loving life!! When the vet told me Q shouldn't run i basically laughed at her. A BC that can't be allowed to run? yeah right. Qwill runs, chases (roller) frisbees, kicks the pup's ass in wrestling games, takes wild and reckless leaps onto and off of my bed, flys up and down stairs and is a general goofball. I let him do as he pleases. I also take Q out on occasions with the scooter. I try to take him out after running Koda and Trophy full speed, so we can trot the trail instead of sprinting it.

 

I keep pain meds on hand at all times, but use them less than twice a month for either dog. I also try to keep my HD dogs a bit thinner than their "ideal" this is difficult as they both gain weight from breathing, but i try just the same. The less weight overall on the hips the better.

 

I don't have plans for sports in Q's future (I wanted to do flyball, but now i have Trophy for that!) but i do want to do some Rally-O eventually. There are jumps at the highest level, but in the shape he's in now i think that a few jumping events now and again won't bother him one bit!

 

Good luck with whatever steps you take with you pup!