readysetjess Posted March 1, 2022 Report Share Posted March 1, 2022 Hello BC Boards Our 3.5 year old border collie/heeler mix has terrible hip pain and we have tried all the different therapies injections, massage, therapy, pills and acupuncture and nothing seems to make her better. We have been considering the THR but feel like we might be jumping the gun. We want her to run and be happy again. She limps after a day of 2 short walks and just indoor play. She used to do agility and trail run with me. Our vet has said that the THR should be the last resort but I want her to enjoy her life as long as possible. It totally breaks our heart to have her in pain and she is so young. Would love any thoughts opinions or other peoples experiences! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 At 3 and half she has a long life ahead of her. I'd say make it pain free in whatever manner necessary. Have you looked at the various options? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 2, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 46 minutes ago, Journey said: At 3 and half she has a long life ahead of her. I'd say make it pain free in whatever manner necessary. Have you looked at the various options? yeah, thats what i've been thinking. yes, we looked at Total Hip Replacement as well as Femoral head Removal. I am not sure which one is best for her. Do you have any experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted March 2, 2022 Report Share Posted March 2, 2022 Thankfully no experience. However, you may want to speak to your vet about the options and do some research on your own. I've known several with the TPO that have been wonderful and pain free afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Talk about timing. I just got my dog's surgery date for a THR yesterday. (mid-April) He is 8 years old and I expect him to live until 14-16 years old so I felt it was worth it (a LOT of $$$$$$) to go through that procedure. A couple of thoughts: My vet suggested either an FHO or THR. Due to the lower cost and some horror stories she has heard about THRs, she gently suggested an FHO. I did some research and talked to some knowledgeable CCFTs and CPCFTs online who provided me with peer-reviewed research that an FHO doesn't necessarily reduce the pain, nor would it necessarily improve his gait. FHOs were better for smaller dogs than medium and larger dogs. I would definitely consult with a specialized veterinarian surgeon to confirm that they agree with the need for a THR. Don't use the local surgeon who is not trained in THR. My surgeon is certified with the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation. First, I had to see another veterinary surgeon (who does not do hip replacements, but does perform FHOs.) He agreed with me that for my dog's condition, a THR would be better than an FHO. Next, I must go for another consult with the surgeon who will perform the THR -- bloodwork, more X-rays, and an individual conversation with me. My dog is getting the Biomedtrix hip. The company trains the surgeons and provides continuing support. They are more than just a manufacturer/seller. They have a website you can use to locate surgeons trained to use the device. And it is very important that appropriate post-surgical rehabilitation is performed for the success of the THR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Omg thank you for finding me on here. Can I ask what your dog’s symptoms are for the THR? What are you hoping they can do after surgery? Our dog now can barely do a jog without limping that night. I hope that with a THr she could get back to jogging Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 The symptoms are limping on his left rear and not wanting to put much weight on the left rear when standing. Initially, the chiro vet thought it was an iliopsoas strain because of muscle reactivity. (Note: I have been leash-walking him since the day that I noticed his limping. No more agility, no more free-range walks, nothing.) After another week of leash-walking, he no longer limped, but I continued to leash walk him because I know it can take several weeks longer for total recovery. Unfortunately, after a few days of limp-free life, he started to limp again - even though he was not 'exercising' as normal. We went to my general vet to get Xrays and a second opinion. She noticed a psoas strain also and also noticed that he had lost some muscle in his left rear haunch. So she also agreed with a psoas strain, and in addition, the Xrays showed arthritic changes in the left hip. After the surgery, I am hoping that we can get back to free-range walks where he can run as he wishes. I am not optimistic that he will be able to do agility again. The first surgeon I saw indicated that he could recover 90-95% of previous mobility - but so much depends on surgery and post-op rehabilitation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Poop pup. I hate to see them like this. Your dog and mine seem so similar but my girl is only 3.5 and has definite hip dysplasia. The surgeon only wanted surgery as last resort but after months of barely any exercise her limp is back. So hearing your experience is really helpful. I would love if you could update us on your dogs progress after surgery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcv-border Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 Good luck with your dog. I can not stress enough that you should find a vet specialist in orthopedics and/or rehab to make a definitive diagnosis. In previous years, with a different dog, if I had listened to my general vet about what the cause of a soft tissue injury (or muscle strain or similar issues), I would have gone down the wrong treatment path. General vets do the best they can, but they do not have the specialized knowledge or diagnostics of a certified rehab orthopedic surgeon whose practice is focused on these injuries or conditions. How was hip dysplasia diagnosed? X-rays? Be very sure about the cause of her symptoms because if not, you could be treating her for the wrong issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 2 hours ago, gcv-border said: Good luck with your dog. I can not stress enough that you should find a vet specialist in orthopedics and/or rehab to make a definitive diagnosis. In previous years, with a different dog, if I had listened to my general vet about what the cause of a soft tissue injury (or muscle strain or similar issues), I would have gone down the wrong treatment path. General vets do the best they can, but they do not have the specialized knowledge or diagnostics of a certified rehab orthopedic surgeon whose practice is focused on these injuries or conditions. How was hip dysplasia diagnosed? X-rays? Be very sure about the cause of her symptoms because if not, you could be treating her for the wrong issue. I totally agree. We have seen a surgeon and we have done x-rays from a surgical specialist as well as ultrasounds. Her hip socket is really thick which rubs against her femur causing pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 FWIW I fostered a dog (best guess border collie x golden retriever, size of a smallish golden/very large BC) who had double FHO and did very well. He was moved to another FH for the surgery and rehab so I can't give you too many details about how it went, but he puled through it very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 9 minutes ago, GentleLake said: FWIW I fostered a dog (best guess border collie x golden retriever, size of a smallish golden/very large BC) who had double FHO and did very well. He was moved to another FH for the surgery and rehab so I can't give you too many details about how it went, but he puled through it very well. Thank you for letting me know. I have heard the FHO doesn't give dogs the same abilities after like agility and running. It seems like it is more of a pain management thing than a get back to agility surgery but don't know completely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GentleLake Posted March 3, 2022 Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 I do know that Casey ran around and chased balls after he'd recovered, but couldn't tell you for how long or how intensely. Sorry that's all I've got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
readysetjess Posted March 3, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2022 35 minutes ago, GentleLake said: I do know that Casey ran around and chased balls after he'd recovered, but couldn't tell you for how long or how intensely. Sorry that's all I've got. That is totally okay, I totally appreciate you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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