Dysplasia in 4-month old puppy

[clcbear]

Hello all! I'm a Lab person myself, but am trying to find some information and advice for a friend who has a Border Collie, so this looked to be the place!

 

Our friend has a 4-month old Border Collie pup. Over Christmas he accidently got rocked on under a rocking chair and was off in the left hind for a few days after that. Our friend took the pup into his vet to have him checked out when the lameness didn't go away within a few days. They ended up X-raying him to make sure there were no fractures, etc. They ended up determining that he had a pulled muscle that was causing the lameness. However, when the x-rays came back, they also determined that he already is showing signs of dysplasia in both hips. Apparently he was told by the vet that the ball is already about 40-50% out of the joint. Honestly, I've been lucky and haven't had any Labs with dysplasia, so I don't know much.

 

At this point, the vet is recommending that he have surgery on both hips. He's only 4 months old and is a light Border Collie. There's a chance he'll never even show issues with his hips. He never would have known if he hadn't gotten rocked on and had the x-rays done. At this young of an age, isn't it too young for surgery? I would think that he's still growing and things could change? My friend is completely beside himself and doesn't know what to do. He's not sure whether to have surgery now or take the 'wait and see' approach to see if problems come up.

 

Anyone had experience with dysplasia in dogs this young?

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks!

Carrie

[jay7347]

My dog was diagnosed with the big "D" in both hips at just before 10 months. She had surgery about three weeks later. She's a lightweight, 35 lbs. First of all, I'd get a second opinion. But, earlier is better for what my Derry had, a double TPO. After 12 months the window closes and they usually choose a different type of surgery.

 

If it will make you feel any better. Two differnt vets said my dog would be lame by 6 years old. Now, she's looking at intermediate agility class in the next month. She's stronger than ever!

Hang in there, my heart goes out to you.

-jay

[Journey]

I'd question the X-Rays first - how where they taken, was the pup stretched so the hip joints could be seen properly, was the alignment correct, etc...Also, a second opinion would be warranted if they are as bad as the first Vet indicated. An Ortho surgeon would be my next stop - they can look at the X-rays at least. And yes, I have seen pups as young as 4 mo with HD, very sad.

 

Karen

[clcbear]

It is sad that a pup so young can already have HD. Though getting rocked on wasn't a good thing, at least now he knows about the hips. Otherwise, who knows when he would have shown signs. My friend lives in Florida (I'm in NY) and I guess 2 specialist looked at the x-rays. I did recommend he get another opinion from an ortho.

 

I've seen some people post that they've had pups that have been diagnosed with severe HD and then by the time they're 2 and get x-rayed again, everything is normal. Any experience with that occuring?

[Journey]

Hmm, what part of Fl? I am in the NE area and we've got some exceptional Ortho. vets up here!

 

Also, no experience with bad going to good though I do wonder with the pup being so young that he isn't just "growing"? I know of a 10 mo old that had a TPO and went on to live a very active life for quite a while. Can he re-do the x-rays or were they done by a vet who knows how to take hip shots?

 

Karen

[clcbear]

He's in Orlando. I'll have to find out where they were done. He said that two "specialist" reviewed the x-rays. I would hope that they would know how to take proper x-rays, etc., however since they weren't initially doing the x-rays to look for HD, then it's quite possible that the x-rays aren't 100% correct. I'm not sure if they re-xrayed or not. I'll have to find out if they are actually ortho specialist or what animal hospital it was.

[Black Watch Debatable]

Here is a great article on HD --- a must-read for border collie owners: http://www.stilhope.com/hipartical.htm.

 

And for what it's worth: at six months my Twig was diagnosed with HD. Not on the basis of x-rays so much as on the fact that her hip joints were very lax. One vet could pop the bone in and out of the hip socket while Twig lay awake on my lap.

 

I opted for a second opinion --- my own vet said the x-rays looked OK to him --- and when Twig was spayed several years later, the vet took x-rays and said her hips were fine. Twig is seven now and has never taken a lame step.

 

I'd suggest that your friend get a second opinion, weigh the options, and if surgery is necessary be sure to visit the orthodogs site and do a search for posts on dysplasia.

 

Best wishes to the pup!

[Julia Hunt]

Which surgery? At that age it's possible that the vet is suggesting JPS (must be done by 20 weeks I understand, closer to 16 weeks the better). If that's the case I'd say do it, there doesn't appear to be much downside to doing it, it's relatively simple I understand, and if it doesn't work all the other major hip surgeries are still available down the road.

 

Julia

[Liz P]

Tell your friend to get to an orthopedic vet ASAP. Some treatment options can only be done in young pups and the clock is ticking.

 

I own an 8.5 yr old BC who was diagnosed as a pup. At just 6 weeks old the vet told me she thought he had HD and that his poor structure would set him up for bad arthritis as he aged. We confirmed it with radiographs a few months later and at that time he was also diagnosed with luxating patellas.

 

He just had his annual "work up" with the orthopedic vet. He is on NSAIDs now because the supplements were no longer keeping his pain under control. He has DJD in both hips, both knees, both hocks, his right shoulder and right front foot. He had 8.5 great years without drugs or surgery and will hopefully have at least a few more now that his pain is under control.

[Journey]

Orlando? Well, that is where AVS started, Dr. Goring, who opened a full specialty clinic up here was originally from UF. Wonderful Vet, imo, and they are about the best you can find in Fl for Ortho vets. Sorry to hear about your friends pup, hopefully it's growth right now and in a few months things will look better. Otherwise if it's AVS looking at him, imo, you can't get better vets down here anywhere.

 

Best of luck to your friend and his pup. It's nice of you to help like you are.

 

Karen

[clcbear]

Thanks for all of the info guys! I'm going to send him the link to this thread. He doesn't have internet access on the weekend, which is why I was researching info for him. But, he should be able to check it all out today.