Bad hips??? Help!

[Angelstandingby]

My rottie is just over 2 and for about 6 months off an on she will limp and whine a little after a lot of activity. It usually goes away after the next morning and she is her normal self but it seems to be getting more frequent and her back is getting hunched like she is walking on tip-toe.

We asked our neighbor who is a vet that we trust and he said not to get tests yet because it's so expensive and not much that can be done if positive. Is that wise? Could she have bad hips? What else could it be? We don't have any money to spare because we are starting a buisness., but we will have plenty 6 months from now. If it is bad hips what can be done? She is the best dog...sweet.... loving.....awesome with our kids, never made an agressive sound in her young life. Extremly well trained. I don't want to lose her!! We love her so much.

[Hope]

The list of possible problems can range from nothing at all to really bad - but without going to a vet a dishing out some $$$ - you won't know.

Depending on if you need x-rays for the hips (which should be done soon anyways) and the amount of sedation, you are probably looking at a few hundred dollars for a really good exam. It all depends though on the vet.

It could be just growing pains, or not - but taking the chance on letting these things wait will only pass off now what you may have to do later (and it may get worse) - scout around to see if you can find a vet that is really good with rottweilers!

I have noticed - the less experienced vet handlers = more $ out the door - too much sedation etc. And if you are extraordinarily fortunate - you will find someone who offers payment plans. ;)

Keep us updated.

[POPPYHONEY]

Sounds she is real a sweetheart. I will encourage you to give her the best you can. She deserves it.

While you are waiting for the examine result you could help her by reducing her activity and make her take more rest.

I wish the best for you and her

[Birdie'sMom]

I think you should have her x-rayed. If you were in a lot of pain, would you want to have to wait to get it taken care of? That's not fair to the dog. If she has Hip Dysplasia there are things (surgery at the most extreme) that they can do to lessen her pain. Please take her to the vet because it could be anything and you don't want to feel guilty if you wait too long and then it's too late!!!

[qhawkins]

Tinkerbell was right a 2 1/2 yo when she went lame in the hind quarters. Now, my vet has been a research vet and large animal vet in the past and is semi-retired. He comes up with some seemingly off-the-wall ideas based on his observations over many, many years of practice. He suggested putting her on a lower protein senior diet. We changed her from Iams adult to Science Diet senior (ok, we didn't know any better and thought these were the best foods available). In a couple months she went from scooting accross the floor on her chest (wore a bald spot ) to showing only slight stiffness in the am or after too much romping in the woods. By that summer she was back to normal and never had anymore trouble with her hips. Now, I have no idea if there is any scientific validity to this, but it was a miracle for Tink. So, it might be worth trying a good quality "senior" food, I don't think it would hurt anyway. I would still reccomend a thorough check up to be sure it isn't something that needs immediate attention.