Hip Dysplasia

[Nancy Estes]

I made a post some time ago to the effect that HD doesn't have to be the kiss of death, that a lot of dogs live a normal, healthy life with HD. Well, I now have a first-hand example. I have a 6-year-old (today) retired Champion male that I had x-rayed this past Mon. His hips weren't great at 11 months & I knew I was never going to breed him but went ahead & had him shown & finished just for the heck of it. Well, at 6 years he is severely dysplastic. He has never been lame a day in his life and is still asymptomatic. He is also one of the best moving Rottweilers I've had. The vet feels he will eventually have pain in his left hip (the worst one) but it should be manageable. His hips are so bad that they are beyond the surgical intervention stage. He has a littermate brother who is OFA Good that he can outmove with no effort at all. Go figure!!

Nancy

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von Dorow Rottweilers
doggo@hotbot.com

[German Vanegas]

Nancy,
Scientific studies from the University of Pennsilvanya, directly comparing the OFA method and the PennHIP method, have shown that although the two methods are related, in each case the PennHIP method has proved superior. It is important to emphasize that that the PennHIP method incorporates the standard OFA X-ray, PLUS two X-rays designed to focus on critical information regardin hip laxity. Therefore, the PennHIP method interpretation is made after a review of MORE diagnostic factors that the available to OFA radiologists. The validity of that information analysis has surpassed the standards of OFA and scientic acceptance. PennHIP is the standard to go. In fact, many OFA certifications have been proven wrongfully diagnosed. Something that OFA don't like to hear around, but facts are facts!

[Nancy Estes]

Unfortunately a PennHip certified vet isn't readily available where I live. However, I have no doubt that that method too would have rated this dog as severely dysplastic. I have seen the x-ray and there is extreme remodeling of the right hip - femoral head, socket (what there is of it), as well as neck of femur (which really doesn't exist any more as it's so covered with calcium/bone deposits). The left hip has a shallow socket, starting to build up calicum/bone deposits and the neck of the femur is just barely less wide than the head of the femur.

Nancy

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von Dorow Rottweilers
doggo@hotbot.com

[donna]

hi nancy - i am a veterinarian in a surgical residency program in new york. i was wondering why your vet said your dog's HD was beyond surgery. at our hospital nothing is too bad for a salvage procedure, for example, a total hip replacement in which case both the socket and the femoral head are replaced. i would certainly hate to see a 6 yr old dog with a progressively debilitating disease not given all possible options to improve his/her quality of life.

[Orville Story]

I have a three year that had a TPO at 9 months. I was told that the TPO would not be an option after a year of age. By the way he moves great and is very active. At least at this age of his life I can say that it was the right thing to do. What I really want to see is how he holds up when he is 9 and 10.

[German Vanegas]

Nancy,
What I was trying to say is, that we put "blind faith" on OFA certifications, when in fact U of Penn, Cornell U, and independent lab studies consistently have shown that the PennHIP gathers MORE information -diagnostic factors- to determine hip joint laxity. The PennHIP is far more accurate. In the last 2 years, I have had my dogs reviewed and certified by the PennHIP method. I am more satisfied with the results.

Orville,
Try glucosamine sulfate 1500 mg with chondraitin sulfate 500mg for your dog. You can get it at health food store, human grade quality. After one month of use you will be amazed of the results. I know so. I use it for myself and my dogs.

[Michele Baxter]

Nancy, so sorry to hear about your boy. I think this post should point out to everyone who puts off x-raying before breeding or going by a dog's ability to move correct as an indication of "good hips" that it "ain't always so." My step-mother has the littermate to one of my boys who's recent hip x-rays that the vet said were "great" came back dysplastic. That is why I have decided to take his brother out of the breeding pool also. As a matter of fact, his brother can outmove him too! So it just goes to show-you never know. Thanks for the post Nancy hopefully people will understand the need for health clearances.

[Orville Story]

German,
My dog, Tad, had HD. At nine months was operated on, and now at three is fit as a fiddle. I hope at ten he will continue to be as free moving and active. If not then I will use some glucosamine.

[German Vanegas]

Lady B,
I am 42 years YOUNG. Yeah, I take glucosamine and chondraitin to repair cartilage, ligaments, temdons... my joints have been overworked troughout the years! But I still "keep going, and going, and going... fully energized".

Orville,
I used Glucosamine and Chondraitin sulfates as PREVENTIVE medicine for my dogs. Praise the Lord I don't have currently any dysplasia problem. However, since they are performace dogs I give them G & Ch to keep them in top shape. Recent clinical "studies indicate" that these sulfates are a kind of a "fountain of youth" due its rejuvenating and regenerating properties. Check it out!

[cdb]

Generally speaking concerning hip pain or any skeletal type pain. Although there is no real explanation for it, Vit. C (not regular C, but Ester C) seem to help return to function. Available at some health food stores in 500mg size. Dose is about 1500-2000 mg per day. Actually, the suggestion is to start at 1000mg daily, then increase by 500mg every 3 or 4 days until diarrhea begins and then back off! The person who thought up dosing that way must own a small dog. Anyway, I've seen several hunting dogs too lame to hunt any more, return to being able to go all day after ester C usage. Vit C shouldn't react with any of the other treatments available so why not try? Any Vit C in excess gets dumped in the urine so no problem there with accumulation. Don't know if you get any urinary color changes? Surely can't work on everyone, but I've SEEN it work on some.

[Goose]

Hey everybody. Thought I would join in and get some advice. Hendrix has an appt. at the vet. tomorrow. About 8 days ago he began to walk with a limp. My wife thinks it is his shoulder, but I insist it is coming from hips. He will stand still and let me palpate his entire body without complaining(he had a deep bruise once and cried when I touched the area), which makes me lean toward a joint problem. He will run and play like he always has(although we have been trying to keep his activity low) without thinking twice. I have been giving him Asciptin for the last seven days, but it has not changed anything. Funny though, he does not seem to hurt at all. The limping does seem to get worse after he has been sleeping, but he does not act like he is in pain, he just limps around a little. What other signs should I be looking for in order to understand what is going on with him. Although his grandparents(3 out of 4) were all certified, his parents were not. Yes, I know. Unfortunately I have gained most of my knowledge AFTER getting Hendrix. But, I love Hendrix a lot and have been worried all week. Is there anything that I need to make sure the Vet. checks to help ensure that he is properly diagnosed? All advice welcomed.

[bearkat]

While I don't have dogs with HD, I was curious as to when to get x-rays taken. When we got Clyde, I was concerned about HD (I tend to read too much, and apply it to my own situation!), and asked the vet about x-rays. He said to wait until Clyde was about a year old to get baseline x-rays taken. Is this true? Should Rotten have baseline x-rays taken as well (he will be 5 next month)?

Furthermore, if HD is genetic, wouldn't the puppies be born with bad hips, that could be x-rayed when they are babies, or is it a degenerative disease that some puppies may have a "tendancy toward" in later years? I'm a bit confused, as usual..... turning 40 earlier this month did something to my mind!!

[This message has been edited by bearkat (edited May 24, 1999).]

[Nancy Estes]

The dog in my post, Afreet, is on Pain Free combination glucosamine/chondroitin as well as Hokamix 30. I'm getting a paper copy of the x-ray; maybe I can scan it somehow. However, the neck of the femur & the head of the femur look very much like an edible nylabone after it's been microwaved - lumps, bumps & excressences. The socket, which is very shallow but still there, is similar. I imagine what my vet meant was that surgery would have to be so extensive that it might be more trouble & expense than the outcome would warrant. Afreet just turned six this past Sat. and is still showing no symptoms at all.

As far as x-raying young puppies, sometimes it works & sometimes it doesn't (standard OFA positioning). Afreet's 11-month x-ray did not show good hips but I've seen a lot worse. One of his littermate's x-ray was very similar to Afreet's & the littermate OFA'd Good. Another that had slightly better x-rays also OFA'd Good. One of his younger brothers had sockets like saucers at 5 months & was put down. He could not jump up on his hind legs & had difficulty walking. He also had a great deal of rear angulation. Although I've not had first-hand experience with PennHip, I would tend to agree with German that it sounds like a better diagnostic tool than the standard OFA-positioned hip x-ray.

I'll just mention again that Afreet has never been bred, never will be bred and none of his littermates or younger brothers or sisters that I have any control over will be bred. One that I do not own has been bred, which I feel was a mistake but I don't own the dog or the bitch he was bred to so there was nothing I could do. I did tell the owner of the bitch the problems I'd had in my two litters. Oh well... I do feel in this case HD is definitely, unquestionably inherited without any significant environmental contributing factors.

Nancy

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von Dorow Rottweilers
doggo@hotbot.com

[German Vanegas]

Goose,
Only a vet's thorough examination can determine for sure. It could be a number of things other than HD. Ask for X-rays and wait for the results. I also recommend you to use glucosamine and chondraitin sulfates, human grade quality, that you can get at most Health Food stores. It does work wonders repairing cartilage and joints, believe me.

It may be that Hendrix has a tender minor injury... Best wishes and keep us posted!

[bearkat]

My plumber came today, and he told me he has a 2 year old Great Dane who was just diagnosed with HD. Ken (the plumber) said the surgery would be about $2000.00 in Ft. Collins, CO, and expressed his concerns about spending the money...seems to be a lack of cash handy right now.... They started the dog on pain medication, and that is $90.00 a month. Does anyone know a good website to refer him to as far a Great Danes go? And perhaps any holistic sites, books, exercise solutions?? Hope someone can help, otherwise Ken said the dog only had about 2 weeks before he considered putting him down...