# anything i can do for hip dysplasia and luxating patella?



## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

heya all i have been to the vet today and the vet said that roxi has luxating patella and also hip dysplasia  all she had said was to minimize her walks and that she may need surgery later in life i am wondering if there is anything i can do to help my poor girl. would cod liver oil tablets work?
i have never had a dog with luxating patella so i am really new to this i have been reserching a lot about it and i have found out how it can come about but not how to help her, she is in *no* pain thankfully 
anyhelp would be great


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

First, the displaysia can't be diagnosed without an x-ray so maybe ask for that next. 

I'd also ask for a referral to a specialist and I'd want to know the degree of displaysia and therefore what exercise regime you organise for your girl.

Regardless of degree of severity, you can add supplements to make her more comforts: green lipped mussel extract, seraquin (contains glucosamine, chondroitin, turmeric). There are others, but these are the most frequently mentioned and have lots of anecdotal positive feedback.

Keep us updated, I'm going through this currently.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

I am more than a little intrigued.

How old is your girl? How did the vet go about diagnosing these conditions, and more importantly why if you say "thankfully she isn't in any pain atm".

cinammontoast is right about HD diagnosis requiring an x-ray - yes - it may be suspected - but HD is often suprisingly asymptomatic, sometimes only being discovered when plates are required for another reason, for example, hipscoring - I suspect surprising more than a few over the years. 

Luxating patella is diagnosable without x-ray and there are various treatments (not all including surgery) dependent on the severity, and the individual dog.

One of my girls had a patella weakness which gave way totally after a manic session on the beach - her very demeanour and nature made us feel that surgery was not the best option for her, and it has been managed through physio, alternative therapies and supplements including Devils Claw for it's anti-inflammatory properties. 

She also has asymptomatic moderate HD, which we would never have known about if we hadn't had her hipscored - for which she has no treatment other than the same supplements and exercise regime we use for her knee.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

As well as suppliments Banjo has Hydro & accupunture, Bioflow collars are good. Dont let her jump in or out of the car. Good luck withthe x-ray hope she's not to bad x


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

cinammontoast said:


> First, the displaysia can't be diagnosed without an x-ray so maybe ask for that next.
> 
> I'd also ask for a referral to a specialist and I'd want to know the degree of displaysia and therefore what exercise regime you organise for your girl.
> 
> ...


aww really i didnt realise that it couldnt be diagnosed without a x-ray  the vet just watched her walk and had a feel of her legs and hips and thats what she came out with the vet suggested a x-ray when she is spayed to see how her legs are. i have just baught her some joint care so hopefully that will help her a bit 

what did your vet do to find out that your dog has it also?


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

swarthy said:


> I am more than a little intrigued.
> 
> How old is your girl? How did the vet go about diagnosing these conditions, and more importantly why if you say "thankfully she isn't in any pain atm".
> 
> ...


roxi is a 1 and a half year old chihuahua and the vet felt her legs and seen her walk and came out with luxating patella and HD roxi is walking abit weird which is why i took her to the vet in the 1st place, thevet also told me she is in no pain and i dont think she is either as im sure she would let me know. she is still a very bouncy dog after all she is a very young doggy.


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

Dally Banjo said:


> As well as suppliments Banjo has Hydro & accupunture, Bioflow collars are good. Dont let her jump in or out of the car. Good luck withthe x-ray hope she's not to bad x


thanks dally banjo im trying to keep her calm but its a bit hard as she is so play full but i have stopped her jumping in and out of the car and she dont go on the sofa so thats all good 
im hoping for the x-ray sometime in the next few weeks as its being done the sametime as her spay


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

We originally took Banjo because he kept limping on his front left leg, he had landed very awkwardly catching a tennis ball  & we thought he had hurt his back, the vet x-rayed his back & found alot of arthritis so with him only being 3.5yrs x-rayed his neck & hips while he was under. They found his left hip had HD & both hips arthritic  His neck is fine which was a surprise given the amount he used to pull on the lead  They recond he had been compensating for his bad hip with his other legs & that had caused all the arthritis in his back  

But he's been fine on pain killers & suppliments as well as hydro & acupuncture, but his bad leg has been very stiff over the last week or so  hopeing that reduced excersise again will help or we're back to the vets again.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

codyann said:


> thanks dally banjo im trying to keep her calm but its a bit hard as she is so play full but i have stopped her jumping in and out of the car and she dont go on the sofa so thats all good
> im hoping for the x-ray sometime in the next few weeks as its being done the sametime as her spay


Our vet said to stop Banjo running & jumping  she did'nt tell us how :lol:


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

codyann said:


> roxi is a 1 and a half year old chihuahua and the vet felt her legs and seen her walk and came out with luxating patella and HD roxi is walking abit weird which is why i took her to the vet in the 1st place, thevet also told me she is in no pain and i dont think she is either as im sure she would let me know. she is still a very bouncy dog after all she is a very young doggy.


I am not a vet, and I could be way off the mark here - but for the breed, my money would be on Luxating Patella - although, as recent posts and information have shown on this forum, it is possible, I think she will be very unlucky to have HD.

LP is relatively easy to spot and can give the dog a 'bow legged' view from the rear - HD can often as already be said, offer no symptoms at all, and frequently requires little more than supplements and a structured exercise regime to keep the dog fit and well muscled.

I find Devils Claw is a very good alternative for painkillers - and have also used a Bioflow collar with great success (to the extent I actually bought myself a bioflow bracelet).

Hope they can sort her out, and will be interested to hear what the final diagnosis is and what steps are taken - I still think you would be unlucky for HD.



Dally Banjo said:


> Our vet said to stop Banjo running & jumping  she did'nt tell us how :lol:


Tell me !!

This is one reason we opted not to have surgery on my girls knee, because it is physically impossible to keep her quiet and still - I had visions of the RSPCA being on my doorstep within an hour 

The vet even experimented with valium - had NO effect whatsoever.

My concern was, if she had the surgery for LP and then we couldn't stop her being a nutjob - if something went wrong at that point, our options would be seriously limited - thankfully the physio and supplements give her a good quality of life and she isn't in any pain.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

swarthy said:


> Tell me !!
> 
> This is one reason we opted not to have surgery on my girls knee, because it is physically impossible to keep her quiet and still - I had visions of the RSPCA being on my doorstep within an hour
> 
> ...


Our vet said Banjo is'nt the sort of dog for an op either :blink:  fortunately his hip is'nt/was'nt  bad enough for an op & hopefully wont be now or in the furture


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## Sparkle (Jan 28, 2010)

Did your vet say what grade LP she has?? I tend to think it's more likely LP than HD also being tht LP is a problem in some chis - it can be hereditary so I would inform her breeder as a precaution. 

Keeps her lean and fit (I am shocked your vet said cut back on walking?) Surely exercise would improve the muscle tone in her legs and help support her joints?? 

One of mine had a loose knee cap wasn't enough to be graded as LP anyway I keep her weight at the lowest end of healthy and supplement her with fish oils and glucosamine and chrondroitin. Hers has luckily corrected itself.

People may not agree with me but dogs have a high pain threshold, if they are favouring a leg (I.e holding it up) that would signal to me they are in pain.

If your vet can't grade the LP get a second opinion preferably from an 

I hope she is okay


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

codyann said:


> what did your vet do to find out that your dog has it also?


He couldn't see an issue after we trotted him up etc and we insisted there was a problem-paranoid after 2 snapped cruciates on Jake and we're always watching for lameness. We asked for an x ray.

I know Brig's uncomfortable today because he overdid it running away from another dog today. We watch them all very carefully.



swarthy said:


> right about HD diagnosis requiring an x-ray - yes - it may be suspected - but HD is often suprisingly asymptomatic, sometimes only being discovered when plates are required for another reason, for example, hipscoring
> She also has asymptomatic moderate HD, which we would never have known about if we hadn't had her hipscored - for which she has no treatment other than the same supplements and exercise regime we use for her knee.


Swarthy, given your girl has moderate HD, what exercise (length of time, activities) do you allow her? She is an adult, isn't she? The vet said today that Zak (apparently mild dysplasia) will be skeletally mature at 15 months so new x rays in 4/5 months but he says strictly lead walks til then.


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

Dally Banjo said:


> We originally took Banjo because he kept limping on his front left leg, he had landed very awkwardly catching a tennis ball  & we thought he had hurt his back, the vet x-rayed his back & found alot of arthritis so with him only being 3.5yrs x-rayed his neck & hips while he was under. They found his left hip had HD & both hips arthritic  His neck is fine which was a surprise given the amount he used to pull on the lead  They recond he had been compensating for his bad hip with his other legs & that had caused all the arthritis in his back
> 
> But he's been fine on pain killers & suppliments as well as hydro & acupuncture, but his bad leg has been very stiff over the last week or so  hopeing that reduced excersise again will help or we're back to the vets again.


teh vet didnt give me any medication, so im assuming it aint too bad, i will keep a close eye on her though and i am giving her some suppliments also 
the vet also told me to keep roxi calm not easy at all its virtually impossible.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

cinammontoast said:


> Swarthy, given your girl has moderate HD, what exercise (length of time, activities) do you allow her? She is an adult, isn't she? The vet said today that Zak (apparently mild dysplasia) will be skeletally mature at 15 months so new x rays in 4/5 months but he says strictly lead walks til then.


My girl will literally go all day on or off lead - her exercise restrictions are nothing to do with her hips - but her knee. Prior to her knee problem, she had hours free running and swimming on the beach and we always had a pool up in the summer - the dogs would be pretty much out all day every day playing and swimming.

Now, she gets around 45 minutes lead walking and free running with the others in the garden and the park opposite us - sadly there will be no more beach visits for her  (I do try to keep her and my youngest girl separate as she's a bit 'bull at a gate' and madam tends to rise to the challenge - making her knee bad again .

In addition to the above, up until a month ago, she was also having weekly underwater treadmill sessions, and goes further than any other dog they have in terms of time and speed - and she adores it - these have now been reduced down to once a month, but I suspect may have to be increased again


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

Sparkle said:


> Did your vet say what grade LP she has?? I tend to think it's more likely LP than HD also being tht LP is a problem in some chis - it can be hereditary so I would inform her breeder as a precaution.
> 
> Keeps her lean and fit (I am shocked your vet said cut back on walking?) Surely exercise would improve the muscle tone in her legs and help support her joints??
> 
> ...


hey Sparkle;2363497no the vet didnt say what grade she is and she also just told me that she had LP and HD but she didnt take a x-ray just felt her legs and hips and watched her walk. but she will be having a x-ray just to be on teh safe side and slo so i know what stage she is at. yeah i was a bit shocked that she told me to keep her walking down. poor roxi as she loves walks! lol but i will have to do as the vet said, also she said that she wants to find a pattern of her LP i dont know how i will find one as she she does is quite often i todl the vet this but no response  .
have you got a chihuahua with it then? i have been reading up on LP and it can be caused from bad breeding and also hereditary, thanks hope your dog strays fit and healthy also


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2011)

My older GSD girl has HD because of her age an op is not an option for us. She is on tramadol (daily every day) and PLT (on bad days). She is back to her old self again but its not something I would recommended a dog being on medication for life if preventable. I hope you manage to sort some treatment out for your dog its hard but when you see them pretty much back to normal its worth it.


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

shetlandlover said:


> My older GSD girl has HD because of her age an op is not an option for us. She is on tramadol (daily every day) and PLT (on bad days). She is back to her old self again but its not something I would recommended a dog being on medication for life if preventable. I hope you manage to sort some treatment out for your dog its hard but when you see them pretty much back to normal its worth it.


aww i love GSD i had one she was so lovely  aww sorry to hear that shes got HD i didnt realise thare was a option for surgery for HD? i thuaght you could only op on LP? im hoping that she will do fine without any medication as the vet said she dont need any.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

codyann said:


> aww i love GSD i had one she was so lovely  aww sorry to hear that shes got HD i didnt realise thare was a option for surgery for HD? i thuaght you could only op on LP? im hoping that she will do fine without any medication as the vet said she dont need any.


If your girl does have HD (and as I said, while not an expert, I am still dubious) - medication doesn't have to be a given in one so young - Devils Claw is a marvellous anti-inflammatory and bioflow collars are brilliant.

If you want to read more about HD surgery - take a look at some of the stories on Labrador Health website

Labrador Health brings you the story of Charlie, the Bionic Pup

Labrador Health: Your stories


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## cinnamontoast (Oct 24, 2010)

codyann said:


> aww i love GSD i had one she was so lovely  aww sorry to hear that shes got HD i didnt realise thare was a option for surgery for HD? i thuaght you could only op on LP? im hoping that she will do fine without any medication as the vet said she dont need any.


Read the diary of a hip replacement-sticky in this section.


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

swarthy said:


> If your girl does have HD (and as I said, while not an expert, I am still dubious) - medication doesn't have to be a given in one so young - Devils Claw is a marvellous anti-inflammatory and bioflow collars are brilliant.
> 
> If you want to read more about HD surgery - take a look at some of the stories on Labrador Health website
> 
> ...


thanks i will do, and also what are bioflow collars i dont mean to sound stupid i have never heard of them, what do they do? and how do they help?


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## codyann (Jan 8, 2011)

cinammontoast said:


> Read the diary of a hip replacement-sticky in this section.


ta will do if i can find it  lol


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

codyann said:


> thanks i will do, and also what are bioflow collars i dont mean to sound stupid i have never heard of them, what do they do? and how do they help?


Here you go - Just put Bioflow dog collars into Google 

Bioflow dog collar-magnetic collar for dogs by Bioflow UK made

I bought one for my girl, bearing in mind dogs wouldn't benefit from the placebo effect - if I took if off her - she would come to me to put if back on (this is a dog who has never worn a collar) - I was so impressed, I bought a bioflow bracelet for myself


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## Gabby Monfils (May 31, 2018)

My dog is one year old and we had X-rays done for him because he has been limping and he was diagnosed with level 2 hip dysplasia and luxating patella in both legs and a partial ACL tear in one leg. We can’t afford the surgeries we are trying to look at all options... anyone else experience this? Are there any other non-surgical options for him so he’s not in pain? He’s on a bunch of pain medications....


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