# does hip dysplasia always need surgery?



## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

hi just after some advice we have a 10 month dogue de bordeaux he recently twisted his leg and started to limp on it ,we kept a eye on him for a few days but he got no better so we took him to the vet .
The vet looked him over and said she could feel some popping in his knee joint and that he would need an xray which we did yesterday ,it turns out that he has a problem with the knee cant remember what she called it but basicly the joint is not sitting in the groove .She said he will need an opperation but this will sort the problem out .
Well it turns out that the insurance we have for him is an emergancy cover and will only pay out if the problem was caused by an accident ie he sprained it or had a trauma to it .
When speaking with the vet she says that she dosent no what has caused it but that there is some wear of his cartlige and he may of been born with it .
so it looks like the insurance is out the window she also said he has hip dysplasia this puts us in a terible situation as i know it is going to cost thousands to put him right which we dont have .
We have already paid over £300 for the diagnosis and the vet quoted £1200 
for the knee opp .
My question is if we go ahead with the knee opp would he be able to have a good quality of life without surgury for the hip dysplasia .
I no it shouldent be about money but there is no way we can afford the type of money it will cost .
I feel terible about this i had no idea we had the wrong type of insurance and there is nothing i can do about it .
He is our pride and joy we love him to bits and just want the best for him we are absolutly devestated.
Any advice would be greatly apreciated


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## Guest (May 19, 2010)

Are you certain about the insurance? I've never heard of that before.
Was the knee problem called Cruciate ligament?
How was the hip dysplasia diagnosed?


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

hi unfortunatly iam sure about the insurance we got it online its with churchlhill ,when i phoned them up to tell them i wanted to claim she told me it was a common mistake when purchesing online .I still didnt relise when my documents came i read through them but it is in bold writing emergency cover.Not sure what the knee problem was called but we go back to view the xrays and discuss treatment on friday so i will no then .
the hip dysplasia was diagnosed by xray also.


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## Guest (May 19, 2010)

Oh what a shame.
Many dogs do live with hip dysplasia, it really depends on the severity. With a heavy dog, I would imagine it could be necessary to have the op.
hydrotherapy can help a lot, but again it costs 
I think you will have to see what your vet says first before making any decisions


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## Zaros (Nov 24, 2009)

kyzer said:


> hi just after some advice we have a 10 month dogue de bordeaux he has hip dysplasia this puts us in a terible situation as i know it is going to cost thousands to put him right which we dont have .
> We have already paid over £300 for the diagnosis and the vet quoted £1200
> for the knee opp .
> My question is if we go ahead with the knee opp would he be able to have a good quality of life without surgury for the hip dysplasia .
> ...


I'm genuinely sorry to learn of your dogs misfortune and can utterly sympathise with your situation. We have Ovcharka Sarplaninacs and late in 2009 the male, Oscar, was found to have chronic hip dyspasia at 10 months also. Sarps are giant breeds. We sought many consultations and had many X-rays taken of his condition. Hydrotherapy might only promote muscle growth but the bones begin to develop spurs (sharp points) which cause further pain and arthritis becomes present.
Giant breeds need structural support and not just muscular support to compensate.
Obviously we received a lot of conflicting advice. But it was evident that Oscar was in a great deal of discomfort which was destroying the quality of his life and, ultimately, the only remedy for his condition was surgery. 
Despite some vets telling us that the best way to treat the problem was with medication until the time came when he could no longer walk we did manage to find one Veterinary surgeon who specialised in such conditions. The surgery cost a total of 5000 and each X-ray cost 200 Neither of our dogs are insured because companies don't write those specific providers into their policies. Furthermore, we didn't see the essential need for any other cover as liability was greatly reduced because of our life style and the area in which we live. If they get hit by a car, for example, it would have to fall out of the sky 
However, Oscar has fully recovered from his surgery and is complete with bionic parts which in turn have given back to him the life we expected him to live.
Have you had a quote for the hip surgery?
Best wishes from Finland


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

rona said:


> Oh what a shame.
> Many dogs do live with hip dysplasia, it really depends on the severity. With a heavy dog, I would imagine it could be necessary to have the op.
> hydrotherapy can help a lot, but again it costs
> I think you will have to see what your vet says first before making any decisions


i have heard good things about hydrotherapy but kyzer doesnt like water he will only paddle ,i too am fearing the worst because he is a giant breed he may have to have the surgery but im hopeing there may be another way we have recently changed his diet to raw and are supplimenting him with MSM and glucosamine which is good for the regeneration of cartllage so that may help him.


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

have you thought about natural remedies and physio - it's still not going to be cheap - but it will definitely be on the cheaper side of say, a total hip replacement.

Definitely worth a try, we have just started from physio with one of my show girls (not bred from) and talking to the physio she was saying of all the pups they have had directed to them because they are too young, only one has ever gone back for surgery.

They use the treadmill under water and acupuncture and some very other clever new features.

I know they are a small operation with only two outlets, but there must be clinics across the country offering similar types of facilities - as I said - it won't be cheap - but in comparison to surgery - it should be peanuts.

Also, supplements such as Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Collagen and Hyaluronic acid definitely help joints.

There is a company called Simply Supplements in Guernsey which is very reasonably priced, and was offering two for one just a few weeks ago. 

Edited to add: for pain management, consider bioflow collars, Bromelain and Devils Claw - all very effective (almost too effective if my girl is anything to go by)


Hope you get things sorted.


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

Zaros said:


> I'm genuinely sorry to learn of your dogs misfortune and can utterly sympathise with your situation. We have Ovcharka Sarplaninacs and late in 2009 the male, Oscar, was found to have chronic hip dyspasia at 10 months also. Sarps are giant breeds. We sought many consultations and had many X-rays taken of his condition. Hydrotherapy might only promote muscle growth but the bones begin to develop spurs (sharp points) which cause further pain and arthritis becomes present.
> Giant breeds need structural support and not just muscular support to compensate.
> Obviously we received a lot of conflicting advice. But it was evident that Oscar was in a great deal of discomfort which was destroying the quality of his life and, ultimately, the only remedy for his condition was surgery.
> Despite some vets telling us that the best way to treat the problem was with medication until the time came when he could no longer walk we did manage to find one Veterinary surgeon who specialised in such conditions. The surgery cost a total of 5000 and each X-ray cost 200 Neither of our dogs are insured because companies don't write those specific providers into their policies. Furthermore, we didn't see the essential need for any other cover as liability was greatly reduced because of our life style and the area in which we live. If they get hit by a car, for example, it would have to fall out of the sky
> ...


Hi Zaros thankyou for your kind words im glad to hear your dog has made a full recovery :thumbup:


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## swarthy (Apr 24, 2010)

kyzer said:


> i have heard good things about hydrotherapy but kyzer doesnt like water he will only paddle ,i too am fearing the worst because he is a giant breed he may have to have the surgery but im hopeing there may be another way we have recently changed his diet to raw and are supplimenting him with MSM and glucosamine which is good for the regeneration of cartllage so that may help him.


The 'Hydrotherapy' I am using is a treadmill in water - which is proving considerably more effective and faster acting than normal hydrotherapy.


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

swarthy said:


> have you thought about natural remedies and physio - it's still not going to be cheap - but it will definitely be on the cheaper side of say, a total hip replacement.
> 
> Definitely worth a try, we have just started from physio with one of my show girls (not bred from) and talking to the physio she was saying of all the pups they have had directed to them because they are too young, only one has ever gone back for surgery.
> 
> ...


hi swarthy i will definatly disscus natural treatments and physio with the vet on friday we are supplimenting with Glucosamine and msm also from Simply Supplements


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## luvmydogs (Dec 30, 2009)

The first thing you need to know is how severe the HD is.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

So sorry to hear about your dog  surgery does depend on how bad the joint is, Banjo's hip isnt to bad but his back is wrecked because of it. He's not a swimmer so when the vet said Hydro we thought no chance but its the treadmill version so the tank can be filled to a depth the dog is happy with untill they get used to it. Suppliments are very good to so is acupuncture :thumbup:

I hate small print on insurance Im sure they do it on purpose  a friend recently got landed with a bill for £465 after her lab had alsorts of scans & tests turned out her small print was 10% of all vet bills but atleast they paid the rest as no diagnosis whereas are's wont pay unless there is


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

update on kyzer went to the vet s today saw the xrays and had a long talk with them as to my options for him.
well my worst fears have been realised he has severe hip dysplasia and will definatly need surgery at some stage ,the knee problem he has is a luxating patella and has become much worse, iam absolutly gutted i feel terible there is no way we will be able to pay for the hips to be sorted @£4000 for each one .
the vet has said that she is not sure if the pain he is in is from his knee or hips but we have talked long hard about this and have decided to do the knee op and see how he goes.


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## Guest (May 21, 2010)

What a dreadful situation to be in.


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## mitso (Apr 30, 2010)

kyzer said:


> update on kyzer went to the vet s today saw the xrays and had a long talk with them as to my options for him.
> well my worst fears have been realised he has severe hip dysplasia and will definatly need surgery at some stage ,the knee problem he has is a luxating patella and has become much worse, iam absolutly gutted i feel terible there is no way we will be able to pay for the hips to be sorted @$4000 for each one .
> the vet has said that she is not sure if the pain he is in is from his knee or hips but we have talked long hard about this and have decided to do the knee op and see how he goes.


I can sympathise with your situation here,i have just had surgery done on my dog for cruciate ligament rupture with xrays etc this has come to just over £4000 although the insurance has been great they wont pay for the other cruciate that has gone as they say it was the pressure because of the other so is the same case.I have a few options to pay for the other knee thank god so i supose i should think myself lucky.


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## Zaros (Nov 24, 2009)

kyzer said:


> update on kyzer went to the vet s today saw the xrays and had a long talk with them as to my options for him.
> well my worst fears have been realised he has severe hip dysplasia and will definatly need surgery at some stage ,the knee problem he has is a luxating patella and has become much worse, iam absolutly gutted i feel terible there is no way we will be able to pay for the hips to be sorted @$4000 for each one .
> the vet has said that she is not sure if the pain he is in is from his knee or hips but we have talked long hard about this and have decided to do the knee op and see how he goes.


It never rains but it pours. I am so sorry to hear of your recent and terrible news and can fully sympathise with you. You must be feeling quite desperate for Kyzer. 
When will the surgery to correct his knee problem be performed?


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

rona said:


> What a dreadful situation to be in.


i wouldnt wish it on my wost enemy


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

mitso said:


> I can sympathise with your situation here,i have just had surgery done on my dog for cruciate ligament rupture with xrays etc this has come to just over £4000 although the insurance has been great they wont pay for the other cruciate that has gone as they say it was the pressure because of the other so is the same case.I have a few options to pay for the other knee thank god so i supose i should think myself lucky.


insurance companys are such a con always looking for a way to riggle out of paying .


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

Zaros said:


> It never rains but it pours. I am so sorry to hear of your recent and terrible news and can fully sympathise with you. You must be feeling quite desperate for Kyzer.
> When will the surgery to correct his knee problem be performed?


yes we are feeling desperate for kyzer.
We also have a labrador who is 11 years old never had any health issues all her life up untill about a year ago she developed arthritis and recently pyometra .It just makes me so sad that kyzer is not even a year old and has so many problems he has his whole life ahead of him .
We have spoken to an friend of ours who is a vet and he says he knows of a orthapidic vet who may do the opp at a much cheaper price we will find out tomorow otherwise he will be booked in at our vet for tuesday.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

What a nightmare  you have all my sympathy, hope the orthapedic vet can do you a deal, big hugs to you & your dogs x


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## Zaros (Nov 24, 2009)

kyzer said:


> yes we are feeling desperate for kyzer.
> We also have a labrador who is 11 years old never had any health issues all her life up untill about a year ago she developed arthritis and recently pyometra .It just makes me so sad that kyzer is not even a year old and has so many problems he has his whole life ahead of him .
> We have spoken to an friend of ours who is a vet and he says he knows of a orthapidic vet who may do the opp at a much cheaper price we will find out tomorow otherwise he will be booked in at our vet for tuesday.


The prices Veterinary surgeons charge for their procedures are scandalous because insurance policies have given them a licence to print money. They charge what they know the policy will pay. Anything in excess of what the policy provides for is deliberately holding the pet owner to an emotional and financial ransom.:frown:
Let us know which option you have.


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

sorry its been a while since i have posted but have been back and forth to the vets and the outcome being his hips are the major proplem and would need surgery asap . On 29-5-10 at 2:30 pm kyzer was euthanazed it was one of the hardest things we have ever had to do he had been spoilt rotten these last few days and allowed to do as he pleased even sleeping upstairs in our bed wich puzzled him some what, he will never be forgoten we will miss him so much at 9 months old he weighed 48kg was full of charecter a happy friendly boy our gentle giant RIP Kyzer.


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## mitso (Apr 30, 2010)

so sorry to read this,he looked a lovely dog.rip little man


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

Im so very very sorry to hear about Kyzer  He looks so good in the pics you must miss him so much, huge hugs from us xxx


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## kyzer (May 1, 2010)

Thanks for the kind words, missing him terribly he has left a hole in my heart i will never forget him.


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## LizzyDrip (May 13, 2010)

All my sympathies go out to you and your family at this heartbreaking time, RIP KYZER


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## dodigna (Feb 19, 2009)

what a sad update, but thank you for it! What a hard decision u have had to make, my thoughts are with you.. It is terrible and a shame that it has come to this, like Zaros said insurances and vets hold us to emotional ransom and people are forced to put their pets to sleep.
RIP kyzer, you were much loved

It is only because of insurance that vets can charge something as extortionate as £8,000, it's the price of a car. Why is the same op so much cheaper in a Country where insurance is not popular????


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## Zaros (Nov 24, 2009)

We are so sorry to learn of Kyzer's passing. Our heartfelt sympathies go out to you.


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