Asalei Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) We just have a few concerns at the moment with hip displasia with one of our beagles (Sally). I posted this photo below on a beagle forum and one of the members raised concern about the way Sally is sitting. They advised that they've been told by a vet this is a sign of hip dysplasia. Can anyone confirm this? I always just thought it was because she was sliding out on the polished floor boards? She's always done it even from when she was a wee puppy. I can't say we've noticed it whilst outside on the grass, or this morning at the beach. Today while we were at the beach, we noticed that she was sometimes running with the "hop" that is one of the signs of HP. It wasn't always, just sometimes. We'll be booking her into the vet for next Saturday, but I just wanted to ask a few questions here first to know whether we are worrying about nothing. Is there something else we should be looking for? Any other symptons? Edited September 23, 2007 by ~Erin~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aranyoz Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 You should arrange to have her hips x-rayed to see if she has a problem. Yes you are doing the right thing by taking her tot the vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 Can anyone suggest somewhere to go on the south side of Brisbane? Or do I need to go through my vet first to get a referral? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golden Rules Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 That's interesting.......my older boy sits with his rear left leg out - and he limps badly after he has exercised. I did ask the vet about it as I thought it was maybe arthritis but he thought possibly HD but didn't recommend anything at the time. So is there a treatment for HD? From what I have read here, there is an operation which is really only successful if your dog is under 12 months, otherwise it's basically care and maintenance? I have my boy on all the usual things like Glucosamine, Fish Oil, ACV, ........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 I have had 3 dogs with HD now – you can not tell by gait or by the way they sit they are affected. I only found out when they were x-rayed and they have quite high scores Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 Good idea to keep an eye out but I wouldn't worry too much just based on something someone on a forum said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-Q Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) Harry has HD and he sits either normally or with both legs spread out infront of him. But Xrays shoudl tell you yes or no Edited September 23, 2007 by busterlove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) Hey Erin, Maybe another route before you get the x-rays might be to try a good dog chiro/muscle manipulater. It might be simply the case of something having gone a miss due to the rough and tumble play of being a puppy and can quite simply be fixed. Likely a cheaper route before opting for x-rays. I know one of my friends dogs started sitting scew wiff and it was able to be fixed quiet easily by a chiro. Edited September 23, 2007 by ness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 (edited) Thanks Ness. Like I said, we've never really noticed anything before and just thought her sitting like that was due to the polished floor boards as Leia used to do it as well. But in saying that, they are both from the same litter so if it's genetic, they could both have it. We were only just saying on our drive down the coast this morning that we haven't been to the vets in a while, we must be coming up for a trip! We didn't mean it literally though.. Ari - I'd rather be safe and go and have it checked out, than just dismiss it as something someone said and her be in pain because we didn't think twice about it. Edited September 23, 2007 by ~Erin~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poodle wrangler Posted September 23, 2007 Share Posted September 23, 2007 I recently had XRays done on a 9 month standard poodle (~25kg) and had to be under general anaesthetic- about $240! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 23, 2007 Author Share Posted September 23, 2007 PW - I was thinking it would cost about $200ish.. So as long as it's not like $500!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malamum Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 (edited) Take her to the vet and see what they say. They won't jump straight into x-rays unless they really think they are going to show anything (mine didn't anyway). They should spend a bit of time watching her walk and seeing what her gait is like. Our vet also spent a fair bit of time manipulating our boys legs to see how much movement he had. Straight off she said it was very unlikely he had HD becuase of how she could manipulate his rear legs and the movement he had in the hips etc... We did end up having him x-rayed anyway and he doesn't have HD but he does have arthiritis. Edited September 24, 2007 by Malamum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Malamum - thanks for that. I phoned the vet this morning who could answer some of my questions but advised I should probably speak to the other vet who had more of an insite into the situation. It's hard to know who to listen to, vets are telling me to stay away from chiro until they know what's wrong, and chiro's say to go through them first to save the cost of x-rays. The nurse I spoke to this morning advised that we should just wait a bit as she is only 10 months old and it could just be her still growing that's causing these characteristics she's showing. She said that we are the best judge of her manorisms and if we don't think she's in any type of pain, that we should just monitor her and have her checked at her next vaccination. I don't beleive there's any discomfort pain as she wouldn't be chasing her sister around the back yard, or jumping up sand dunes a the beach if she was sore. The nurse said that her lab does the same sit thing I was describing and she thought straight away it was HD but after being checked out was just the way the dog sat. She said that this could very well be the case with our girl. I don't know what's right or wrong to do, but I feel that if it becomes more obvious in her movements, we might go to the vet and have her checked out through a consultation and see what action the vet would like to take. They said with her only being 10 months old that if might not be too obvious in x-rays as she's still only young. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monah Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Everyone is right about the vet manipulating the legs etc. to see if hp is possible. My dog is 7 months and hp definately turned up on the xray, even I could see it.Duncandougal, there are 2 ops for dogs over 12 months, just one if under that age. Maintenance is good but if they need an op its best to go with it as hp can be very painful for the dog. HP can only be diagnosed with an xray, for me it was best to eliminate (or not) this first rather than run around trying to fix something that can't be fixed (except with op). At least I know what to do now, treatment etc. and exactly what the problem is without guessing. Good luck, it may be nothing, at least you;ll know. (fingers crossed for you)xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Thanks Monah.. After speaking with another vet tonight, we've decided to have a consult done and if they think it needs to be done, the x-rays will be done. We both feel this is the right thing to do to eliminate any possibilities and if there is something wrong, she's still young and the operation can be done if needed. Big prices to pay for getting dogs from a BYB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allerzeit Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 I agree you are doing the right thing with a vet visit - always better to be safe than sorry. As far as the sitting goes though - Enya sits exactly the same way when she is on a slippery surface. She has a hip score of 1:3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 (edited) Allerzeit, can you explain the hip scoring to me? How does it work? Can we get a hip scoring from the x-rays? Or is that another test. ETA: we are REALLY REALLY praying it's just the way she sits Edited September 24, 2007 by ~Erin~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 Fingers crossed that all is ok Erin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asalei Posted September 24, 2007 Author Share Posted September 24, 2007 Thanks Katie. I think my whole body will be cramping by Friday with all the crossing of body parts I'll be doing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ari Posted September 24, 2007 Share Posted September 24, 2007 So the owner of the other dog with HD actually has the sibling of your pup? You didn't say that in the first post so I'm not sure if I've got that right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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