Bilaterally Disloating Hip/ Luxating Hips?

[BittyMooPeeb]

Hi Didles,

you seem to be on a bit of a roller coaster ride at the moment .

I have read the pupppy thread you posted in, and saw that you said you cant afford the surgeries he would need, but now you are saying that money is no object. Even with your refund of the purchase price, you may still be required to spend thousands more, possibly without a good outcome. You also said that you have several flights of stairs in your house which would not be good for him (I agree) but now you have decided to keep him .

I agree with others that a specialist opinion is needed before you make any further decisions. If the news is not good, I urge you to seriously think about whether keeping Winston is the best thing for him. If you give him up, he may be able to go to a stair-free home, without kids, with grippy floors, and be in less pain than if he stays with you.

I gather from your other posts that you were in a hurry to get another dog as the kids were disappointed about the first one falling through, but I really think you should wait until a pup comes up that is right for you rather than taking on Winston because he is available now.

Best of luck

Gail

[Didles]

okay with the money thing that was more, the purchase price plus surgeries. Yes we have stairs but hubby is on to it building a ramp for him and we are toilet training him to this middle level. It is a huge adjustment that we have made for him and it was too tough to send him back, our kids are attached and we feel with some changes we could give him a chance. I have taken on all advice, got carpet and everything that has been suggested to me.

It hurts that everyone keeps saying give him up, did we rush into another pup yes and no, we did not know he was available and it just happened he was. So now we have made adjustments physically in the house and financially, we want to give him the best chance possible.

Hope people can understand, for personal reasons my kids have gone to hell and back over the past couple of years and to take this puppy away from them would be too much, I would just like advice to help him, but too date he seems fine running about on the grass, playing and wagging his tail, I would just like to continue that for him.

[JulesP]

Any of us that are telling you to return him are just doing so out of concern for you.

[mokhahouse]

okay with the money thing that was more, the purchase price plus surgeries. Yes we have stairs but hubby is on to it building a ramp for him and we are toilet training him to this middle level. It is a huge adjustment that we have made for him and it was too tough to send him back, our kids are attached and we feel with some changes we could give him a chance. I have taken on all advice, got carpet and everything that has been suggested to me.

It hurts that everyone keeps saying give him up, did we rush into another pup yes and no, we did not know he was available and it just happened he was. So now we have made adjustments physically in the house and financially, we want to give him the best chance possible.

Hope people can understand, for personal reasons my kids have gone to hell and back over the past couple of years and to take this puppy away from them would be too much, I would just like advice to help him, but too date he seems fine running about on the grass, playing and wagging his tail, I would just like to continue that for him.

\

I do understand you wanting to keep him. I kept Mokha despite his problems. I suppose though in deciding to keep him I feel it obligated me to do the best I can for him. We have incurred thousands of dollars in expenses and I expect this to go on for the rest of life but I am committed to do that. I am lucky in a way as two of my kids are now employed and my youngest is in Year 12. If I had young children the cost of a dog with these problems may be much more of an issue.It may come in time that you have to choose between physio, medication, surgery etc for the dog and the kids getting to do swimming lessons , sports or a birthday party.. I hope that your pup does not turn out to be as bad as the vet thinks. I know how it is to have a dog that causes such worry, I am always being careful with him. It is a completely different feeling to how it is with my other healthy dog that I can just enjoy with out the worry.I sincerely wish you all the best.

Edited March 1, 2010 by mokhahouse

[whippets]

I'm very confused by this thread. Pup looks adorable, but quite young . . . young enough that its joints are still mostly cartlidge and not well enough formed to show well in X-rays. Also young enough that things might change considerably as the bones form. Almost looks like a late swimmer. Sometimes, given the right support, young pups with potential problems can be shaped to come out right without surgery. I'm no expert, but agree with suggestions that it's worth seeking opinions from a vet who knows a lot about skeletal development and/or bulldogs.

It's not normal for a dog of any breed to have luxating joints as a puppy and for a pup to have these kind of problems so young as not a good thing....at all.

This whole thing reeks of heartache, or heartache to come.

[persephone]

Didles, I think what folks are saying is :

yes, the kids are attached - we all know that happens in an instant with gorgeous puppies

BUT they will be even more attached in a year's time- and if he does indeed have serious issues, what happens then if he is to have extensive surgery/cannot exercise/ has to be PTS ?

You can't really decide until you do get a specialist opinion.... and then, if the news is bad, you have to decide whether it is a wise and/kind thing to keep a puppy who will be in discomfort , and unable to comfortably do all the things puppies love .

All supposition now- hopefully the specialist opinion will be a favourable one,and you won't have to worry.!

[Miranda]

I would suggest that before you do anything you take your dog to Karen Hedberg for a second opinion.

[Didles]

I know this thread is way back but would like to update, Our boy had the surgery and he is totally different dog!!!!! He is running about and crazy, we noticed the change straight away he was just so full of life. Now he is a very spoilt boy and very loved. I am glad I made the decisions I did just wanted to update thats all

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=1504...mp;l=c20b031276

Here is a link of some pictures of our boy.

[aj2251]

Your boy is beautiful!

If I may ask, which surgery did he have and where?

Also, did you know Bruce at Erina Heights Vet is the one that bullie owners take their bullies too (including me)

[Didles]

Thanks aj, where abouts on the coast are you? We visit Davistown off leash area, and thinking of Avoca beach off leash part. I am not confident enough to let him off but you are sure there are other dogs about for him to sniff. I did not know about Erina Heights but will keep that in mind. I went to the speacialist centre in North Ryde, they were fantastic and loved my boy.

[persephone]

Glad to read this update!! Go Winston!

[mokhahouse]

Glad to hear all went well with the surgery. Did he end up with the TPO. If so I would love you to keep updating us. We had considered this surgery with Mokha but our specialist felt he was doing well enough without it at a year old. He is two today and there are days were I can see he is struggling. He had surgery on his elbow only at this point. We are looking at a hip replacement possibly down the track. Continue to be careful with him. Moderate amounts of exercise every day are the way to go. We can really see the difference in Mokha if he does n't get that exercise. I hope things continue to go well for Winston.

[Didles]

Winston had Pubic Symphysiodesis, they only do this one young dogs it is best before 22 weeks Ideally at 16 (when he had it) they fuse the hip joint where there is still cartlidge there to like anchor the hip joint and changes the way it grows a bit. We noticed the change straight away, at first we thought it's the pain killers but nope once he stopped that he was a different dog, running about the place and we could not keep him quiet at all.

He loves his walks and trots along getting pats from everyone and making friends, I weaned him into it at first because his first walk was not until he was 20weeks but now we go nearly everyday and now just added beach walks, vet said to try and build as much muscle mass and limit food intake. Only issue we have is stairs, he will not go down them but we are working on it. But he keeps up with my brothers Lab who is 6 weeks older than him.

But he is lovely and looking back I am glad we went through with what we did. he is one very loved puppy and in true bulldog form now owns the place and the best seats in it! Just said to hubby would love another maybe an older one.

[mokhahouse]

Thanks Didles, now I remember the original thread talking about this particular op. Mokha was too old when diagnosed for this option. I hope Winston continues to do well, it is hard making the decision as to operate or not. I know we agonized over the TPO for 6 months before making the decision on advice from the specialist not to go ahead. I am so glad we did the elbow surgery though. Like Winston we saw immediate improvement. I hope things continue to go well, I bet he is loving beach walks.

[labsrule]

Good on you for the doing the right thing by your adorable pup and so pleased he is doing very well

I have pretty strong feelings and views on the issue of people being advised "to return a defective puppy" and whilst I can understand people's concerns, they are not emotionally invested in the pups they are advising to be returned .

Best wishes for Winston and hope he continues to go from strength to strength :D