11wk old german shepard puppy hip problem

[onur]

hi there ive got an 11 week old gsd puppy we took her to the vet yesterday and the vet thought it was a good idea to check her back legs for any hip problems so anyways she started streching my pups back legs further and further eventually this cause my puppy to go into pain and scream after that happened she said considering my pup was in pain it could be the early signs of hip displasia and reccomended getting an x-ray done which i will be doing in a few weeks but the problem is ever since yesterday after the vet visit she has been limping and seems to be in pain, she never had this problem so i am a bit worried just want to get an opinion and wondering if anyone has ever had the same thing. we have been told that if she does have displasia there is a procedure that is done before 20weeks to fix the problem but ive heard that it is not good to get the procedure done by some people because the puppy is still growing anyhow i just wanted someone to shed some light on this situation or hear from someone that has had there puppy go through this proocedure 

[Rebanne]

run away very fast from that vet. Of course the puppy screamed, wouldn't you if someone tried to pull your hips out of their sockets. Keep her quiet for a couple of days and restrict her exercise. If she remains lame take her to a different vet at a different practice. You need to speak to your breeder.

[Diva]

Don't do the operation without a second opinion. Very often an experienced second opinion differs quite substantially from the first general practice vet when it comes to whether these juvenile hip operations are needed or not. 

 

You need to talk to your breeder, they will have advice on reliable vets. 

 

 

[Dogsfevr]

Honestly vets give me sh"ts in situations like this ,for starters what the vet did is not a typical vet check and would gave copped a mouth full from me .

 

If your breeder is very GSD savvy ( not just a BYB )phone them and explain what happened at the vets .If there a good breeder ask for a vet suggestion in your area or better still I would travel to a good vet to get a proper opinion ,someone here may be able to suggest a vet .

 

 

Some vet practices seriously have no morals and will trump up business anyway .

 

So do not rush into anything,second opinion at a decent clinic is a must 

 

 

[onur]

i have been told that if it does need surgery and is not done by the age of 20weeks then they wont be able to do the same procedure anymore and will have to do another procedure which will cost much more and isnt really affordable so if it does need the surgery and i dont go forward with it and if it needs it later on in life it will be much harder to do it but at the same time i have heard that the first procedure doesent always completely fix the problem so im just a bit confused hopfully i will figure something out 

[Diva]

some vets recommend the op almost automatically, that is why you need an experienced second opinion. If your breeder was ethical and registered then they hip scored both parents and met the breed survey requirements, and while it doesn't absolutely guarantee no problems it is important to reduce the chances. So talk to them. If they were the type of breeders who don't hip score you are probably on your own, but you can ask on here for a vet recommendation. 

Edited July 25, 2017 by Diva

[onur]

4 minutes ago, Diva said:

some vets recommend the op almost automatically, that is why you need an experienced second opinion. If your breeder was ethical and registered then they hip scored both parents and met the breed survey requirements, and while it doesn't absolutely guarantee no problems it is important to reduce the chances. So talk to them. If they were the type of breeders who don't hip score you are probably on your own, but you can ask on here for a vet recommendation. 

i dont think they have been hip scored but i do know that they dont have any hip problems and same as the past litters that theyve had the pups have never had hip problems and my pup didnt have a problem aswell until the vet check so its a bit iffy i guess ill see what the x-ray comes up with 

[onur]

if anyone could reccomend any good vets in melbourne area that would be much appreciated

[Dogsfevr]

Take a step back and breathe ,your dog MAY have a problem it also MAY not .

 

Dont be fooled many general vets have no clue and get it very wrong hence getting a second opinion from a vet a recommended vet .

 

I will tell you how bad some are for convenience i had to get some x rays done on my old dog for a toe tapping issue so used the one 5 mins away .

There response dog needed a double hip replacement,the problem was this clinic thought I was a gullible idiot that wouldn't question there very obvious misdiagnosis and decided to get a second opinion getting his hips re read by a certified reader in Australia ,hips perfect as we knew and could see in the X-rays,score was slightly higher than original score as the dog had severe spondylitis which we could see ,asked vet for written report and they refused ,they where caught out big time ,they even missed the spondo which is a debilitating issue ,they said no big deal .

Asked for written report and surprise story changed big time .

 

So first step is ask that vet to do a vet report on what she felt she found at the vet check ,tell them the breeder has asked for it .

Some will suddenly refuse to do a report others will but you gave something in writing .

Do not under any circumstance be pressured to rush your decision without factual evidence.

Ask the vet how many procedures they have  Done or do they refer you to a specialist .

 

Be your puppies advocate ask questions and expect to get laymen answers ,do not let them try and baffle you .

 

 

First off the dog will need X-rays I would not get it done at that clinic UNLESS the vet is one with great experience in there feelings ,getting x Ray placemet is an art itself ,so ask what the clinics history is in xraying in this area ,if they get offended then that says a lot 

Secondly if it does have HD then you need to look at the pros/cons ,vets rush this thought process often praying on your feelings ,not all cases need surgery .

 

Not sure what clinic you used or where you live but there are clinics out there where vets deal with breeders and x Ray many breeding stock ,there experience is worth a drive too 

 

[Two Best Dogs!]

You could ask the GSD club in bundoora who they would recommend around Melbourne. They're a pretty responsive lot if you call them up and explain your concerns. 

 

Terry Taukus

0439 003 468

 

 

Edited July 25, 2017 by Thistle the dog

[persephone]

18 hours ago, onur said:

i dont think they have been hip scored but i do know that they dont have any hip problems

  Unless you see the scores, and understand how they work , there is no way you KNOW , sorry .  The breeders told you there are no problems ? Fine . Ask them to SHOW you the scores  from Mum and Dad. 

This might help you  understand , so you can speak with the breeder . Perhaps this is not the right puppy for you ? This info  comes from     HERE

 

Quote

THE GSDCV RECOMMENDS THAT YOU PURCHASE YOUR GERMAN SHEPHERD PUPPY ONLY FROM A BREEDER WHO ADHERES TO THE STRICT GSDCA BREED IMPROVEMENT SCHEMES AND THE GSDCV CODE OF ETHICS. These are puppies that you will find listed below. 
Breeding animals should have the following: An ‘A’ stamp for Hip dysplasia which indicates that the animal has passed the GSDCA Hip Dysplasia Scheme and is suitable to be bred from and a ‘Z’ stamp for Elbow dysplasia which means that the animal has passed the GSDCA Elbow Dysplasia Scheme and is suitable to be bred from. Also Breed Survey Class 1 or Class 2 which means that they have been presented before a panel of experts that have ascertained and documented that the animals are suitable anatomically to be bred from and have passed a temperament test and a gun test which is their reaction to loud noises. 
The Breeder should be able to show you documents that verify that the parents have successfully passed these schemes. IF THE BREEDER DOES NOT FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES YOU NEED TO ASK “WHY NOT” ?
AFTER ALL, THEY WERE PUT IN PLACE TO IMPROVE THE HEALTH, COMFORMATION AND TEMPERAMENT OF THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
 

I do hope you can find a Vet /mentor who will advise and support you . This a very important  issue , and there is a LOT to consider before letting someone start chopping away at your puppy. . 


 

Edited July 26, 2017 by persephone

[ish]

This will be the JPS procedure that is pushed by some vets to GSD puppy owners, without proper diagnosis- just because it's a GSD puppy. Owners ceel

 pressured because of the age cut off for the surgery and have this unnecessary surgery done. 

There's no evidence this proceedure is beneficial in the long run to dogs other than those showing very bad displaysia at that very young age. If you pup is lame or showing actual signs of HD, you need to see a vet experienced in such matters and have X-rays done - and even then surgery is not usually recommended until a later age 

[Rebanne]

14 hours ago, onur said:

i dont think they have been hip scored but i do know that they dont have any hip problems and same as the past litters that theyve had the pups have never had hip problems and my pup didnt have a problem aswell until the vet check so its a bit iffy i guess ill see what the x-ray comes up with 

Actually you can't tell they don't have any problems unless they are hip scored. I have owned 2 GSD's with HD. Both quite bad. Both showed no signs while young. The first one wasn't xrayed until the age of 6, the 2nd one at 18 months. My first was titled in several dog sports. Both were brought from registered breeders, the first was from someone who, in hindsight, was a puppy farmer, the 2nd was one of those sh!t happens from several generations of scored family members.

 

If your pup does end up having poor hips there are many ways to keep her happy without surgery.

[juice]

There is alot of good advice here from experienced owners and breeders of GSD's , take it onboard and don't rush because your vet said to, they are a business remember that.

Get a second opinion from a vet who knows the breed, and then decide, don't rush into surgery that the pup may not even need.

[Tassie]

Definitely do not be pressured by this vet.    You need a second opinion .. I would recommend seeing a specialist orthopaedic vet .. there are several in Melbourne.   I would think if yo contacted the German Shepherd Club as Thistle suggests, you would get some recommendations.  If your breeder was an ethical breeder registered with Dogs Victoria, they should be able to assist you with information -- hip score sheets for the parents, and recommendations as to orthopaedic specialists.

 

It would be worth doing an online search for information .. on a quick search, I found some good information, which among other things, suggested the sort of test the vet seems to have done would normally be done under sedation. 

 

In the meantime, try to keep the pup a good lean weight, and limit the made hooning round activity .. good luck with that .

[Starkehre]

And this is exactly what good breeders freak out about with their puppy people, and why I advise them all to insist that the vet DOES NOT palpate the puppys' hips. A diagnosis cannot be made this way, nor does it do the puppy any good.

You've been given loads of great advice here. I would be restricting exercise and hoping the lameness settles. Take your puppy to a reputable canine physio or bowen therapist.

Your puppy may have a hip issue, but there is just as much chance that it doesn't...or didn't until the vet palpated. I wouldn't be doing hip surgery now, but definitely get some advice from a non pro JSP/pennhip vet.