[Lvn2Hnt]

My 4 year old lab/chessie cross was just diagnosed (via X-rays) with hip dysplasia. The vet says that the left side is the worst, but there is "enough to subluxate the left side". Not quite sure what that means.

The right side is "abnormal".

He said if we take 15 pounds of weight off of him - he's been gaining cause he's been increasingly inactive due to pain - that it should alleviate much of the problem in the hips.

Couple questions for those who have gone through this before:

Is this (age 4) REALLY young to already be having problems?

What is the general outlook on the number of years I can reasonably assume the dog will be usable in the field?

Should I possibly look to start a new puppy soon to have a back up?

Kind of devastated and misery loves company so hope to hear from some of you guys.

 

[ruger1]

My female lab has an issue with that. She's 10 this year. I stopped hunting her in any kind of difficult conditions 2 years ago. She simply couldn't walk the next day. I still take her duck hunting when it's only water (without down logs and brush) and field goose hunting. She just can't walk trails or fields for grouse and pheasant.

I limit her play to the water as well. Water workouts are much less strenous on the joints vs. land.

Yeah, 4 is pretty young. We started to notice it around 4 ourselves. It's mostly a weight issue. My lab dropped a lot of weight after we realized this and it really helped. Also giving them the Glocosmine (spelling) seemed to help.

With the proper care, you should be able to get many more years of hunting with your dog.

 

[Chaws]

Doing as the vet is recommending and taking weight off the dog, helping the dog in and out of the back of a truck should always happen and putting the dog on some supplements are all forms of action for you. Take a look at this guys web site that sells some of the best supplements out there for animals. He's extremely knowledgeable about performance dogs and the medical studies that have been performed regarding their joints.

http://www.docsdognutriceuticals.iwarp.com/

 

[buckseye]

To show up at that age it almost has to be inherited, sorry to say.

It's gonna kill you to watch it suffer.

 

[94NDTA]

We have had 2 english setter with it, our first hunted till the last year of his life at 10 till he went blind. Funny thing was, he was still fast as heck for a dog that had hip displasia. He was about a year or two old when he was diagnosed. His left leg was actually a tiny bit shorter than the other after the surgury, but he was a VERY athletic dog still, no issues at all, ran with the best of them. He was about 45-50 lbs. Keeping weight down is an ABSOLUTE MUST!

Our 2nd and current dog has hip displasia on both legs, first one diagnosed at 6 months old, 2nd at about a year. She also had to have surgury on her ACL a couple months later. She is 6 years old and still hunting. She is not super fast, and cannot jump very well, and gets stiff faster. She was around 65 lbs, we dropped her down to 55 and put her on glucosamine and she is a whole nother animal. More stride, more jump, doesn't get stiff as fast. I don't see any reason why she wouldn't be able to hunt till she is 10.

It is not the end of your dogs hunting career if you put the work in to keep the dog in shape and loose, trust me, I know

 

[buckseye]

If you are buying these dogs from a breeder wouldn't they have some sort of guarantee that dysplasia is not in the family tree of these dogs. It's a must to know of this before buying. That totally sucks guys, I know we love them like our own flesh and blood so please don't think I'm talking down on you or being cruel.

 

[94NDTA]

If you are buying these dogs from a breeder wouldn't they have some sort of guarantee that dysplasia is not in the family tree of these dogs. It's a must to know of this before buying. That totally sucks guys, I know we love them like our own flesh and blood so please don't think I'm talking down on you or being cruel.

Most are in with 2 year for the garuntee. Now, try "returning" your dog after he has been your best bud for 2 years.

Couldn't do it.

Neither of my dogs had a garuntee. Our next one will for sure. It's good to know they have the "warrenty", but I would never use it. Surgury isn't that expensive when you spread it out over 10-14 years.

 

[buckseye]

Now, try "returning" your dog after he has been your best bud for 2 years.

Couldn't do it.

But if you do nothing they will continue breeding dogs that will have undue pain and cause even more heartbreak for the next people who buy from them.

You don't have to tell me what tears feel like coming down my cheeks, I've been there. Sorry guys.

 

[94NDTA]

Well, if it helps, the breeder of our current dog stopped after we told him the problems we are having.

Some people are good people. Breeders make there business by word of mouth. If the word of mouth is bad, there is no success.

 

[USAlx50]

Just because a dog is guranteed does not mean hip displasia wont happen. Even dogs that have hips rated excellent can throw some pups that will have the problem.

Most people aren't going to return their dog for a new one. A lot of times the gurantee means the breeder will return your money or give you another pup. More important then gurantees are that the Sire/Dam have had their hips certified, thats all you can look at in increasing the odds your pup wont have problems.

 

[buckseye]

Exactly my point!

More important then gurantees are that the Sire/Dam have had their hips certified, thats all you can look at in increasing the odds your pup wont have problems.

 

[Dak]

Lvn2Hnt,

Our youngest dog was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and sciatica before she was a year old. The breeders don't breed anymore. Back to the dog. She has a great nose and was one of the fastest dogs I've seen. As her hips have gotten worse, she has changed how she hunts. She is very deliberate. In many situations, she is better than my other dogs. She doesn't push birds so gets them to settle a bit more. She's great on grouse as well. Her only real issue is retrieving wounded roosters. She just can't turn quickly enough in cover to run them down...I need to shoot better.

We do glucosamine supplements. Our vet has her on a half aspirin in the morning and then another half in the evening. Additionally, we give deramaxx when she needs it during hunting season.

Couldn't imagine not hunting her at this point...she loves it too much. Good luck!

 

[ruger1]

Just because a dog is guranteed does not mean hip displasia wont happen. Even dogs that have hips rated excellent can throw some pups that will have the problem.

Most people aren't going to return their dog for a new one. A lot of times the gurantee means the breeder will return your money or give you another pup. More important then gurantees are that the Sire/Dam have had their hips certified, thats all you can look at in increasing the odds your pup wont have problems.

We were guaranteed that my lab's parents were clear. No hip dysplasia. Remember, there are no guarantees in life. Except that we all die.

I honestly believe we were partly to blame. We didn't get her off puppy chow soon enough and she grew to fast. Faster than I've ever seen before anyhow. I think that had something to do with it.

 

[Lvn2Hnt]

In our case, we got the dog from a VERY reputable breeder locally. His female was certified, but he had no idea about the male as it was an "oops" that happened at a field trial.

The other guys are right that have said that certified hips aren't always a "sure thing".

It just sucks. Especially cause I know we're partially to blame with letting him get too heavy. We're not like many who over feed, under exercise and give table scraps - not a fan of any of those. But, he hadn't been as mobile the past few months and I should've taken action sooner.

20\20 hindsight.

 

[MTYoteHtr]

Lvn2Hnt,
We do glucosamine supplements. Our vet has her on a half aspirin in the morning and then another half in the evening. Additionally, we give deramaxx when she needs it during hunting season.

DO NOT give asprin to dogs ever! Studies show stomach bleeds when asprin is used and the cox 1 prostaglandin needed for renal function is supressed. Not good.

Never ever give any NSAID to a dog taking asprin. This is where the vets see problems such as stomach ulcers.

Working dogs that "don't get up the next day" are in a lot of pain and need something on board before, during and after the hunt for pain and to control the inflamation of the joints.

Take your dog to the vet to see if it has OA, then have the blood work done to see if it can be placed on pain med.

Dogs with OA can (should) be treated with Adequan, the only FDA approved treatment for OA. It worked for my 10 yr old Chessie/Lab cross. As her pain gets worse, I will put her on Deramaxx. For now she seems happy and is jumping up on the bed again.

Dogs tells us they are in pain by slowing down. If you wait until they start limping, a lot of damage to the joint cartlidge is done and can't be reversed.

I was told any dog over 5 yrs old, any working dog, any overweight dog of any age, and some breeds like Labs can get OS (osteoarthritis). So my dog hit every catagory and I should not have waited to start protecting her joints.

Good luck

 

[Lvn2Hnt]

My vet, too, said NO ASPRIN! Right now he's supposed to get Rimidel (sp?) as needed for the pain. Said to start him off 1 table twice a day on Friday and continue through Monday for a long hunting weekend.

 

[MTYoteHtr]

My vet, too, said NO ASPRIN!
Right now he's supposed to get Rimidel (sp?) as needed for the pain. Said to start him off 1 table twice a day on Friday and continue through Monday for a long hunting weekend.

Watch him for any vomiting or diarrhea (any NSAID). If so, stop and contact your vet. I had my big GSP on Deramaxx for half the price of carprofen. It was fun to see her pain free in the mornings and treating her with one pill a day was easy for me.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[Chaws]

A family tree can be full of OFA Fair/Good/Excellent heritage however there's still chance of having a pup show up with displaysia. When you look for a breeder for your next dog, look at the OFA web site and track down the family tree and see what's lurking in their family tree closets.

Most breeders these days that provide a hip guarantee do it because they feel the need to with their back yard breedings. My newest pup doesn't have any guarantees on him, however the thought that went into the breeding itself and the family lines make up for it. Also a quality breeder will help out buyers if a dog does come up with HD even without a guarantee. There are some breeders now days that will have a variation of options such as spay/neuter then receive another pup, or receive half your purchase price back... either way, I'd rather have a healthy dog than some piece of paper.

Put the dog on some of those supplements including the fish oil and all should be well unless the dog has severe hip issues.

 

[Bobm]

I agree with Chaws advice and would add at least a gram a day of vitamin c with food

I give my dogs

1)1000mg fish oil pills at 1 pill/10 lbs body weight
2)glucosamine chondroitin with msm starting at age 5
3)vitamin c 1000mg 2x a day, you got to bring up this gradually sometimes it will cause loose stools until the get used to it

you can buy the glucosamine supplememt from Walmart for lot cheaper you just need to give larger doses because the molecules in the stuff the dog doc sells are smaller and better absorbed but it still is cheaper to give the larger doses from Wally world

 

[Chaws]

The only problem with the supplements they sell at wally world is the quality of them isn't nearly has good. The link I posed before provides medical grade fish oils that don't have the natural occurring toxins are purified to a very high grade. If you look at the research it shows you blaring differences. The prices also aren't much off from high quality to general store prices. Also I wouldn't even buy advil from Walmart.