Hip Dysplasia.

[RDMcG]

Sounds very promising. Beautiful dog,by the way. I have had a number of friends who had dogs with the condition, (wolfhounds,Mastiffs and Danes in particular),but in general they responded properly to treatment and went on to normal lives. Let us know over time how he is doing. Best of luck.

[StuntmanMike]

Thank for the comments, Jas that would be appreciated, as for the breeder, well let's just say I did everything wrong when I bought him, it wasn't a reputable breeder, and they we in the process of moving house, the only thing I did right was view the parents, but I had fell in love with the puppy.

[Granville]

StuntmanMike said:

Granville said:

If it's a good Hydrotherapy Pool they will help him over come his fear of water. They will (or at least should) put him in an inflatable swimming jacket / life aid to help his buoyancy and they will get in the pool ahead of him and encourage him in to the water and help him.

My old boy hand hip dysplasia early in age and I took him swimming every week. The girl there was fantastic with him considering his size, weight and fear of water. She always got in with him and held him via a buoyancy aid, lot's of squeaky toys and balls to swim after.

Hi Granville, how is your dog now?, what breed is it? Did he have an op or medication? Has he lead a normal life since? Sorry for the questions but I have yet to meet anyone who has been through this.

He is a Doberman x GSD, looks like a giant Doberman but very blonde GSD colour. He was 4 when diagnosed, just physio by swimming to build the muscle up on the one side.

I had to rehome him due to marriage break up so I'm uncertain on how he is now (he'll be 11 last month) as I lost touch with the family who took him for me. I'm in touch with friends who have one of his brothers and his back legs are starting to go now.

[Jasandjules]

Ok a variety of things to try:

http://www.stemenhance.co.uk/index.php/our-product...

Basic herbs like Devil's claw and turmeric and green lipped mussels

Yumove

[StuntmanMike]

Thanks for that, I am now at home, he is now on what you suggested except the Devils Claw, the Vets gave us lots of supplements, I have to say what was a mild limp is really really bad now, I was shocked friday night when I got home.
He goes to a Veternary hospital in Castle Donnington on tuesday for a CT scan, he is on bed rest now.

[StuntmanMike]

Snoop Dog has been in the vet hospital in Castle Donnington overnight.
He has had a CT scan and a bit of keyhole surgery on his elbows.
The vet didn't want to fully operate because of the slim margin of error, he messes up the dog loses a leg.
He will settle down after he has finished growing, he will have arthritis though.
He has to go back in 4 weeks for a check up, we will see then.
He is at home now, the wife says he is very clingy and in a bit of pain, we are making an extra fuss of him.

[guitarcarfanatic]

Glad to hear things are looking up. Hopefully he will be fully recovered in no time at all.

Slightly OT - who are your insurers Jim? I'm in the market and they seem like they handled this well.

[StuntmanMike]

Morethan, 14 pounds a month, which made them a good service and way way cheaper than anyone else.

[StuntmanMike]

Update time.
He goes to hydrotherapy 3 times a week, he has an injection off the vet once a week, this week there are signs of improvement, his limp had got so bad it was like he was lame, now he is much less stiff, he has been brilliant throughout, the amount he has had to put up with and hasn't once been grumpy with anyone.
Another week or so and he goes back to the hospital for a check up, we also need to start walking him again.

[StuntmanMike]

Frankley the strength he has is amazing, we has discovered that two of us can't turn him in the pool, he goes his own way.

[Granville]

Good to se he's doing well and making some improvement. He certainly doesn't look too fused by the water from the look on his face

[StuntmanMike]

Cheers Granville, he is in the bad books at the moment, the wife nipped to the local shop, she left him for 20 minutes and he bit up a full two litre bottle of coke.
It took her an hour and a half to clean up, she says you can still see it.

[CaptainMorgan]

Good to hear he is heading the right way. I've been through a similar situation with our Boston Terrier. Found out at 4 months he had double luxating patella (knees slip out the sockets). It was gutting, considering I was never a big animal fan and he was my first dog (I'd had him 2 months) it broke my heart! 3 Operations later (he pulled his first lot of stitches out of his right leg) and he is on the mend, his knees still dislocate but much less so than before. I need to get him into some hydrotherapy to build the muscles up but like your boy he is afraid of water I'm hoping over summer I can get him use to it a little then get him into a pool for some sessions.

All the best with the recovery!

[bexVN]

They often start with a treadmill so aren't fully in water, rather than you trying to get him used to it a good place will introduce them carefully.

[Granville]

As Bex says, he wont get chucked in at the deep end so to say. He'll have a buoyancy jacket on, and a swim coach will be in the water with him, and as he's small they will be able to hold and support him.

They soon build up confidence and trust and hopefully start to enjoy it.

[StuntmanMike]

Update time, the vet hospital were happy with his progress, going swimming three times a week has helped enormously, we really thought we were getting somewhere.
Two weeks ago we went out on our narrow boat, he saw a staffy and played with it, this accumulated in both dogs running the length of a lock, at this point the staffy just want to get away from him, I chased him down and got him back but the damage was done, he is right back to square one, probably worse if anything, he has been lame for nearly two weeks now, he is being assessed at swimming this week, a return to hospital is looking likely though.

[Martin_M]

Mike, hope everything works out for the best. Our German Shepherd was diagnosed at the same age, despite us buying from a reputable breeder. I concede that we might be to blame as we allowed her to jump for toys and treats which I regret to this day as I didn't realise the damage this could do. That said, specialists at the vet school in Glasgow advised that the x-rays revealed only a very minor form of dysplasia although our shepherd does bunny hop when she runs. She will now be on Seraquin for life and we also give her a cod liver oil supplement each day. All the best.

[StuntmanMike]

Nice one Martin, that was an excellent post, I'm very down about it at the moment as he has gone right back to square one, and yes we were very naive about exercise, also feeding him puppy food, according to the specialist.

[StuntmanMike]

Update, the last post was on a Tuesday, the following day he couldn't even put weight on the leg, this was most upsetting, we went back to the hospital with him, we were told he was having a growth spurt, he no seems a touch skinnier and taller, I'd say about 27 inch at the shoulder, he has steadily improved since, today you wouldn't know anything was wrong, he even went for a short walk yesterday, and is back up to 25 Laos at the pool.
I think this is going to be how it will go for the next twelve months so I will no update this again, unless something significant happens.
We reinsuranced with More than at only an 80 pence increase, and he is going in for his boosters Monday, we go on holiday for two weeks next week so my mum is having him, he will get royalty spoiled.
So that's it, light at the end of the tunnel at last, I have to say as well, he has been in pain, put in pain, poked prodded , messed about and not once grumbled or complained, he has an absolutely amazing temperament, despite the hassle we have had , I would recommend this breed to anyone.

P.S you will have to live with the spelling mistakes as I have posted this on my phone, and it's bloody hard work editing on it.

Edited by StuntmanMike on Friday 11th July 08:15

[StuntmanMike]

Update, the last post was on a Tuesday, the following day he couldn't even put weight on the leg, this was most upsetting, we went back to the hospital with him, we were told he was having a growth spurt, he no seems a touch skinnier and taller, I'd say about 27 inch at the shoulder, he has steadily improved since, today you wouldn't know anything was wrong, he even went for a short walk yesterday, and is back up to 25 Laos at the pool.
I think this is going to be how it will go for the next twelve months so I will no update this again, unless something significant happens.
We reinsuranced with More than at only an 80 pence increase, and he is going in for his boosters Monday, we go on holiday for two weeks next week so my mum is having him, he will get royalty spoiled.
So that's it, light at the end of the tunnel at last, I have to say as well, he has been in pain, put in pain, poked prodded , messed about and not once grumbled or complained, he has an absolutely amazing temperament, despite the hassle we have had , I would recommend this breed to anyone.

P.S you will have to live with the spelling mistakes as I have posted this on my phone, and it's bloody hard work editing on it.

Edited by StuntmanMike on Friday 11th July 08:15