I'm back. There are several options with HD depending on the dog. I also belong to an HD list, and many there were able to manage their dogs severe HD with just supplements and proper exercise. Surgery is a option but I would hold off if I could. Teddi was diagnosed at 9 months. She had been symptomatic before we just didn't see it. Puppies are not supposed to be broken. By 10 months she was in so much pain she needed 2 previcox a day just to feel well enough to eat. So surgery was our only option. I want to say she is doing very well, we only operated on her right (worst) side and she is a happy dog. Now 4 years old.
Supplements. Get on them if you are not already. Can NEVER hurt. Glucosamine/Chondroitin you have a lot of options out there. However not FDA regulated so some do not have the ingredients they say they do. I also find the cheaper the supplement the larger the "tablet" and the higher the dosage. For instance I had Maxine on one the tablets were the size of Ritz crackers, and she was supposed to get 4 a day. She did not like them so it was a pain to get them in her. I personally (and a lot of vets recommend) Cosequin DS by Nutra Max. Same company that makes Dausquin mentioned earlier. Dausquin is a great product, I think a little stronger than Cosequin. I plan to put Teddi on that when I think she needs a bit more help. Nutra Max GUARANTEES their products ingredients. They are a bit more expensive but the tablets are small and my dogs only get 2 a day. A bottle lasts a long time. They like them too, even my finicky eaters. I also supplement with MSM daily. I was doing 1000 mg a day, I recently upped to 2000 mg. I get my MSM at GNC at the mall.
Salmon oil, it is a natural anti-inflammatory, also good for skin and coats. Again falls in the "can't hurt" category.
Adequan, this is a great product but not cheap. There are two types, one injected directly into an animals joint, the other an intramuscular injection. I am on the latter, the muscle shots. Adequan says it hydrates the joints, and surrounding tissues. It slows the breakdown of joint fluid, so it protects the joints better. I give my injections monthly and so far so good. It can be given more often if needed. There is no harm in this medication but it does briefly burn when received. I have two dogs on it Teddi and Belle. Belle does not seem to care about the shot, Teddi does not like it. So I don't think it hurts a lot, Teddi is just a drama queen. My vet showed me how to do the injections so I give it myself at home. I do think my dogs are more comfortable as a result of the Adequan. I KNOW my horse got more supple when he was on it. This is an option, if your dog is not 'experiencing pain' right now you could wait and start later.
Teddi has additional issues she too has suspected elbow dysplasia, I can't afford to get her an MRI or CT Scan to fully diagnose. Her hip was more than I could afford. We are managing her elbows, and as a result of compensating her whole life, she also has spondylosis in her back. More or less arthritis. She is not on any NSAID's on a regular basis yet, and I hope to keep her off as long as possible. A couple other options I plan to investigate before NSAID's, one is acupuncture. I have heard there are good results with acupuncture for pain. I might also investigate injecting her joint directly. Not sure about that yet.
Lastly... and I can not stress this enough.... weight control. My surgeon said we must keep Teddi between 60-65 pounds. She is a tall dog (24") so that is skinny for her. However any extra pounds at all on a dog with bad hips (or elbows) increases the wear and tear on the joint. So if at all possible get Lily to the skinny side of normal weight and work to keep her there. Exercise is great for them, swimming is FANTASTIC. You want to keep the muscles strong around the hip, to help the dog manage. However everything in moderation, over doing it will get them sore really fast too.
I don't mean to bombard you with information, but this is just basic stuff. No magic here. Easy to do maintenance, and it could help Lily immensely.
Again, you should contact your breeder just to let them know. They may care, which I hope whether there is any compensation or not, knowing you have their support is extremely helpful. Or if you are like Teddi's breeder, they will never respond and you will never hear from them again. I worry often about Teddi's siblings. I wish I knew.
Sorry for your diagnosis, but it does not mean Lily will have a bad life. A lot can be done to help her have a great life. And if surgery is needed, the FHO (femoral head osteotomy) is a great procedure, many dogs have a long pain free life after. We went with the THR (total hip) and though it was a long and stressful post operative recovery, now I don't worry much at all, Teddi runs, jumps, plays, and pretty much gets to be a dog. The THR is a VERY expensive procedure, the FHO is not cheap but much cheaper than the THR. Just food for thought.
Good luck!!! If you have any questions, I am no expert, I have just been living through it. :wavey:
But seriously, I really want to inform the breeder about this, but don't really know how to go about it without getting really angry and probably accusatory. I just want her to know that her breeding stock (most likely the dam from what I gather of the pedigree) is passing on this gene.
