Baxter has Hip Dysplasia and Dislocated Hip. Thanks Breeder!

[Baxter Tiberius]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. The breeder has been very apologetic and is willing to help. Unfortunately the only thing they can do is offer to send me another puppy free of charge, which isn't an option, but I appreciate the offer. Im not trying to out the breeder with this thread. But I admit there is frustration there. I did ask the breeder for X rays before he sent baxter but he didn't want to do them. Baxter was limping and falling in a video I saw of him as a baby.

He had surgery to put his hip back in socket and JPS surgery, which fused his public bone to cause his hips to grow in more tightly.

@sheshistory - okay this is what I was trying to explain to the veterinarian friend I have.

I wanted the leg put back into the socket at the very least. Quickly.

They said "It will probably just pop back out".

But I can't understand the logic of "Letting him fully develop" for another year, while his leg is completely dislocated the whole time.

If you allow development with something wrong, his rear area will be developed wrong.

So there is a surgery that puts the leg back in socket?

Orthopedic surgeon appointment Saturday morning. I'll update with what I find.

Part of me still wonders if his leg is really out of socket. I know it tends to pop out in certain positions. Maybe it fell out during the X ray, but is fine in normal positions? He runs and jumps well over 8 inches high off of furniture, etc. I can't imagine his bone isn't even in the socket.

 

[Texas Carol]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. The breeder has been very apologetic and is willing to help. Unfortunately the only thing they can do is offer to send me another puppy free of charge, which isn't an option, but I appreciate the offer. Im not trying to out the breeder with this thread. But I admit there is frustration there. I did ask the breeder for X rays before he sent baxter but he didn't want to do them. Baxter was limping and falling in a video I saw of him as a baby.




Why can't he refund Baxter's initial cost to you (he should cover half of surgery
too since he SHOULD have x-rayed as you requested). Makes me wonder if he
knew there were problems, maybe with Mom and/or Dad even. Just a horror!

 

[sheshistory]

Thank you everyone for the kind words. The breeder has been very apologetic and is willing to help. Unfortunately the only thing they can do is offer to send me another puppy free of charge, which isn't an option, but I appreciate the offer. Im not trying to out the breeder with this thread. But I admit there is frustration there. I did ask the breeder for X rays before he sent baxter but he didn't want to do them. Baxter was limping and falling in a video I saw of him as a baby.


@sheshistory - okay this is what I was trying to explain to the veterinarian friend I have.

I wanted the leg put back into the socket at the very least. Quickly.

They said "It will probably just pop back out".

But I can't understand the logic of "Letting him fully develop" for another year, while his leg is completely dislocated the whole time.

If you allow development with something wrong, his rear area will be developed wrong.

So there is a surgery that puts the leg back in socket?

Orthopedic surgeon appointment Saturday morning. I'll update with what I find.

Part of me still wonders if his leg is really out of socket. I know it tends to pop out in certain positions. Maybe it fell out during the X ray, but is fine in normal positions? He runs and jumps well over 8 inches high off of furniture, etc. I can't imagine his bone isn't even in the socket.

I don't blame you! Baxter is running around with a dislocated hip and THAT is painful! YES, you most certainly CAN put it back in socket. Basically, we had Truman in for a FHO and our surgeon thought it would be better to have surgery to insert the hip back into the socket - called a "open reduction" (a closed reduction is is when they manipulate it back into place from the outside). She put a stretchy stitch (not the medical term) over the socket to allow the bone to grow but also encourage the hip to stay in socket. We had a limit his activity during this time and there was a chance that it would pop out again - but it didn't. Truman's procedures were the only ones he's ever had to undergo to treat his hip, and it's been three years.

To answer your question, in the x-ray, the hip is definitely out of socket but it probably pops back in and back out depending on what Baxter is doing - I know Truman's did - but this is what causes the crippling arthritis that cannot be corrected. That continued motion would eventually grind down all the cartilidge, and then the bone and cause a permanent disability, which is why it is a blessing (in a way) you caught this when you did. Also, remember, bullies are very resilient and tend not to show pain until they cannot bear it!

How old is Baxter? He might be a candidate for JPS surgery, if he's young enough and still had growing to do. That is very non-invasive and a good companion to the open reduction, if you go that route.