Total hip replacement or FHO
I know form reading other posts that forum members and there dogs have gone thru both surgeries. If money wasn't an issue which surgery would you guys recommend. Our vet recommends FHO, and the orthopedic surgeon of course recommends total hip replacement. I say Fho Troy says total hip replacement. THR sounds so so invasive and like it would cause him so much pain. I really need some ideas to be thrown at me. Thanks guys Lisa and FRankie |
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| How far are you from Michigan State University? I'd contact their school of vet medicine for a consultation with their orthopedic specialist. |
| I think it depends on the situation. Oliver is in the same boat as Frankie. He has severe hip dysplasia in both hips, so I feel like he is a walking time bomb. I am overly protective of him and get scared to death when he doesn't want to walk, or if it seems like he is slow to get up. If Oliver is a good candidate for an FHO, we will do an FHO. Many large breed dogs have successfully had this surgery completed, but it requires the dog to have a nice muscle mass and to be lean, thus many dysplastic dogs don't qualify. When we found out about Oliver's condition, we went to a few specialists, including the K-State Vet School. They told me at KSU that many times a THR requires two surgeries due to failed hardware, loosening of hardware, or infection. Especially if the dog is young when the THR takes place. I also like the idea that if the FHO fails, we have THR as a back-up option. If the THR fails, there is no back-up option. JMO, I'm sure some will agree and some will disagree. For right now we are exercising and supplementing. What do you have Frankie on food and supplement wise? I've been doing so much reading lately as I'm going to switch Oliver's food from Science Diet j/d. We are on glucoseamine, chondrotin, and msm supplements. I'm thinking about adding in some vitamine C though. |
| Jennie how old is your Oliver? I think we were told the opposite, once you do FHO, you can't do anything else. They call it a salvage procedure. We went to MVS, and so an orthopedic surgeon. He says replacements are so advanced now that rejection is few and far between, and chances are if you replace his really bad hip, then we wouldn't have to replace the other. I'm the same way with Frankie, and worry so much about him and everything he does. I call him my delicate little flower. If it's going to happen, it will happen to him. We had a vet give us science diet jd, but Frankie just wouldn't eat it. So now we have him on Mulligans Stew fish based dry dog food, he gets some kind of vegetable with him food, Flax meal, Fish oil tablets, he is on an herbal supplement that his Physical therapist recommended. Its called body sore. It has really worked wonders. He also takes a supplement by a company called Ark Naturals. Which is chondrotin, Gluchosomine, and Yucca. We used to give him vitamin c powder, but it upset his stomach. Frankie goes to Physical Therapy 2 times a week and walks on the water tread mill. It has made such a difference in his muscle tone. Pm me sometime, maybe we can help each other through some of the things we are going to go through with our babies. Lisa and Frankie |
| Lisa, do you have pet insurance on Frankie? In retrospect, Josh and I really wish we had insured our cat. We spent $2,000 on his mega colon surgery, but easily another $1,000 on manual extraction procedures leading up to the final surgery. Since Frankie has such joint difficulty, it may be a good long term help to insure him. Just a thought. |
| Be sure to check but I don't think he'll qualify for health insurance because of preexisting conditions. I haven't heard of any policy that does. Kaytee and Panda were uninsurable because of them but they do qualify for accident coverage. FHO is considered a salvage operation. This is the procedure Panda will probably have if surgery is ever needed... FHO is actually mentioned in her adoption contract. Maybe talk with Cindy (4dognight) sometime about Guinness. Guinness had total hip replacement not long ago and sadly it failed. He had an FHO and is doing better now with that hip. But seek experiences from others too before making a decision. |
| We are in the same boat with Maggie. THR scares me both in price and consequence. The vet said if it fails, we will have to put her down. I don't want to take that chance. I am currently waiting until she is full grown to make a decision on what, if anything we will do. She seems to be doing fine on the Duramaxx. We have her on Flexicose as well. |
| Just posting this link again if anyone needs a good CHD reference- http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm ... 84&aid=444 We all just do the best we can to help our dogs with this condition.  |
| Erin no we don't have insurance on Frankie. I thought about it and put it off, then when he was diagnosed at 6 mos it was too late. I wished I had gotten it. Thats what I get for assuming when I spent alot of money on a pure bred, that I was getting a sound body. But Like I have said in alot of my posts, we love him to pieces no matter what his problems, and we will do what we can for him to make him happy and comfortable. Lolas Momma Now what we have been told, if THR fails, they try to fix it and if it doesn't, then they will do FHO. We saw an orthopedic specialist just a couple of months ago, and he swears that rejection and failure just doesn't happen that much any more. I'm being told where before the implants used to be cemented in now there set in and the bodies muscles and tissue grow around it so it's more life like. When failure happens is when the don't get it set in properly and it pops out. Thats at least what we were told. Again I just hate the thought of putting him through all of that. Lisa and Frankie |
An FHO is a salvage procedure. If you have a THR and it fails you can do an FHO. If an FHO is done the whole head of the femur is cut off and you cannot do a replacement. Guinness had a hip replacement that failed I went to another vet center for therapy and I believe I got rooked 15,000 later we returned to the orgional vet and had to have an FHO done. The problem with the rehab vet (the two vets are in conflict  ) so records were not sent. Had records been sent the first vet could have done a revision but too much time had lapsed. So ah FHO was our only option. He may need his other hip done and I am not for sure if I will try another implant or just have an FHO done. After my experience with thr first surgery I am really leary of doing anything. This was a cluster and should not have happened. There are sucessful surgerys done (just my crazy life) |
| Hmmm, maybe I misunderstood him. Any way I go, the thought of putting Maggie through this kills me. Should we wait until she is full grown, or is it better to get it over with? |
babysheepie wrote: Erin no we don't have insurance on Frankie. I thought about it and put it off, then when he was diagnosed at 6 mos it was too late. I wished I had gotten it. Don't kick yourself. It wouldn’t have mattered. The only insurance I found that does cover hip dysplasia, only does so after 10 months. I went though the same regret until I found that out. |
LolasMama wrote: Hmmm, maybe I misunderstood him. Any way I go, the thought of putting Maggie through this kills me. Should we wait until she is full grown, or is it better to get it over with? I was told - it's best to wait until it's severe. Tony will be 5 next year and our vet is telling us to wait because he thinks his hips are not severe enough (even tho tony strains getting up from the floor). He said that hip implants do wear out over time and will need to be replaced if you get them implanted at a young age. We've been saving money too. ack. |
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