hi everyone,
                I know this is one of these"NOT AGAIN!!!" topics but please could you give me some advice on hip-scoring.
I have a 12 month old bullmastiff bitch which i am looking at hip-scoring in the next 6 months.
I have read posts on this subject a while back and have a few questions if you knowledgable people can help,
Here goes:
1.At what age do you all recommend to hip score(she is a big girl for her age so i dont think she will grow anymore in height really,but she does have alot of filling out to do.)
2.I had a word with our vet and he says she will have to be completely knocked out(dont think i can spell anethetised??..der!)and i have heard some bad things about doing this,i have read posts on champdogs saying this is not necessary???
i have also heard bad comments saying they dislocate their legs/hips?? to do the procedure?and that their dogs were very sore(almost lame)for a few weeks because of this.
I show my baby so not only do i NOT want her having a bad experience i dont want the vets messing her up either!
3.Is there any better time of the year(ie before a season say)to do the procedure?

Basically i just want as much info and advice as youve got to give.....
I live near lichfield in staffordshire,so also do any of you know of any excellent vets who are experienced in hip-scoing(ie do them often)in the area

SORRY to keep going on but i want to do the best for her breed and have all the needed tests done but i dont want this to have any negative effects on my baby!!!!

Hope you all can help,
Thanks,

                                      sam 

Hi Sam

I get mine scored midway between seasons as soon as I can after their first birthday - have never had them come back lame and would not expect the vets to handle them so roughly that this happened.  My first one was done at nearly eight year and had a score of 3:5 so I don't think if their hips are good to start that waiting will do much harm scorewise

A general anaesthic is often safer than sedation - GA can be reversed but you have to wait for sedation to wear off

Hi, any time after 12 months, midway between seasons. I would never have a dog sedated again having had a bitch for whom sedation didn't work - far better to knock 'em out! It doesn't hurt & as for dislocating hips - well they'd have to be pretty dire for that to happen!!

Just what I would have said Sam, G A is a lot safer than sedation, should there be a problem with the dog, ok, when you pick the dog up it may be a bit groggy but that will clear, if the dog has an acute problem under sedation nothing can be done to reverse the drug used to sedate where as the G A can be reversed in a matter of seconds.

Hi,

I have Goldens and I prefer to score around 14-15 months,especially in males where I feel 12 months is too young it just gives them that extra bit of time to finish growings around hip area but this just my opinion but definately under 18 months.

Briony:-)

Before your vet does the X ray have they done many scoring X rays before as a badly taken plate can affect the score

I use a difference vet to my usual one for HD scoring as my vets are basically cr*p at X raying for HD scoring

The vet I use is excellent & a good reader of the plates, rarely being more 1 point out on the score She also explains the scoring & the make up of the hips

Hi well i have just had one of my Bullmastiff bitch's hips done she went in they  knocked her out an hour later, and i rang in at lunch time she was fine resting picked her up later yes she was a bit dopey but got her into car/ home and she just went to sleep next morn outshe comes nothing just as nutty so dont worry to much all you need is a good vet( and she has a good score.)

You had to leave your dog at the vets ?

That's another reason I use a specializt vet takt the dog, x ray see plates & take the dog home

My vet likes to make sure the dogs are okay before he lets them go and they are asleep most of that time anyway and i trust my vet to look after my dogs and i know that people come from all over the country to use him.

I can go with moonmaiden with the vet she uses she recommended one to me and we travelled from Cambridgeshire to north yorkshire, she  knocked out( I cannot spell it either) Britney our Dogue de Bordeaux and we had her hips and x-rays done together, , she went through all the x-rays with us and she told us the scores would be low teens or a bit less it came back at 5:6=11. she also told us her hips were excellent, they were fantastic with us, we are takeing Kujoe our male up at the Beginning if April to the same vet although it is a journey of over 300 miles, it was well worth it. I now know a vet that I can have confidence in to do a good job

Hiya matey, i like my vet and just because i leave them there that doesnt make them bad?
and they are only 10mins away from me and i am happy that my dogs just snooze in there pen until i pick them up,.

I do not use my own vet as he is a country vet that has more to do with horse's cows etc, he is a bit of the old age hippy type but is about 60 and still wears his Lindisfarn tee shirts and grey hair down his back if you can remember that far back. He is great in every other way but I think a bit non understanding of my concerns for great hip scores.

hi,
   Thanks everyone for your help.
I think i will be asking alot more questions to both my vet and other vets before i take the plunge,i just want to be 100% sure they know what there doing!!!!only the best for my girl.

                                           sam