hi all,
i just wondered if anyone could recomend a vet in the lancs area who are very very good and quilified at doing hip xrays...as i agreed last time i used my own vets i asked for sedation and my baby got anesthetic...so i wasnt over happy with the results or the vets! i live in the blackburn area if anyone can reccomend i would be really greatful..thankyou!

We live in cambridgeshire, but we use a vet at Norton just outside of Pickering in North yorkshire,Applegath Surgery, she was recommended to me by moonmaiden (Ithink) on this board and I have found her albsolutely spot on, it is worth the travel, she did my girl's last year and explained everything in detail on the x-rays, we had her elbow done at the same time, she did a prediction of the scores and was only 1 point out, we are takeing out dogue de bordeaux male up there on the 16th of this month as I have great faith in her now. PM me if you want more information

Even though it is more expensive I would rather my dogs have a GA than sedation as they come round much faster with the reversible GA's than they do waiting for the sedation to wear off.  I don't have to worry about them falling over and acting drunk when I get them home :)

A bit OT (sorry!) but my vet too says GA is actually safer than sedation.

Hi

I use applegarth surgery Ilive in lincs Jill is fantasic and was Moonmaiden that recommended her .All my Goldens done by her now, spot on ,with what she thought the score would be.
Bit of a drive for us but well worth having such an excellent vet to do the xrays.

Briony :-)

I had a bitch who was sedated. Never EVER again. It was an horrendous experience for her, me, 2 vets & a vet nurse!! She ended up having to have a GA in the end anyway.

Hi Anwen
Did you have side affects when she was sedated????

Thankfully no. The problem was that, despite 2 lots of sedation & the fact that she was totally "legless" it was impossible to get her to lie on her back with her legs apart (with hindsight & looking at it from her point of view I suppose that's understandable ;) ..... ). I'm talking about a little dog who only weighs about 25lbs wringing wet. Even sedated, she was amazingly strong & determined. Fortunately, I don't think she remembers anything about it because she is no more unhappy about going to the vet than she was before.

This is a little off topice, but one of my USA Pug list friends (Pugs get hip scored in the USA)starts training her pups from 4 weeks old to lie flat on their backs, (does it as she trains for show poses too) so that when the time comes to x-ray no problems, no sedation or GA - says it works for her, and her vet is very happy.  I dont know how effective this would be for a larger breed, but something to think about?

bye
Gwen

Hi Gwen
It's a nice idea but my dogs ain't pugs & while I might be able train them to lie on their backs in, say, an Obedience class or at home, they definately won't lie back & think of England at the vets :D

I can recomend Mark Lingard B.V.Sc. D.V.R. M.R.V.C.
                     Moy Farm Vetinary Centre
                     Chapel Lane
                     Out Rawcliffe
                     Nr. Preston
                     PR3 6TB     Tel 01253 701098
Can`t remember what sedation he uses but they walk
out of the surgery unaided after the xray. He too explains
the xray to you scoring each area as he goes, he is usually spot
on or within one point.

I am not close to you so wont recommend my vet, however I thought I would just say what my vet tells me.
He will never sedate because he does not think they get a good enough result. Now this may not be true but I have always gone on what he says. He always gives them a G.A.
I have had now over the years several dogs done and I have only had one Weim that came back sore and stiff for a day. She seemed rather too sleepy as well, but she was fine after a day.  Her score was really low.
Nukin