Hi there just wondering if anyone has had experience of this, we bred a litter of Boxers and at 4 weeks the smallest went lame our vet said it was either a break or dilocation and the mother probably caught her by accident he said she would have to wait until she was around 12 weeks old before he could do any thing so as the joint had time to form (she wasn't in any great pain) After x raying yesterday it has been concluded there is no joint to put the leg back in to and the vet says the best thing would be to take off the head of her thigh bone to allow a natural joint to form from the muscles tendons etc. he says she will manage very well and will probably only have a slight limp just wondering if anybody has had experience of anything like this and how well the dog managed. If we do not go ahead he has offered to refer us to an orthopaedic vet who he says may be able to do wierd and wonderful things at wierd and wonderful prices (his words) any help would be appreciated.

No disrespect to your vet, but a) I'd get a specialist opinion from an orthopaedic specialist and b) if an op. is required I'd get the specialist to do it.

We've just had this hanging over our heads as an option with Damson's hip dislocation (not hereditary, but jumping over child gate). She, however, is a mature bitch with basically very sound hips indeed, and we seem to have (touch wood) got away without the triple osteotomy thingy.

I wonder if Mum and Dad were hip scored before the mating - also grandparents etc - if not, I don't want to sound a prophet of doom, but you may have a problem with other pups in the litter.

There are two down sides to a triple osteotomy (sp)?? The first is that it is very major for any dog, and I imagine you have to really restrict movement after, although your orthpaedic vet is the one to advise on this. I suppose there is the added complication of over-calcification around the growth plates, which happened to a pup of ours who needed orthopaedic surgery on his jaw after another dog bit him.

The other is that it's horrendously expensive, and the pup is so young, and presumably not insured.

Anyhow, very good luck with the little one, and keep us posted

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

Thanks for reply Mum and dad are totally sound and this happened from an accident only this we are sure about. Our vet is speaking to the ortho. vet anyway to ask his advice and possibly let him see the xray. Our vet has done this op before and sounds very confident in its success he says it will not affect growth where he will remove bone. I know movement will have to be restricted but that will be the case whatever we decide to do.

I seem to remember one of the vet programmes recently had a dog where they removed the head of the bone and the dog was soon getting around - can anyone remember more details on this? I think it was the one were people were grumbling that it had been dragged?

Christine

I think this operation is also used in legges perth disease cases as well where the diseased bone is removed and a new head of the femour is made.

Hi I know a Border Collie that had to have this done and to look at her now you would never know, she is as agile and fast as any of her doggie mates.Gillian

Thanks Gillian. Its good to hear that it does work, at the moment you would not know she has a dislocation as she runs around at breakneck speed just as any 11 week old so I'm sure she will adapt quickly but we just needed to hear from somebody with knowledge as we had not heard of this operation before.