Sponsored



Monday, June 02, 2008

Update on Grace

Earlier today I blogged about how distracted I was with Grace at the vet. I just wanted to let everyone know that Grace got through surgery just fine — her cyst was removed successfully (as well as another one they found), and her teeth were cleaned without needing to have any pulled.

The bad news is that she was major hip dysplasia (and, as a result, arthritis) in her right hip. I rather suspected that was the case, but it's worse than I had hoped. The vet said we may be able to control it with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication for a while, but indicated that might not be the best long-term plan.

Unfortunately, for a dog her age, there are only two surgery options available — a femoral head ostectomy (FHO), where the "ball" on the femur is cut off to eliminate friction in the socket, and a total hip replacement (THR), which basically replaces the problem joint with an artificial one. Here is a comparison of FHO and THR.

An FHO isn't really recommended for a dog Grace's size (83 pounds as of this morning), and my vet seemed a little skeptical, even though he did mention it as an option. I think we will probably need to control it with medication for the time being, and opt for surgery in a year or so.

2 comments:

Courtney said...

I am so sorry to hear that, my thoughts are with you and Grace. It's so hard when animals are ill or in pain and I know hip dysplasia can be so hard for dogs. Poor Grace! :(
It's good to hear the surgery went well though. I hope you are able to rest and spend time with your fur children soon.

Anonymous said...

There's another option. Acupuncture. My acupuncturist works on race horses as well as people, and when one of my cats was ill a few years ago, she worked on her and taught me how to do acupressure.

It will help with ease of movement, pain, and inflammation.

A good holistic vet in your area will be able to recommend a certified acupuncturist, or call a local racetrack.

It works WITH traditional veterinary care, not against it, and my vet was so supportive when we used it with Felicia.

It helps with the overall quality of life.

I'm glad the surgery went well -- I know how difficult it is when they're sick.

Love and best wishes to you all.

Sponsored



Popular Posts