Pet Hip Surgery

Your Pet Can Be Relieved Of Pain And Restore Mobility With The Right Procedure

Is your pet limping or not as mobile as it once was? Dog hip surgery could be a complete game-changer.
We know how difficult it can be watching your dog struggling to walk properly or suffering in pain.
It could be as the result of a bad fall or a car accident. Perhaps the mobility issues developed recently, and you fear your family pet is getting old before its time. Often this is down to injuries or hereditary conditions that affect the hip and are fairly common in dogs. But there’s no need for your dog to struggle, experience hip pain, or have a reduced quality of life.

Hip surgery for dogs is an effective solution, and in this article we will share two different options that are ideal for fixing hip injuries.
We’ll also cover what the surgery involves, the recovery process afterwards, and explain why such procedures are safe and have a high success rate.

The Main Causes Of Hip Problems In Dogs

Arthritis
Older dogs can get hip arthritis and this accounts for the majority of hip complaints that we deal with at Surgipet. This is generally age-related or secondary to a condition known as hip dysplasia.
When older start limping, or have trouble getting up from the floor, it may be an indication that hip issues are worsening – and these can become very painful.

Hip dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a specific condition affecting young and mostly large-breed growing dogs. It is hereditary. It can be mild, and dogs will show no symptoms until later in life, or in some cases it may be severe and surgery is needed early on.
There are two main ways to manage hip dysplasia: medical (with supplements, physical therapy, occasional pain medications etc) and surgical if the situation is more serious. We offer two main surgical solutions to hip dysplasia, which we’ll cover shortly.

Trauma
Meanwhile, the second group of dogs that experience hip problems are those which have experienced trauma. This could be anything from a high rise fall to being run over by a car or damage caused by an accident when jumping.
Hip luxation (dislocation) – where the ball joint of the hip pops out of its socket – is common and is acutely painful. Fractures of the pelvis or the femoral head can also occur as a direct result of trauma.

Aseptic necrosis
Young small breeds of dogs and cats can be affected by condition called aseptic necrosis of the femoral head (which is also known as Legg-Perthes Disease).
The head of the femur (ball part of the hip joint) loses its blood supply and develops necrosis. This means that the bony tissue dies and the hip fails to function properly. The cause is unknown and the condition is hereditary in some breeds.

The Main Types of Pet Hip Surgery

A femoral head ostectomy (FHO)
This is a surgical procedure that we routinely carry out at our Surgipet clinic, and it can be performed on dogs – or cats – of any age. This operation aims to restore pain-free mobility to a diseased or damaged hip by removing the head and neck of the femur (the long leg bone or thighbone). This eliminates bone-on-bone contact of the hip to alleviate pain and, afterwards the body creates a pseudoarthrosis (false joint) to stabilize the hip.
The FHO is a very effective measure in many cases, including hip luxation, aseptic necrosis, fractures of hip bones, and hip dysplasia. It’s also to go-to option when there are complications during a total hip replacement.
Another upside of the FHO is that it’s the least invasive and typically has a great outcome, especially for removing hip pain.

Hip luxation reduction (closed and open)
This hip reduction procedure is used to treat hip dislocation in dogs, and there are two types: closed and open. The closed hip reductions that our skilled team of veterinarians perform are more straightforward and involve the dislocated hip being physically manipulated back into place following a short-acting anaesthesia.
Afterwards, a sling and bandage will be placed, which the animal will have to wear for at least 14 days.
When we carry out open hip reductions, this is a more intricate surgical procedure where we place the coxofemoral joint of the hip back into its normal position. The approach we take during surgery depends on the severity of the dislocation and whether or not hip dysplasia is present.
After the placement of the hip is adjusted into the correct position, toggle pin is inserted to keep everything in place. Once again, a sling and bandage are required afterwards for at least 14 days.
The simple closed hip reduction generally has a 50% success rate, but the prognosis is even better if the hip dislocation is treated within 72 hours. The open hip luxation reduction surgery carries a much better success rate of up to 90%. If unsuccessful, the dog may have to undergo an FHO.

Prognosis Following Pet Hip Surgery

The prognosis pet hip surgery is generally good to excellent, and most pets can achieve a good quality of life following the surgery. With proper rehabilitation and follow-up care, many pets can return to normal activity levels, including walking, running, and playing.

It is important to note that the primary goal of most pet hip surgeries is to alleviate pain and improve the pet’s quality of life. The results are generally excellent because following surgery, there is a significant improvement in the pet’s comfort level.

Additional Information About Hip Problems in Dogs

It’s worth noting that total hip replacements are also carried by some facilities primarily on young to middle aged dogs. However, we do not offer this procedure at SurgiPet because complications are more common, it often fails, and it is very expensive for owners.

The FHO, which we covered earlier, is the best option in most cases, especially once dogs are older. It’s also the procedure of choice when a total hip replacement fails.

There is also another surgery known as a TPO (total pelvic osteotomy) for hip injuries concerning very young dogs. We do offer this service too and would be happy to discuss in more detail with you if your pet is young and experiencing unexpected mobility issues.

My Pet Needs Hip Surgery – Now What?

If your pet needs Hip Surgery, call or email us. Our veterinary surgeon will work with you to understand your dog’s overall health. Our team will advise whether surgery is the best option for your pet. If you decide Hip Surgery is the best approach to restoring your pet’s health, the SurgiPet team will promptly schedule the surgery.
Before, during, and after the surgery, you’ll be updated with all the information you need for a safe and speedy recovery. We also offer a wealth of resources right here on our website to help you care for your pet when we’re not there.