How to Help Hip dysplasia in a Young Dog

[AmelieH]

Hello @Dr. Jeff! My dog Bonny is 2.5 years old (female), a flat coated retriever (66 lbs, not sterilized, vaccinated as puppy). She has never wanted to go for long walks and doesn't have much energy. Sometimes she even refuses to go for a walk completely. Recently a new vet said he thinks my dog may have hip dysplasia.
Now I have two questions: Should I have my dog x-rayed?
What can I do to make her feel better?
Thank you!
Amelie

 

[Dr. Christina]

Welcome to Holistic Actions, Amelie.

I would recommend an X-ray just to see what the base line currently is. Do NOT let your conventional veterinarian do more tests unless you really think them necessary, or check back here.

Take the 101 course to understand the value of symptoms like BEAM and these early clues (good for you to pursue them already). You will learn that they are all clues of an underlying energetic pattern imbalance, not merely a "hip problem". You will learn about feeding a fresh diet, avoiding toxins, learning energetic healing yourself (like acupressure for pain or flower essences for energy levels, etc), and the importance, right now, to begin working with a homeopathic or chinese medicine or chiropractic veterinarian (read the article on Finding and Working with a Holistic Veterinarian).

And download the Healthy dog Journal, too.

that's a great place to start!

Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Hi Amelie!

I'm sorry to hear that Bonny is sometimes refusing to walk. Being outside, playing, going for walks and hikes are typically a flat coated retriever's favorite things.

Should I have my dog x-rayed?

Yes. The diagnosis of hip dysplasia can not be made definitively without them.

Since she has been low energy and not wanting longer walks for most of her life, I wonder if any vet has done blood, stool or urine tests?

This information would be great to have in order to to rule out any metabolic conditions.

Most pet insurance plans will cover most of the cost for this kind of testing. If you don't already have a policy, you may want to look into pet insurance companies.

Dr. Kruse is a pet insurance expert and his webinar for HA! about insurance is in your member area and may be a helpful one for you to review. Here's the web site he recommended for investigating insurance:

Is Pet Insurance Worth It In 2024? How Does Pet Insurance Work?

Is pet insurance worth it? We look at how pet health insurance works, why you would need it, what it covers, costs, best providers, and more.

www.caninejournal.com

What can I do to make her feel better?

Great question! There's lots of things. As Dr. Christina mentioned, start with the HA! 101 course.

If Bonny is not already eating a fresh food diet, it's time to start introducing some fresh foods. Many of the foods in your refrigerator would work.

Fresh (ideally raw) meats, fruits, veggies.

Also, identify and start to focus on doing more of the things that make Bonny the happiest. This will help her body operate optimally:

The Happiness Protocol in Your Pet's Life

At HA! we are committed to much more than helping pets become dis-ease free. We promote restoring and maintaining vitality, balance, energy, & happiness.

www.holisticactions.com

HA! Happiness Protocol: 7 Ways to Optimize Your Pet's Life

How can you empower your pet to live their happiest life? Here are seven activities to implement and boost your pet’s behavior, energy, appetite, and mood.

www.holisticactions.com

Also, this general joint supplement may help:

Hip & Joint - Natural Joint Support

Hip & Joint Natural Joint Care is a blend of natural anti-inflammatories backed by science. Improve pain and mobility without the unwanted side effects of prescription drugs.

fourleafrover.com

Lastly, it would be a great time to add a vet homeopath to Bonny's vet care team. Dr. Judy Herman is wonderful and has lots of experience with flat coated retrievers:

Animal Wellness Center

At Animal Wellness Center, our primary modality of treatment is homeopathy. We also use nutritional supplements, western and eastern herbs, Bach flower essences, and conventional medicines where deemed appropriate.

www.judithhermandvm.com

 

[AmelieH]

Hi Dr. Jeff and Dr. Christina!

Thank you very much, I will have Bonny x-rayed. The vet said he probably didn't need to anesthetize.

Blood tests or stool tests have never been done. Should this be done?

So far, Bonny gets canned meat and fresh vegetables and fruit as snacks.

I don't know much about raw feeding. But then I would buy ready-made food frozen. Is that okay? Or should it be completely fresh.

I also considered enrolling Bonny in physical therapy. Is this recommended?

We live in Germany.

My current vet is not homeopathic, but he is open-minded and he has a good relationship with Bonny.

Thank you,
Amelie

 

[Dr. Jeff]

ready-made food frozen. Is that okay?

Yes, that's great!

Is this recommended?

Physical therapy, and especially core strengthening work, would also be wonderful for Bonny.

There are several forum discussions and Holistic Actions! webinars about PT and how to help dysplasia and other mobility challenges. You can find them by searching both the forum and within your member area.