[Vivian]

Hi,

I've been researching and talking to vets/techs about the option of FHO for my girl. For those of you unfamiliar with this, the femoral head is basically removed and nothing is replaced. As I understand it, a false joint is "created."

I am interested in hearing true life stories (good and/or bad) about this procedure. Anyone here have a dog that has gone through it? How was recovery? How is your dog doing now?

TIA,
Vivian

 

[GSDBESTK9]

My Blossom had a bilateral FHO done when she was 10 months old. Best thing I ever did for her. She is a big female and she is doing great, almost 7 years old now and pain free. I would do it again any day.

 

[JeanKBBMMMAAN]

Ilsa (47# and a mix) had it done in March so we are still working on recovery because of her stubborness. She will walk on leash with me nicely using all 4 legs, but off she lifts the leg up to run.

Not good-she is very set in doing things her way-but as time goes by she is using it more the way she should. I actually will yell to her-USE YOUR LEG and she puts it down-I look away and she is three legging it because I guess she can go faster. Don't know if this is common or not.

Surgery was fine, recovery was pretty easy. It certainly seemed less painful than surgery for a luxating patella that another dog had. AND she does seem much more comfortable without that awful arthritic piece of hip.

I dropped her off Tuesday night, they shaved her and put on a Fentanyl patch, surgery Wednesday morning, and she stayed until Friday. She ran down the hall to see me-she really didn't have trouble at all.

 

[dbailey]

Re: Anyone familiar with the FHO procedure/op for

I had this procedure done on a previous gsd, it worked out well, had BOTH hips done, one at a time. The one thing you have to make sure of afterwards is to keep excess weight off and plenty of exercise to keep the muscles in that area built up, because if they are not the back end will be very wobbly and unstable. My girl had elbow displasia also, so when she got older, she couldnt exercise as much, so her back end got very wobbly and unstable, but even though it was wobbly she was in no pain in the hips.

here is a pic of her right after surgery. for about a week, the vet advised us to help her get up and walk using a towel or blanket around her body and use to stabilize her and help her move around.