[ SHOWGSD-L ] Re: say... What?!? Hip replacements & showing
- From: Jen proud <proudk911@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 19:00:08 -0500
Well, I finally have a moment to put my two cents' worth in on this topic as I
have apparently a unique perspective.
I know THREE GSDs by name - and more who haven't - who have had hip surgery
and/or replacement who later went on to be shown; both in the breed rings and
in performance arenas as well.
I know FOUR GSDs who have had BACK SURGERY who, later appeared (or reappeared)
in both the breed and performance rings as well.
I know for a fact that at least one of the above was bred post surgery as well.
(I know OMG right?!?) Conversely, one of the double hip surgery dogs was a
rescue who got an ILP registration to show obedience way back when. He got a
CD but never went further as his owner wouldn't jump him.
-AND- the above examples are all in less than the last 15 years, and none of
them were information gleaned through my job, but just from being around and
keeping my ear to the ground.
Coming from the veterinary profession, I WHOLLY AGREE that many far too many
veterinarians take advantage of the average uninformed owner who "wants the
best for their dog". Many vets seem to think that the best=the most expensive &
extensive, and without regards to the dog as an individual and what might be
best for him or her. Unfortunately many seem to not keep up on research;
things like hardware related osteosarcoma and other long-term issues. Research
shows conservative management of a CCL injury has a better outcome than
surgical management and the prolonged recovery time, providing all goes well
anyhow. Unfortunately, the standard of western medicine is that it is science
and not to be questioned and this is what it has to offer your pet (and you)
and it's this choice or make your pet (or yourself) suffer purposely.
Unfortunately it is a very foreign concept to many doctors to have a pro-active
owner who wants to be wholly involved in their pets care and treatment. Heck I
about got throwed out of a doctors office for refusing a pneumonia shot... Why
should I get one? I have had both viral and bacterial pneumonia so what's the
point but to fill his quota? Needless to say, I won't be visiting there ever
again! Sadly, the superiority complex has crossed over from people doctors to
veterinarians somehow, despite that the average vet only makes $60000 a
year.... After their 9 years' of loans are paid back!
NOW- honestly, having personally seen these above mentioned dogs, they all
enjoyed quality of life after having the surgery/ies. Life they wouldn't
otherwise had the opportunity to live had their owners not opted to get them
fixed up.
BUT- do I agree with showing those repaired dogs in the breed ring? A
resounding NO. And hell no on the breeding part... Especially when there's no
OFA records on a dog from before the accident, and not afterwards either since
so many dogs submitted for follow up who were good at 2 are dysplastic at 7
from DJD. But then, it's partly about how the hips MOVE within the joint and
part of how they're BUILT!
If we were to add in CCL surgeries I would have to raise the total... Again not
using my work experiences even!
And that I work med/surg & integrative, not orthopedics, we don't DO any of
those surgeries but see plenty who have had them (not so much GSDs however so
they don't count ;) and to add them my total would sadly triple at least!
The truth is: It can happen, it DOES happen, not just in our breed either--
corrective surgeries are almost considered typical in some other breeds- and
then those animals are shown and awarded in the breed ring if not the
performance ring too!
So, if a dog doesn't deserve to have a needed hip surgery (of any kind, not
necessarily a replacement) and is say a healthy young dog, what difference is
that from say, entroption? Stenotic nares? PRAA or a liver shunt (which is not
an otherwise healthy dog in these last two and probably the most normal health
is in the one having HD) IF THE DOG IS ONLY A PET and their owner has the
disposable income, and the dog can live a happy life... And be speutered too...
And don't think any of these listed instances are things brushed under the rug,
as none were my dogs or puppies, nor my clients, it's not just "common
knowledge" to me... In every single case their owner or breeder told me about
those dogs. People are happy yay when their dog was saved from both suffering
and euthanasia and to also be able to go back to their previous lives for the
most part. Really, to see a couple who came back from back surgery go back to
being their happy selves and functional and full of life again is a pretty nice
thing to see considering what the other option was....
I have had 40+ back surgeries in the past 15 years. After I got hit by 2 cars I
was paralyzed from the waist down at worst, full left leg at best... I had
nothing left to lose when I said "pull out your knife & bone saws", suffered
greatly in the process. Next coming weekend I plan to show 2 of my own dogs in
a specialty ring.
That I was young and healthy and had nothing to lose, it was well worth it for
the rest of my life to have the surgeries. I must say for the dogs who were
the same beforehand (young & otw healthy) that they enjoyed a generally good
quality of life post back-injury/surgery.
I'm not so sure I feel the same about the total hip replacement however... A
FHO is just as effective and hardly the recovery time at all as compared to a
THR... And we all see how many PEOPLE suffer from total hip replacements for
the long term. I don't think I would do one on my dogs... God forbid I had one
who needed it!
Jen P & her Pack crying over an OFA excellent at 42 months cuz it was coupled
with only a breed-average PennHIP and I guess I'm spoiled
JayDee's Proud-Haus Shepherds/Proud K911
www.jaydeesphs.com
Committed to the Total Dog you can be Proud of!!!
AKC Breeder of Merit
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