Should i get a second opinion? My vet doesn't believe me!

[hippie1969]

Hi everyone!
I am brand new to this wonderful forum and desperately seeking advice about my 14 yr old retriever mix who recently dislocated his hip. Unfortunately it was manually repositioned unsuccessfully by one of the vets at my work and I have now been told that surgery is the only option. This same vet was reluctant to perform the surgery so referred me to a nearby specialist. I walked away from this appointment very deflated as this vet advised me to put my dog to sleep. Currently his hind legs are very weak due to muscle atrophy and he has the beginnings of some neuro issues due to spondylosis of his spine. I am currently using a rear harness for him (as he is unable to get up on his own) which he loves-as soon as its on he takes off! He is still mentally alert, runs with the harness, has a fabulous appetite and can still urinate and defecate on his own. However the specialist has described him as frail and weak which I am struggling with!! I tried to tell her that once the harness is on he takes off but she looked extremely sceptical. She has given me the number of a vet who does dog rehab, acupuncture, laser therapy and hydrotherapy and I have booked an appointment to discuss my dog with him. My question is, would you all still go ahead with surgery on an older dog? I really feel in my heart that it's not his time-being a vet nurse I deal with situations like this on a daily basis. Should I find another vet who would be happy to do the hip surgery? The specialist did say she could do it but inferred that it would be the wrong thing to do. If someone would be able to give me some advice or has been in a similar situation it would be very much appreciated. Thank you!!

[CarolC]

I am not a vet but no, I would not do surgery on a large or medium large dog at 14. He is old to be under anaesthesia. Then you would have the incision on the hip to heal, which means he will be lying mainly on his other side for weeks, which puts him at risk for a pressure sore on the side he is lying on because of his weight. Also, when you begin to get the atrophy from spondylosis or similar, then the hip bones will begin to protrude more, making a greater risk of a pressure sore. I wouldn't risk it. If you are personally able to do the lifting with a sling, and are not putting your own health at risk, I would keep doing what you are doing. I think you will feel better about everything when you get your PT appt, physical therapists are usually more positive and understand the limits of what can be done but know that what they can do does help. I think he would probably benefit from a wheelchair, too, if his front legs are strong enough (sounds like they are ). That is just my opinion. I would go with the PT and daily assistance if you are able, and just accept the hip situation. Even if he has perfect hips it sounds like he is already somewhat weak in the hindquarters and may begin scuffing his toes or stumbling as the spondylosis or similar progresses anyway. It is quite a bit of lifting with a big dog, you did not say how big he is. I don't want to encourage you to do more lifting than you can really do, if you can't do the lifting that is not your fault, we can only do what we can do.

The only other thing I am thinking is, since he can't get up and is developing some neurological issues in the hindquarters, this may begin to affect his bladder control to where he leaks or voids when lifted, and you are going to want to be prepared with some belly bands. I had a situation with a golden retriever who had both the neuro issues and renal insufficiency, causing him to drink more water and not concentrate his urine. The combination meant extra urine to deal with. I would want to protect his kidneys so he is continuing to drink a normal amount, which is another reason not to do surgery.

[hippie1969]

Thank you CarolC for your advice. I am looking forward to the PT appointment tomorrow, hopefully we will hear some good news.
Thanks again!

[critters]

I'd consider wheels, too. At least at home, he could take off and run around the yard as much as he wanted, and he'd probably enjoy being able to do fun stuff, like dog parks, shopping, etc. again. If you think his arms might not be strong enough, quad (4-wheeled) carts are a possibility. They don't seem to be as speedy as the regular 2-wheeled kind, but they have all-around support for those that need it.