Hip surgery for dogs is used to restore mobility in dogs with moderate to severe hip dysplasia. A total hip replacement (THR) is an optimal choice. It may also be considered when the cost of pain management is or has become prohibitive.
The procedure involves removing the femoral stem, femoral head, and acetabulum. They are then replaced with prosthetic components. These components are composed of either titanium or cobalt-chrome stainless steel and ultra-high molecule weight polyurethane.
Unilateral hip surgery for dogs – bilateral procedures are rarely performed consecutively – takes about 60 to 90 minutes in which your pet is continually monitored.
THR is an effective treatment option for animals weighing between 3.5 and 180 pounds and at any age once skeletal maturity is reached. It will successfully allow your dog or cat to resume a healthy, happy, and normal life.
Recovery and Healing
Your pet’s comfort, safety, and recuperation are vital after hip surgery for dogs. You’ll want to choose an attended area of your home with excellent traction for your dog to recuperate.
When outdoors, they must be on a leash for about five to six weeks. At least initially, walking should be limited to as long as needed before progressing to longer stretches. A walking assist sling will be provided.
Running, jumping, playing, and climbing stairs are not allowed during the first few weeks. A follow-up appointment with x-rays will be scheduled immediately following this recuperative period.
A customized rehabilitation program, which includes two to three daily walks, will then begin. That program is specially developed for each dog with time, duration, and distance parameters established for each day.
Your dog is usually allowed to resume regular activity within thirty days after the follow-up radiographs. That is within about ten weeks post-surgery.
For more information on what you can expect following hip surgery for dogs, please click here.
Schedule an Appointment Today
Global Veterinary Specialists recognize that dogs and cats encounter orthopedic injuries, disabling difficulties, and diseases that can affect their lives.
Each GVS surgeon has more than twenty years’ experience handling the most complex problems that may arise in your pets.
We are teachers, mentors, inventors, clinical researchers, and surgeons driven to achieve excellence for every animal.
Please contact us today to learn how we can help restore your four-legged family member’s quality of life.
