femoral head osteotomy (FHO)

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Diana-GA - 28 May 2004 03:41 GMT

i have a 3.1 pound yorkie that is almost 8 months old. we did not see
his limp until after his hair was shaved (bkz of beach burrs) and then
it was obvious. we took him in to vet immediately and requested x rays
be done without sedation. it turns out he has an old injury of maybe a
month or so. his hip is fractured. at what age is best for surgery
-now or after he finishes growing? and what kind of results can we
expect or problems to anticipate? i am concerned that he is yet tiny.
is this safe? will it even 100% correct hip distortion and get his foot
usable again? i plan to take him to an orthopedic surgeon at UGA Vet
School for a second opinion but hoped that someone in this group has
had personal experience. thanks for any input. diana n/ga

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johns_newluv - 28 May 2004 10:35 GMT

Dear Diana,
An 8 mo. old toy breed puppy with a fractured femoral head of unknown
origin most likely has Legg-Perthes Disease, or asceptic necrosis of the
femoral head leading to a pathologic fracture. Your puppy should do well
after a femoral head ostectomy, which is the most common treatment for this
condition. This surgery is also performed to alleviate the pain involved
with hip dysplasia in larger dogs. The toy breeds usually have a very
speedy recovery with few long-term complications.

Ladyvet

> i have a 3.1 pound yorkie that is almost 8 months old. we did not see
> his limp until after his hair was shaved (bkz of beach burrs) and then
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> School for a second opinion but hoped that someone in this group has
> had personal experience. thanks for any input. diana n/ga

Reply to this Message

Andrija - 28 May 2004 20:28 GMT

> i have a 3.1 pound yorkie that is almost 8 months old. we did not see
> his limp until after his hair was shaved (bkz of beach burrs) and then
> it was obvious. we took him in to vet immediately and requested x rays
> be done without sedation. it turns out he has an old injury of maybe a
> month or so. his hip is fractured. at what age is best for surgery
> -now or after he finishes growing?

Young animals are operated as well.There are few things to watch for, but
it's very similar to adult animal surgery.

> and what kind of results can we
> expect or problems to anticipate? i am concerned that he is yet tiny.

I can't say anything without definitive diagnosis or picture, but if he will
require FHO, keep in mind that small animals react very well to that kind of
operation.
Size shouldn't be a problem.

> is this safe? will it even 100% correct hip distortion and get his foot
> usable again?

If you're asking is FHO is safe, than the answer is yes-it's safe. By
removing the source of pain, and with some physical therapy your should use
his leg again.

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Diana-GA - 28 May 2004 23:20 GMT

thank you for your response and i will go with the surgery. i have a
second question but think i will address it with a separate heading. i
am feeling calmer now about the situation of my pup's fractured hip.
with appreciation, diana

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Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / May 2004

femoral head osteotomy (FHO)