How Much Does Dog Hip Dysplasia Surgery Cost?

Dog hip dysplasia is a condition which causes misalignment of the hips, due to a poor fit of the bones. This condition is most common in dogs of larger breeds, and actually begins in a puppy's growing phase. Over time, the poor fit of the hip bones causes slipping, which may lead to arthritis as the dog ages.

Cost of Hip Dysplasia Surgery

Choices for dog hip dysplasia surgery vary, depending upon severity of the condition, the dog's age and outlook for recovery. There are several different types of surgery available, and costs generally range between $2,000 and $4,000, not including follow-up care and long-term medications. It's important to understand the benefits of each type of surgery, before selecting the best option for your dog.

Triple Pelvic Osteotomy

Triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) is a type of surgery recommended for puppies that currently have dog hip dysplasia. Young dogs between 8 and 18 months old will not likely have symptoms of degenerative arthritis that is often present in older dogs with dysplasia. Because of the absence of arthritic conditions, the hips can often be successfully repositioned. Repositioning of one hip often leads to natural correction of the other, therefore, surgery may only be necessary for one side of the body. This surgery may be quite expensive, due to the need for a board certified surgeon.

Femoral Head/Neck Osteotomy

FHO is best recommended for dog hip dysplasia present in very active dogs or those that weigh 50 pounds or less. During surgery, the femoral head will be cut off, allowing the joint to heal as a 'false joint.' Dogs that are lighter in weight and those that are very active will experience much quicker healing times. This is one of the least expensive options for dog hip dysplasia surgery, as it tends to be fairly quick and a specialist is not usually required.

Total Hip Replacement

Total hip replacement, or THR, is only recommended for dogs with hip changes that are already established. Since dog hip dysplasia affects the most integral part of the hip, the entirety of it is replaced with a prosthetic. This surgery has been performed for years with a high success rate. However, complications have about a 10% instance and can be severe. This is a highly invasive surgery with necessary long-term care and precautions, but only one hip replacement may be required if the other responds favorably.

DARthroplasty

DARthroplasty (dorsal acetabular rim) is a fairly new and somewhat controversial surgery that uses bone grafts to rebuild affected portions of the dog hip. This surgery is usually performed on dogs too old for TPO, that have just begun to develop arthritis. It is unclear how surgery affects the performance of the hip in the long term. A specialist is required for this surgery, as it is still fairly experimental.

Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis

Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis is a dog hip dysplasia preventative surgery performed on young puppies before the age of 5 months. During surgery, the pelvis is prematurely sealed to allow the hip sockets to rotate in alignment. It's difficult to evaluate the success rate of this type of surgery, due to the fact that it's performed on dogs that haven't yet developed dysplasia.

 

Comments