My dog's hip dislocated. Is surgery needed if sling didn't work?

Its hard to know without seeing the X-rays... if the hip is fully dislocated, it would be unusual for him to be fully bearing weight and not showing a significant abnormality in his gait. If it is "sub-luxated," meaning the head of the femur--the "ball" part of the ball and socket joint--is not well seated into the acetabulum--the "socket" part of the ball and socket joint. When the acetabulum/"socket" is very shallow, the hip can be "sub-luxated," and these dogs can continue to seem to have a very normal gait/not show any limp or problem until arthritis becomes problematic with age. If it is fully dislocated (fully luxated), a surgery called an FHO (femoral head osteotomy) can be considered even weeks after the initial injury. In this surgery, the "ball" part of the ball and socket joint/the head of the femur, is removed surgically, removing the source of pain. The muscles in the area typically do a great job of compensating and allowing these guys to get around quite well. However, a true REPAIR of a dislocated hip would not be possible if its been weeks or months since the injury. (A true repair of hip dislocation is generally done through a surgery called a toggle pin. ) If a hip dislocation is diagnosed right away, sometimes (about 50% of the time), they can be successfully reduced (put back in place) and we can get them to stay without surgery. Here is some information out may find helpful. https://www.acvs.org/small-animal/hip-luxation Thanks for asking PetCoach!

If the hip is out of place it will not heal unless it goes back in place and often times that can’t happen because the soft tissue structures are damaged and unable to hold it in place. He will lose muscle mass from not using that leg and pain can affect their appetite. There is a procedure called an FHO that removes the pain and a piece of bone to give them range of motion back in their leg and lets them walk on it again

This type of sling is used to support a hip that has been dislocated and then put back in place. It is worn for 1-2 weeks while the swelling reduces in hopes that the hip will not dislocate again. This is not a treatment method for hip dysplasia.

Hello, sorry to hear about Shiro. He does indeed have hip dysplasia as is evident in his x-rays. This diseases does indeed require surgical correction, but only if Shiro seems to be in discomfort. Hip Dysplasia results in secondary osteoarthritis which in the long term can impact your pets ability to walk and overall comfort. There are two different procedures with regards to surgery, an FHNO were we remove the femoral head and neck or a total hip replacement were we replace the ball and joint with metal implants as they do in humans. Ultimately, the best contributor to decreasing osteoarthritis in dogs is by maintaining an overall low weight and lean body condition score. Obese pets with hip dysplasia tend to do worse. Now, with regards to surgery, it does not need to occur now, typically with either surgery, we want pets to be fully developed so that their bones are fully grown and they have developed all of the musculature. I would recommend asking your veterinarian to refer you to an orthopedic surgeon who may be able to better assist you with Shiro's hips dysplasia. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It depends on what area you live in and what type of surgery you're talking about (there are a few different procedures that can be done for a dislocated hip), but in my area, normal cost for that type of surgery would be in the range of $1000 - 1500. I would recommend calling a few clinics in your area - most won't give exact numbers because there are a lot of variables involved, but they should be able to give you a general range.

No, this cannot be fixed at home, this requires a veterinarian immediately. Only a veterinary professional can fix this, and if you attempted to treat it yourself, you could do great harm and pain to Murfy. I would see if you can borrow money from family and friends to afford the vet, and I can give you some resources that may help. You can see if your vet accepts payment plans, if there is a low cost clinic in your area, or you can apply for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ http://www.dogheirs.com/resources-affordable-veterinary-care/ I hope one of these resources can help you afford a vet, please take her into one now immediately.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Hip dysplasia is an orthopedic condition that sometimes require surgery though some cases can be managed with medical therapy and physical therapy. In most cases though, surgery is needed at some point. With the knee issue, you may be referring to patellar luxation which also most of the time requires surgery when it is severe enough though comfort can be improved with pain control and anti-inflammatory medications. I recommend that you have Coco evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!