Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Is FHO a good idea?

Species: Dog
Breed: mix breed 35kg
Age: 8-11 years
my 11 year old 35kg male dog suffers from severe hip displasia & pain relief medication is no longer effective. it has been suggested by our vet that a femoral head ostectomy is the next stage. we are concerned that at his age the trauma of the procedure outweighs any benefit he would receive.(a hip replacement op has also been suggested but as pensioners the cost of this is outside of our finances)
your comments would be much appreciated


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

These are always very tough decisions!

I do find that most dogs recover extremely quickly from a femoral head ostectomy (FHO). When this surgery is done, the head of the femur is removed. This removes the part of the bone that is sitting in the hip joint. The result is that there is no bone rubbing on bone in the hip joint and pain is greatly reduced. You would think that dogs would have a hard time walking with no intact hip joint but they almost always do extremely well.

You may want to ask your vet to look into a new procedure called hip denervation. Our orthopedic surgeon has been doing this and it is a great surgery for older dogs with hip problems. What he does is he goes into the hip joint and scrapes off the nerve endings in the joint capsule. There are almost no side effects and the recovery time is fast. I have been recommending this for my older patients with hip dysplasia.

I hope everything goes ok!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Swollen eyelid. My dog had one lower eyelid swollen inside. I discover this after she had... (21168 views)

Vomiting every time she eats. My cat is throwing up every time she eats, what is the... (23187 views)

Cold paws and sore belly. My cat is in really bad shape, at first, she was really bloated and meowed in pain... (13257 views)

Paralyzed Rottweiler. 10 yr old rottie mix 100 lbs suddenly became unable to move or walk 5 days ago. He... (16352 views)

Rottweiler urinating frequently. my dog has getting let out all the time and and and recently she has been weeing... (10951 views)

Cat vomiting and not eating. Hi Dr. Marie...I wonder if you could help me figure out if my cat is really sick. ... (36446 views)

Dog only has one testicle. my dog has only one penis can it mate... (16606 views)

Blood blisters on a cat My cat has developed what appear to be blood blisters, one just below her nose and... (20346 views)

Constantly meowing for food. Two years ago, we adopted a stray cat that was living in the bushes outside our... (8138 views)

Puppy has soft stools. Background: Junior is a rescue. My first dog ever. I got him about 1 month ago,... (13945 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.