# Femoral Head Ostectomy and Hip Dysplasia in Sentry



## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

Hip Dysplasia. Words and diagnosis that strike fear and grief in any dog owner. That's the words we got February 12, 2020. Our vet said he has never seen hips so bad in a dog so young and called him a train wreck. 

We sure started out in a different place when we got Sentry. So full of happiness and hopes for the future.





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						Sentry, Baymule’s Livestock Guard Dog
					

We have two Great Pyrenees, Paris and Trip. Paris is 10 and Trip will be 5 in November. Now is a good time to introduce and train a new puppy. I have been wanting an Anatolian. I was on a Facebook Sheep and goat group when I saw a post for a very Anatolian looking puppy. I kept going back to...



					www.backyardherds.com
				




Sentry started limping a couple of weeks ago and his hind leg was swollen. I figured that the other dogs and he had been playing too rough and penned him up to prevent him from re-injuring his leg. After all, scarcely a couple of weeks earlier, 200+ pounds of playing dogs slammed into the back of my knee and I went down screaming in pain. I am still slightly limping from that. The swelling went down, but we had another problem, it looked like Sentry's hip was out of joint. So we made an appointment and took him to the vet. 

X-ray and a diagnosis hit us like a ton of bricks. I've had dogs all my life and have never had anything even remotely like this happen. The ball and socket joints had no socket. They were flat and already starting arthritis.  The vet said there is a surgical procedure called Femoral Head Ostectomy, or FHO. He explained that there is a 97% success rate and that his own Golden Retriever had had the same surgery and was now 14 years old and has had a good life. The surgery involves cutting off the ball joint, over time, as it heals, scar tissue forms and acts as a cushion between the bones. The ligaments, muscles and sinews hold the leg in place. With Sentry's young age, 9 months, he stood a greater chance of a full recovery. We have taken a lot higher risks for a lot stupider reasons, so we scheduled surgery for the next day.

We got home and discussed euthanasia, that made us cry, we had to give him a chance. If he recovers like the vet thinks he will, we will have to do the other hip. If he makes it through all that and turns out to be a yard ornament, that is fine with us. 

Some of you may think we are total idiots. Maybe we are. I'm pretty sure we are. Oh well. He has a chance at a pain free life. If he can't be a guardian, so be it, he can be a pet. Feel free to voice your opinion, whether you agree or not. This forum is for open discussion, we all learn from it, both the good and the bad. We learn from success and abject failures. I am posting this so that everyone might benefit from my success or failure. If you think I am stupid, go for it.

We picked him up Thursday. They brought him to us with a sling around his middle, to help him walk and take the pressure off his hip. When we got home, I cut a shopping bag down the sides and I used that for a sling. We put him in a large dog crate in the living room, he must stay confined for quite awhile. I take him out on a leash for potty breaks and I can increase his walks a little at a time. I have a 2 page post op instructions, with 4 phases, up through and beyond 60 days after surgery. He is on pain meds and antibiotics. 

This is going to be a very intensive recovery, much the same as BJ's knee replacement surgery. Only this is a dog, a dog that doesn't understand that he should not have ever been born. He doesn't understand why he is and was in pain. He doesn't understand that he was doomed from birth and he doesn't understand that he has to suffer some more pain and misery in order to have a chance at a better life. He just looks at me with adoring eyes. 

I will try to find a link for FHO post op instructions, if I can't , I will type in the whole thing. I want this, however it turns out, to be a learning experience for not just me, but for my many friends here and for people who might be faced with the same thing. 

And THIS is why smarter people than myself caution to ALWAYS buy a puppy from an OFA certified breeder. OFA is Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. 

By the time we go through all this surgery, rehab, pain and misery with Sentry, we will able to have purchased the finest, registered, puppy from OFA certified parents, in the whole damned country. We might end  up with a pet. We may end up with a failure and an euthanized puppy. But that is a risk we are willing to take.

I have pictures on my phone and will have to switch to it. Sentry needs to take a walk, I'll be back.


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## Hens and Roos (Feb 16, 2020)

sorry to hear that he is having major problems, fingers crossed that this surgery helps him have a chance at being pain free.


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## promiseacres (Feb 16, 2020)

Ahh prayers he recovers well. I am sure he is getting the best care.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

This is his after surgery X-ray. Note the absence of a socket. It is flat, there is nothing to hold the femur ball in place. On the other side, the ball is now gone and you can see the staples from his surgery. 






First things first. When we got him home, he had to greet his friends. There was a whole lot of tail wagging going on. 





This is the sling I use to help him take the pressure off his hip. He is now walking fairly well without it but I still use it to go up and down the steps. 





His incision.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 16, 2020)

How could we criticize you for a decision that is only yours and BJ's to make?  Whichever way you decided only you know what you all are willing to go through for an animal you have a bond with. I would support your decision no matter which direction you took, because I know that you have the smarts and tenacity to do what you know needs to be done and you are a compassionate, capable and knowledgeable farmer.

Now Sentry has no clue why he hurts, but I don't think dogs lay awake at night pondering the trajectory of their lives.
 Fortunately for him, he was blessed to fall into the hands of a family that can make decisions based on his potential well being. All he knows is that he is happy being with you and your family and he is appreciated back. 
God has created life with such an amazing capacity to heal. And your vet sounds skilled and knowledgeable in this area, so it's not something experimental.
I appreciate you sharing Sentry's story, I know this chapter is a stressful one.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

I found the instructions! It is from a different vet's office, but it's the same instructions. I tried to copy and paste, but it didn't work. 



			http://www.wilsonvethospital.com/images/documents/orthopedic/post-op-fho.pdf
		


I also found this diagram to help with the mental picture of the procedure.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

Thanks for the kind words and encouragement. I said from the very start that Sentry was meant to be our dog. Indeed, we both feel that even more strongly now. What would happen to him had he fallen into the hands of someone who could not or would not give him a chance?


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 16, 2020)

Good luck.
He is lucky to have you.


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## rachels.haven (Feb 16, 2020)

Oh, I'm so sorry. My heart goes out to you, your family, and your hurting loyal companion.


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## thistlebloom (Feb 16, 2020)

I said from the very start that Sentry was meant to be our dog. Indeed, we both feel that even more strongly now. What would happen to him had he fallen into the hands of someone who could not or would not give him a chance?
[/QUOTE]

Not to derail, but I know where you're coming from. I feel the same way about my Syringa.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

rachels.haven said:


> Oh, I'm so sorry. My heart goes out to you, your family, and your hurting loyal companion.



I thought about you. We get some effed up dogs don’t we? Maybe I’ll have a better outcome, wish Sentry luck. It sure won’t be from lack of trying.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

thistlebloom said:


> I said from the very start that Sentry was meant to be our dog. Indeed, we both feel that even more strongly now. What would happen to him had he fallen into the hands of someone who could not or would not give him a chance?



Not to derail, but I know where you're coming from. I feel the same way about my Syringa.
[/QUOTE]

Syringa was on her last chance, there you were and she chose you. She could see your heart even if you didn’t realize it at the time. She knew.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 16, 2020)

Like was said, whatever choice is yours but I wouldn't have thought negative of you if you had chose to put him down. That being said, as well as I know you two, I would have been completely surprised if you had chosen different than what you did.


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## rachels.haven (Feb 16, 2020)

Good luck, Sentry! Heal those hips. Hoping for a pain free future.🤞


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## Mini Horses (Feb 16, 2020)

10X what Mike said  !!  

I am sorry for what Sentry is having to experience but, young & growing, he should be "a best candidate"  for a successful outcome.   Shame it has to be done again.

It is good that you were his chosen because some just could not handle the expense of this.  Their option would have had to be the alternative.   

I send hugs to humans and Sentry!


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## LMK17 (Feb 16, 2020)

So sorry to hear about Sentry! My heart hurts for you- and for your pocket book! 😳 We went through essentially the same thing with our Sam. Not congenital hip dysplasia, but rather a hip that kept dislocating following the initial injury. We tried several times to go the more conservative route, and it quickly became apparent that we needed the FHO in order to give her a shot at a good quality of life. For what it's worth, Sam made a full and complete recovery, and she wasn't a spring chicken at the time, either. She was, IIRC, about 8. She's 12 now, and just as sprightly and bratty as always (I've posted/complained about her here before.) As you mentioned, the recovery was rough- and I'm sure it'll be all the worse with a puppy!- but now that she's over that hump, no one would ever guess she has no hip joint. You may well find that Sentry exceeds your expectations and goes on to become a fantastic LGD, so try to keep an open mind. I hope and pray for that outcome for you.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 16, 2020)

Baymule said:


> I found the instructions! It is from a different vet's office, but it's the same instructions. I tried to copy and paste, but it didn't work.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I used to watch Vet ?Ranch on YouTube all the time when I was...’disabled’. They had these exact cases a ton.  They showed the dogs from start to finish.  The ben of this surgery is that it takes away the pain...there is no rubbing immeadiately, and recovery is much shorter.  I’m glad you made this choice.  As you said, he is young and health!  He’ll do great, plus he has all of your support!


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

Wow, we are blown away by the support here. @Mike CHS BJ asked me to read your post again. He smiled. It meant a lot to him, and me too!

@Mini Horses Thank you for the optimism. You have been there for me when I was falling apart over Joe and gave me great encouragement. You are my rock! For the rest of you, Joe is my blue eyed purest white Quarter Horse, my heart horse, the love of my life, he will be 31 in March and he has cushings disease. I was devastated and reached out to Mini Horses and she really helped me deal with it. At that time, he was paddling on all 4 feet, because of the pain. No foot, no horse. It was deadly serious. He did get better, his eyes are bright, his ears perk up and he is still interested in life. We take it day by day. 

@LMK17 Thank you for posting this!! I read all the comments to BJ and we both got excited that your dog is doing so well. WHOOP!!! You have affirmed that we are doing the right thing. 

@Duckfarmerpa1 thank you, I am learning that this is done fairly regularly. We had never heard of it and struggled with our decision. 

Some of you have referenced the cost. Well, I have to tell y'all……I read up on this procedure on the internet, cost from $2,000 to $5000. We are in a small town, small town vet, people here are not wealthy. We were expecting a bill for $1,000. We were quoted $800, but when the dust settled, the bill totaled $596.14 BJ had asked him to go easy on us if he could and he did. We have been going to him since he bought the practice and the old vet retired. He has treated our dogs, horses, he was the one who diagnosed my ewe with ruptured pre pubic tendon and put her down while I bawled my broken heart out.  We love this guy and are so glad to have him as our animal caretaker. He has always treated our animals with love and respect and treated us like family.

BYH rocks! I love y'all!!


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## rachels.haven (Feb 16, 2020)

What a wonderful vet. He really is being kind to you. We paid more than that just to put our dog down. It sounds like he'll probably be honest and do his best too.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 16, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Wow, we are blown away by the support here. @Mike CHS BJ asked me to read your post again. He smiled. It meant a lot to him, and me too!



I love you Lady but felt enough of a connection to BJ to feel the brother.


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

Mike CHS said:


> I love you Lady but felt enough of a connection to BJ to feel the brother.


You and Teresa are the best. Love y'all so much!


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## Baymule (Feb 16, 2020)

@Ridgetop has been a great help to me. She and her husband have been on a cruise. She had mentioned that Anatolians are sensitive to anesthesia. I was in all out panic and needed to know more details so I sent her a text. She got my text and called me from Mexico! She has propped me up and walked me through this. She sent me X-rays from Bubba, he passed his OFA tests with flying colors, for comparison. We have texted and called back and forth with each other. 

@Ridgetop will you please post the X-ray pictures of Bubba here? Or, with your permission, I'll post them from my computer.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 17, 2020)

This forum really is like a big family!


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## Baymule (Feb 17, 2020)

Duckfarmerpa1 said:


> This forum really is like a big family!


 
Yes it is. Most of us have NO ONE in our family or circle of friends who understands our obsession with our animals and gardens. This forum is full of people who share a common thread of total insanity. LOL LOL What is really great is when we actually get to meet one another face to face.


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## Bruce (Feb 17, 2020)

First:  
Second: I agree with all of the above 




Baymule said:


> I am learning that this is done fairly regularly.


How exactly does the femur stay in place with no connection to the pelvis? 



Baymule said:


> but when the dust settled, the bill totaled $596.14


Wow! That's close to nothing!! I was going to guess a $1,500 a leg minimum!
We paid $2K a year ago for Rascal's radioactive iodine treatment for her thyroid tumor. And of course that was AFTER all the money for testing and diagnosis. Figured we could either pay for expensive medicine every month or hope she lives the 2 years to the breakeven point with that and the iodine. Her thyroid test is normal now but she ended up with high blood pressure so she has liquid medicine for that every morning on her food. IIRC she is 13 now.



rachels.haven said:


> We paid more than that just to put our dog down.


No lie, it was almost that much to treat for 2 days then euthanize and cremate our old cat 1.5 years ago. Doesn't even touch the costs of diagnosing and treating her diabetes for 3 years before her kidneys started failing. She was 16.


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## Baymule (Feb 17, 2020)

Normally surgeries run close to a thousand dollars. When Parker was covered inside with cancer, the bill was $800 and we got him back in a bag. We took a lot of financial hits last year, BJ asked the vet to go easy on us if he could, and he did. But even at a thousand bucks, that would have been a very good price. 

The femur is held in place by the ligaments, muscles and sinews. At least, that is how I understand it.


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## WyoLiving (Feb 17, 2020)

2 years ago our German Shepherd lost his sight - his body rejected his retinas for some reason.  By the time we caught that he was having vision problems, there was not much if any vision left.  The vet tech swears that he was totally blind when we took him in.  They put him on high steroids and another medicine and within 4 months he had vision back.  6 months of slowly reducing the steroid prescription to him off the steroids and now he is back to normal.  I don't know if he lost any of his vision, but he has plenty to jump up and catch the ball in the air.  Now you can't tell he ever had a problem.  The vet is amazed at how well he has recovered.
That ordeal cost us over $3,000.  But it was worth every penny.

Good luck to Sentry for a wonderful recovery and great life.  You guys are awesome for giving him this chance.


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## Simpleterrier (Feb 17, 2020)

Interesting I don't know what I woulda done. Vets here are way more. 600 a hip I might have but a 1000 probably not. The reality is u have to draw the line somewhere but where. It depends on the people and the situation. I had a great Dane put down 3 yrs ago. Had something twisted in her intestines. Vet said 3000. I had to say no. She wasn't a year old. Sad hard to do but a fact u have to face. 

Hope sentry does well and heals good


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## Ridgetop (Feb 17, 2020)

Can't say it enough - Sentry is  sooo lucky to have you and BJ!  Your vet is terrific to keep the cost so low for you too.  Just to stitch the 6" tear on Angel before we left cost us $1600.00!  

I really appreciate Bay doing this posting and telling the story of Sentry's diagnosis, surgery and recovery. Hip dysplasia is hereditary.  With such a severe problem, it is probable that one or both parents are carriers.  Watching Sentry's progress will be very instructive for all of us.  Anatolians have a high pain tolerance so hopefully, Sentry will recover pain free.  Just removing the arthritic ball joint that was grinding on the deformed socket will reduce most of the pain.  Even if his rear is slightly unsteady, the lack of pain will encourage him to move around which will strengthen the ligaments and muscles.   

I had a similar surgery done to the base of my right thumb where arthritis was so painful I could not move my thumb to hold the keys to the car!  Unfortunately I don't build up any scar tissue so the cushiony base to cover the end of the thumb bone never developed as the surgeon assured me it would.  On the other hand, I don't have pain and have the use of my thumb and hand so bruising at the end of the bone where it protrudes is a minimal problem!  

I am attaching Bubba's x-ray  which was taken when he was 3 years old.   OFA will only certify hips and elbows from x-rays taken after a dog is 24 months old or older.  There is too much change between puppyhood and maturity for a permanent classification before 2 years of age. Hips may look good as pups but show problems at maturity.  This is why this problem did not show up until Sentry reached a certain size and weight at which point his deformed  hip joints could no longer support him.


         Bubba received a "Very Good" classification from OFA.  You can see how the ball fits snugly into the socket.  We also did Bubba's elbows at the same time, and I am attaching that x-ray as well in case anyone has had a problem with a dog with elbow problems.   My sister in law had a beloved Rottweiler Lab mix that they adopted from the pound and had to do surgery on his hips and elbows both.   Elbow deformities are more rare, but are beginning to show up particularly in larger breeds.  

We have OFA x-rayed many dogs back when we were showing, whether we decided to breed or not.  We did these since we have to have Bubba collected for Erick Conard, his breeder, as part of our purchase agreement.  Both his parents, all his grandparents, and any dogs Erick or most reputable breeders use in their breeding programs have all had OFA classifications done and passed with either very good to excellent classifications.  Especially in large breed dogs, hip dysplasia can range from causing arthritis in very old dogs to Sentry's mind numbing diagnosis in puppyhood.  I am not as good and kind as Bay and BJ.  I hope no one hates me for admitting that I would have euthanized Sentry on seeing the x-rays and hearing the diagnosis.  On the other hand,  I don't think he would have been able to negotiate our steep terrain after the surgeries either.   Depending on the breed there are a lot of genetic problems for which to test before breeding.  I will not buy a dog without an OFA verification on both parents in order to avoid this heartbreak.  Dogs get too many other unavoidable health problems to break our hearts.  Remember when a lot of us recommend asking for these blood tests, x-rays, and records when buying breeding stock or working dogs, these are the problems we are trying to help everyone avoid.
I am anxious to see how Sentry comes along with this surgery and recovery through watching his progress through Bay's postings.  I am rooting for him and them in this journey.  According to Bay Sentry still will have to have another surgery on the other hip once he recovers on this one.  

I am excited to see how he continues to develop.  With the assistance of Paris and Trip, there is no reason Sentry cannot perform well as an LGD.  He has the instincts and Bay's training to be a good one.  At 9 months old his early LGD experience will keep him on track to continue being a good flock guardian.  Even if he decides he wants to visit inside more often than he used to, having our LDGs inside for a couple hours at a time means good family time.  

Hugs to Bay, BJ, and Sentry, and much thanks to Bay for posting this thread.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 17, 2020)

When my son Ben was 9, we had a little Maltese.  He got an abcessed tooth that grew through his jaw.  We had surgery.  They quoted me $500 before.  After it was $980....  They had to take out bone and build a new jaw and wires, etc.  BUT, they didn’t get the infection out!  Within a month Buddy’s jaw was open again.  This time the vet said the inf3ction had spread to his heart.  He passed away two weeks later.  All that suffering we put that tiny dog through and he died anyways.  That vet will never see my animals again!


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## Ridgetop (Feb 17, 2020)

When our last Pyr had cancer, she was 10, and had a massive mammary tumor.  Our then vet wanted to do chemo and radiation after surgery.  He said she might already have it throughout her body, and the bill would have been into the $10,000 range.  When we refused and asked for euthanasia, he tried to make us feel like we were bad pet owners, and refused to put her down.  The second vet said he would not put down the dog until "all other options" were exhausted.  Finally the third vet agreed to euthanize Poppy and release her from her pain.  Sweet Poppy did not deserve to suffer.  I also changed vets.

My sister's dog was 11 and had bone cancer in the leg.  She borrowed the $5000.00 for the treatment from my mother, had the leg amputated and put the dog on chemo.  The dog died 2 months later.  

I had cancer, surgery, chemo and radiation.  I was able to agree to it, understood what was happening, and suffered through it.   

I think some vets want to practice new treatments on the dogs and cats using their owners' $$ for the experiments. Other times I think they just want the money for this stuff, knowing there is no hope.

At least Bay's and BJ's vet was reasonable and their Sentry is young.  There is hope for him.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 17, 2020)

Ridgetop said:


> When our last Pyr had cancer, she was 10, and had a massive mammary tumor.  Our then vet wanted to do chemo and radiation after surgery.  He said she might already have it throughout her body, and the bill would have been into the $10,000 range.  When we refused and asked for euthanasia, he tried to make us feel like we were bad pet owners, and refused to put her down.  The second vet said he would not put down the dog until "all other options" were exhausted.  Finally the third vet agreed to euthanize Poppy and release her from her pain.  Sweet Poppy did not deserve to suffer.  I also changed vets.
> 
> My sister's dog was 11 and had bone cancer in the leg.  She borrowed the $5000.00 for the treatment from my mother, had the leg amputated and put the dog on chemo.  The dog died 2 months later.
> 
> ...


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## thistlebloom (Feb 17, 2020)

We have friends who have an aged dog with cancer. The wife, in very poor health herself insisted that the dog be treated.
They are elderly and definitely not wealthy. So far it has cost them $6000 and they have put it on a credit card. 
I wonder what sort of advice they got from the vet.
I agree with what Ridgetop said, that it is probably more about the $$$ and the research than compassion for the animal and it's owners.
ETA- talking about cancer treatment for pets.


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2020)

With us, we figured the cost would be a thousand, $800 sounded better, $600 even better than that. What we weighed up was the cost to Sentry. Even with surgery, being a big dog, will he be ok? How much of a normal life will he have? How susceptible to injury will he be? Are we putting him through this pain and misery for nothing? We don’t know. He has a chance for a better life, we will see where it goes from here. 

Sentry is so smart, we haven’t used the cone to keep him from licking and chewing his incision. He started to lick, in a normal voice I said aaahhhntt and he stopped. Later he started to lick again and I said no. After that, he turned his head and merely looked at it. What dog does that?


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## thistlebloom (Feb 18, 2020)

He's young, he's smart, he has great herd protection instincts, and this surgery has been around for a long time with good success. I think you did the right thing, and in your shoes I would have made the same decision given the financial side of it was not out of reach.
I am really amazed at the price your vet gave you, I would have guessed this sort of thing would have been many times that.
That's a wonderful vet to have, who is obviously not about the dollar profit.


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## LMK17 (Feb 18, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Wow, we are blown away by the support here.
> 
> @LMK17 Thank you for posting this!! I read all the comments to BJ and we both got excited that your dog is doing so well. WHOOP!!! You have affirmed that we are doing the right thing.



You’ve offered me advice SO many times in the past.  I’m very happy to be able to return the favor in some small way.  🥰 

Like you, I honestly had no idea how common the FHO procedure is!  When the vet first started talking about it, I definitely had to pick my jaw up off the floor— “You want to do WHAT??  But how does that work?!”  I mean, it sounds super radical, right?  In humans, we rebuild that joint out of machine parts when something goes really badly; I couldn’t get my brain around the idea that we could just eliminate the bony joint all together in a dog and have it all work out.  But like I said, Sam‘s hip is doing great.  She jumps gates that are well over her head height and runs around like mad when the mood strikes her.  Frankly, she’s a big PITB, and I wouldn’t mind one bit if she started slowing down...  🙄😆 

And the price your vet gave you is fantastic!  What a blessing!  Sam got hurt when we lived smack dab in the middle of San Antonio.  It took me several tries in that area to even find a vet willing to give shots without a full exam and the accompanying $300 bill.  Anyway, our normal vet wouldn’t do the procedure and instead referred us to the “veterinary specialty“ hospital across town.  The surgery alone was $3000, and that didn’t include any of the follow up nor the conservative treatments we tried before finally consenting to the surgery.  Financially, it was a really difficult call.  Fortunately, we were able to make it work, but the decision certainly wasn’t without a lot of handwringing.  Where we are now, we see a wonderful “country vet.”  I can only imagine the surgery would be far less expensive here, but big vet bills are hard pills to swallow no matter where you are!


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2020)

If the surgery had been $3000 per hip, we could not have justified it. For $6000 I could go buy quite a few of the best registered puppies out of tested certified parents that money can buy. 

I sit here with a throbbing painful knee that I am waiting for Medicare so I can get replacement surgery. Spending $6000 or more on a dog would be a real dumb thing for me to do. For the money we spent, we were willing to take the chance. We still have to get his other hip done and I hope this hip will take the weight while the other one heals. We just have to see how this all plays out. 

I appreciate the discussion and input on this. I want this to be a learning experience for everyone. If nothing else, a cautionary tale that may prevent others from going down this road.


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## LMK17 (Feb 18, 2020)

Yeah, we wouldn't/couldn't have done the surgery x2, either. As it was, my husband and I couldn't see eye to eye on it-- and BTW I don't blame him one bit. We ended up paying part of her surgery out of household funds, and I covered the rest on an installment plan using the "fun money" that my husband and I pay ourselves each month...  FWIW, I think euthanasia would also have been a perfectly acceptable option, and I still wonder whether we should've gone that route... But she's my dog, and despite her other bad traits, she's excellent with the kids, and they love her. Plus, I was feeling guilty about her injury. It was partly my fault. I was trying to give her a nail trim, which she hates. I was squatting down behind her trying to trim a front paw, and she darted between my legs. She knocked me off balance, and I landed squarely on her back right above her hips. She pancaked on the floor, and one leg splayed out, causing the hip to dislocate. It was a stupid accident with an unfortunate outcome. It all worked out, but I wouldn't automatically make the same decision now if it were to happen again. 🤷


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## farmerjan (Feb 18, 2020)

@Baymule ,  I have to apologize for not reading this and seeing what you were going through with Sentry.  I have only read some of the posts since I went in for the surgery.  All the sitting has been getting to me, and I haven't had the patience to do alot of computer work with the constant being in the achey state.  I am fortunate that it hasn't been the kind of pain that I was really anticipating or expecting.  But I had no ability for concentration for more than a few minutes at a time.  
I admire the decision you made for Sentry.  I don't know what I would have done, but suspect that I probably would have gone the way you did.  I know when my 12 yr old German Shepard  was diagnosed with leukemia, I opted for some pills, and treatment although it was still somewhat expensive.  But she also went downhill fast and quit eating and was in some pain.  At that point I made the choice to put her down, but she passed on the evening the vet was going to meet me and put her down.  She loved to ride in the truck, and I told her we were going to go for a ride, and helped her up into the back of the truck then the vet called and said he had an emergency and he would call me on his way home.  When he called about 2 hours later, I went out to the truck and looked in the back and Emmy was laying there and I realized she was gone.  I cried and called the vet back and told him that I wouldn't have to meet him because she was gone.  
I can only feel glad that she passed knowing that she was going to go for a ride that she loved to do......And we had had a wonderful 8 years and she was no longer in pain or suffering.
Since there are others with more knowledge and experience with this that believe that Sentry will do good, I hope that things do go well for him.  And as soon as the Medicare kicks in, your knee will be priority.  But I do believe that you  and your DH are the very best place and person for him.  Best of luck to all of you.


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2020)

Awww @farmerjan , it is so hard to lose our old friends. Your girl was in her happy place, you couldn't ask for better than that. 

No need to apologize, I know where you are and what you are dealing with. I am just glad that you had the surgery, are mending and will be able to go home soon.


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## PaintPonyLvr (Feb 23, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Wow, we are blown away by the support here. @Mike CHS BJ asked me to read your post again. He smiled. It meant a lot to him, and me too!
> 
> @Mini Horses Thank you for the optimism. You have been there for me when I was falling apart over Joe and gave me great encouragement. You are my rock! For the rest of you, Joe is my blue eyed purest white Quarter Horse, my heart horse, the love of my life, he will be 31 in March and he has cushings disease. I was devastated and reached out to Mini Horses and she really helped me deal with it. At that time, he was paddling on all 4 feet, because of the pain. No foot, no horse. It was deadly serious. He did get better, his eyes are bright, his ears perk up and he is still interested in life. We take it day by day.
> 
> ...


I am on page 2 of 4, so sure I will read more, but I couldn't wait to respond.

Wow, my heart goes out to you.  I haven't had this particular issue with a dog, nor the surgical costs.  

BUT I have with a line of Shetland ponies that we ultimately chose to end after researching, treatments & some surgery... The cost, here in NC, with a series of vets turned out to be ...  not quite astronomical but not really doable for beginning families either.

It sounds like you have a vet to die for so for sure do not let him go!  I work for a vet that I wish still made farm calls (Spay Neuter Vet Clinic that does 32 - 70 surgeries/day - 4 days/week).  Laws have changed and even vets I have called on for years have legal issues and things here that they no longer seem to allow a knowledgeable owner to do at home.  It's made some things interesting and different, sometimes difficult.  I am actually currently looking for a vet that I can work with that will come to our farm for our remaining 10 Shetland ponies, dogs, cats, chickens & ducks.  Eventually, we also plan on having other livestock - pigs & goats or sheep (want to milk & have meat - haven't decided for sure on species/breed).

I will keep Sentry in my heart for you!  Cyber prayers and thoughts FOR you & BJ as well, as the support system needs to be supported, too.  🙏


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## Margali (Feb 23, 2020)

Hope healing goes well for Sentry!


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## Coolbreeze89 (Feb 23, 2020)

My thoughts are with all of you! I’ve come to greatly respect your ability to balance your love of animals with the realities of life. This thread is going to help so many people.  I gave my own pups a little extra lovin’ this evening, in honor of Sentry!


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## Baymule (Feb 23, 2020)

That's what we do. We share the bad with the good. When things go all wrong, we take pictures, we provide details, we ask for help, we laugh together and we cry together. We are BYH. We are family.


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## Baymule (Feb 24, 2020)

Sentry got his staples out today! The vet was very happy with his progress and said Sentry was doing great, better than he expected. 

Sentry was cleared to go back outside, so he is in the barn in a 6’x6’pen. He can be next to the Sheep and be close to Trip and Paris. I will still go walk him  a half dozen times a day for his exercise. I’ll take him around with me on a leash whenever I can.


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## B&B Happy goats (Feb 24, 2020)

That's great that he is doing so well   ...good job Sentry , .....great job mom and dad


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## Mini Horses (Feb 24, 2020)

This is so very good to hear of Sentry doing so well.   It is not a surprise to me -- given the care he gets and the love between you and him.     He wants to do well.

Hug Joe for me!


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## Ridgetop (Feb 24, 2020)

Good news about his wonderful progress.  I showed the x-ray to my vets today and they said you were lucky that the vet was able to do the surgery.  Dr. Wanner had a client that had gotten a puppy from a puppy mill.  It did not have _any_ hip sockets. The client took the dog to an orthopedic vet who installed a new socket and hip bone!!! Both sides!!! I did not ask how much that cost. 

I bet Sentry is happy to be back outside with his sheep.  Those LGDs are so lovable but they really prefer to be outside with their charges most of the time.  Some years ago another acquaintance that raises dairy goats in Washington state had several Anatolians.  She liked them so much she decided to get one to train as a house dog.  She even tried to train it to sleep on her bed (luckily she and her husband had a king size bed!)  That Anatolian refused to stay in the house and made it known that he preferred to be out with the goats.  She was brokenhearted about what she called his rejection of her!  LOL  They all like to come in and spend some quality time with the family, but then they all insist on going out to patrol.


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## Bruce (Feb 24, 2020)

I can't imagine an Anatolian on the bed! We have a California King and it is enough when one of the cats decides to sleep with us.


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## Mini Horses (Feb 24, 2020)

Being inside is ---

Like going to a movie -- fun for a while, then ya want to leave.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 24, 2020)

I’m really glad to hear about his wonderful progress!!  Obviously you have a great vet, and your TLC are making all the difference!  I’m sure the other two missed him while he was doing his ‘rehab’ inside!


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## Baymule (Feb 24, 2020)

Sentry took being in the house quite well. If I ask him, he will. Even going back into the crate that he didn't like, but he did it because I asked him. When we came back in after a walk, he went all over the house sniffing everything, like a police dog checking for burglars.    Every time I went outside and did not take him, BJ said he cried for me and watched until I came back.

He is back in his element now. I took his food out this evening, then realized that Ringo needed water, so I went for a bucket of fresh cold water. Sentry let out some frustrated barks. I looked and Joy Chicken was eating his food and he did NOT like it! I clipped the leash on him and he moved Joy Chicken on out. He gobbled down his food, then guarded the empty bowl from her.

@Ridgetop I don't know that this will be the cure all for Sentry's hip dysplasia, but it's worth a shot. If it works, great. If it doesn't , then at least we tried. We give it our best, don't we? 

@Duckfarmerpa1 We have 2 Great Pyrenees, Trip and Paris. Then we have Carson, a big black Great Dane/Labrador cross that is filled with the exuberance of life. Carson doesn't know why his friend won't run and play with him.


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## Ridgetop (Feb 24, 2020)

Absolutely worth the chance.  He is a good dog and if he makes it, which it looks like he is doing, he will be a good LGD backup to the other dogs.  It is always worth a shot.

I don't know what the vet bill will be for today with 2 vets trying to save our ewe that we finally put down with 2 dead lambs in her.  I probably should have shot her myself and opened her up to try to save any lambs, but instead had the vet out to try to save her with or without the lambs.  In the end 2 unborn dead lambs and we euthanized the ewe. Same thing with the prolapsing ewe - I know I should have just put her down when it got bad and the heck with the lambs, but it was worth a try to save her long enough to produce.  In that case, killing her would have killed 2 living lambs.  So one survived at least.   I try to be hard, but can't always hold out.  Sometimes the $$$$ cost is less than the heart cost.


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## Baymule (Feb 24, 2020)

We have to try, don't we?


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## rachels.haven (Feb 25, 2020)

It's one of the things that make us human.


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## Baymule (Feb 26, 2020)

We went to see The Call of The Wild. The dog, Buck, was animated. The animators gave Buck all kinds of humanized expressions. Both BJ and I were thinking of Sentry and his funny expressions. Uncanny.

 So this evening I took him with me to feed, he ate his supper, we took a couple of walks and I brought him to the house for awhile. Carson came in too. Both dogs sprawled out in the floor and conked out. It started to get dark, so I put on my coat, to take him back to the barn. He watched me closely. I called him, I got an eye roll but no other movement. I asked him to go outside. He raised his head, walled his eyes at me and put his head back down. BJ was laughing. I asked Carson to go outside and he jumped up and went out the door. Not Sentry. Nope. Uh-uh. Not going. Sentry’s face told the story. By this time, BJ was laughing so hard, he was in tears. I was laughing too at his refusal to leave his comfortable floor. Barn? Hay? Sheep? Not happening!! I called Carson back in and both dogs are fast asleep. Score: Sentry 1 Me 0.​


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## Mini Horses (Feb 26, 2020)

He's in rehab -- recuperating!      Remember???


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## Baymule (Feb 26, 2020)

After 3 hours of sleeping, they both got up and wanted outside. I put my coat on and walked Sentry so he could potty. Then he went to his pen and was ok with it. Carson is on yard patrol.


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## Ridgetop (Feb 27, 2020)

Bubba is often less interested in resuming outside duties than the girls.  In addition, if the door is left open unattended he will quietly mosey in and lay down in what he assumes is an unobtrusive manner.  170 lbs. has a hard time not being observed.  Also, he thinks if he looks away from us and HE can't see us, then WE can't see him either.  LOL  Silly dogs!


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 27, 2020)

I’m really glad to hear Sentry is doing soooo well!!  He’s a cutie!!


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## Baymule (Feb 27, 2020)

I try to include him in what I am doing, but there are limits. I can't turn him loose, to keep him from running, so I keep him on a leash. I can hook it over a T-post if I need to, but for the most part he is right next to me. It's been 2 weeks, I think  I'll move the gate out on his 6x6 pen to give him more room. Not far enough to run, but a little more room.


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## Duckfarmerpa1 (Feb 28, 2020)

That two weeks went fast!  At least on here!


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## YourRabbitGirl (Mar 3, 2020)

Baymule said:


> Hip Dysplasia. Words and diagnosis that strike fear and grief in any dog owner. That's the words we got February 12, 2020. Our vet said he has never seen hips so bad in a dog so young and called him a train wreck.
> 
> We sure started out in a different place when we got Sentry. So full of happiness and hopes for the future.
> 
> ...


The topic I don't wanna talk about. Hip dysplasia is an irregular type of a hip socket that can ultimately cause debilitating lameness and painful joint arthritis in its more serious form. My dog is suffering too.


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## Baymule (Mar 9, 2020)

Wednesday will be 4 weeks post surgery. Sentry continues to get better and better. Might seem like a small thing, but now, not every time, but I have seen him stand on his surgery leg and hike his other leg to pee. That is HUGE. He wants to run and play so bad, I don’t dare let him go! I snapped this picture yesterday of him and Carson playing, on what I allow to be on Sentry’s terms. 






That is true friendship. Carson geared it down to what Sentry can do. 

I didn’t move the gate out on Sentry’s pen. Thinking about this week. Maybe. Just worried about him running up and down and hurting himself. We’ll see. Right now he is a dog rug in the living room floor. LOL


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## Baymule (Mar 9, 2020)

It’s a drizzly day. I had 2 rows ready in the garden for planting English peas. I left BJ, Sentry and Carson in the house, ran out and got my English peas planted. These dogs have it rough. 

Carson always sleeps in the weirdest positions. 





Sentry clearly thinks the lights are too bright. Turn off the lamp!


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## Mini Horses (Apr 19, 2020)

How's Sentry doing?


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## Baymule (Apr 19, 2020)

Mini Horses said:


> How's Sentry doing?


He healed up and is able to go hang out with the other dogs and guard sheep. He runs, plays, but is definitely crippled. He rests the leg when standing and it just sorta dangles. His other hip joint is bad too, but I'm thinking that if we have it operated on, he won't have a good leg to stand on. We didn't have his shoulders x-rayed, but I think they are also compromised. Just watching his gait, the way he stands and the way he struggles to stand from laying down, this poor dog truly is a train wreck. 

In the meantime, he loves me with all his heart and then some. He follows me, keeps me in his line of sight and lays at my feet at night in the living room. He watches the sheep, he runs the front fence with the other dogs, chasing off garbage trucks, kids on bikes, truck and trailers, motorcycles and other monsters that threaten the Dog Kingdom. He is a happy dog.

I have been observing him closely. In my opinion, his skeletal structure is so bad, that no amount of "fixing it" will ever make him right. The operation he had bought him some time. Literally it bought time for him and for us to love him. I would do the same thing in a heartbeat. I will not put him through another surgery.

He spends the night on a dog bed on the screened in porch, it is where he chooses to be. He and Carson eat in the kitchen, BJ feeds the dogs. By evening, he is exhausted. Living life at full speed takes a lot out of a compromised dog, but I won't take that away from him. He is sleeping on the porch now, waiting on me to go outside and do chores. I don't allow the dogs in with the horses, mainly because Prince likes to play and would probably hurt them. Prince is such a butt...… If he were to kick Sentry, it would more than likely be life ending. Sentry, true to his name, waits patiently at the gate until I come back out. I've been letting Joe and Pearl graze the yard and Sentry follows them, guarding them, especially Joe. 

I passionately love this dog and it is slowly tearing me apart to have to come to the decision to not "save" him, but quietly and lovingly let him go when the time comes. I will not prolong his agony. I watch him go about his daily life, being a dog and living his life to the fullest. I do not regret the first surgery, but there will not be another one.


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 19, 2020)

Sure hope Sentry lives the best life possible  for a very long time, no doubt he will continue to to do his best under your love and care


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## rachels.haven (Apr 19, 2020)

I'm sorry to hear that. I was hoping for the best for him and you. I'm glad he has a good heart at least. Thank you for taking good care of him.


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## Mini Horses (Apr 19, 2020)

It is hard to watch.  You are doing what you need to keep him comfortable  & happy.  In time the healing may be sufficient to help offset the other side stress.  But, I agree with you on more operations  We know their time with us is limited and never know how limited.  

The important thing is the love you can both share.   It's a good thing to have a "porch guard"!!   Plus a willing walk-along for chores.  He will adjust to the problems.  Some herbal pain/joint relief may help in the future.


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## thistlebloom (Apr 19, 2020)

I have also been wondering how he's doing. I'm sorry to hear that he is still hurting. I'm glad he has such a happy heart and has people who love him and buddies to run with.


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## Baymule (Apr 25, 2020)

Ok, here goes. We had quite a scare this week. On Monday evening, Sentry clearly didn't feel good, he was limping on both back legs and there was a big hard knot pushed out past the base of his tail. When I touched it, he licked my hand, telling me it hurt. From the looks of it, it looked like the other hip blew out. We had already discussed not having another surgery and putting him down. So we loved him, sniffled, and prepared ourselves for the worst. We took him to the vet Tuesday. What a Covid-19 experience that was!

 Curbside vet care. No one was allowed inside, the vet techs came out and took the pets inside. Care was performed, then the pet was brought back to the owner. Another lady brought the bill and took payment. Nuts. We expressed our concerns to the tech and she led Sentry away. The vet came out and said that his X-ray looked the same, it was not out of place. I asked about the bump on his hindquarter and the vet said he didn't know, but it wasn't bone. So we figured that maybe it was a muscular injury from him playing too hard with the other dogs. We heaved a sigh of relief that we didn't have to put him down. 

 That lump was sore and it hurt. I kept watching him, wondering what was wrong. Thursday morning I saw blood spots on the porch and his anus was bloody. Back to the vet we went. For the first time, I didn't have to lift him in the truck, he jumped in. He had an impacted anal gland and it had ruptured. We left him, they sedated him and cleaned him all up and soaked the area with antibiotic. We picked him up that afternoon. The vet said that normally, big dogs don't get an impacted anal gland, that is mostly a little dog problem. DH asked the vet why Sentry had an impacted anal gland, if it was a little dog problem. The vet shrugged and said, "You got a lemon?" We all laughed. Lemon he certainly is, a train wreck of a dog. The vet agreed with us that Sentry can't take another surgery, the operated leg dangles, the muscles have atrophied and he just doesn't have a good leg to stand on. Not if, but when, his other hip blows out or becomes too painful for him, we will say our tearful goodbyes and give him a peaceful escape. 

 So now he has a shaved butt, an obvious hole that is healing up, pain pills and antibiotics for a week. His fur is starting to look like a patchwork of shaved spots. He feels much better and is running and playing again. We let the sheep out in the yard and he laid in the soft clover under a pine tree, watching, on guard. His mind and heart is in it, his crippled leg, sore butt body slows him down, but it ain't stopping him.​


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## thistlebloom (Apr 25, 2020)

Poor boy. To have all that heart in such a ravaged body.


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## frustratedearthmother (Apr 25, 2020)

Ahhh, poor Sentry.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - he's lucky to have ya'll!


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## B&B Happy goats (Apr 25, 2020)

hang in there boy


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## Mike CHS (Apr 25, 2020)

You know that you have all of our thoughts and prayers.  You guys deserve a medal.


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2020)

I haven't posted here in awhile.  Sentry's leg healed up. He runs, plays, loves to work and be with the sheep. He is training Sheba, our now 9 month old Anatolian puppy. His recovery from the FHO surgery and then the ruptured anal gland has been phenomenal. He uses that leg and unless you really look hard, it's hard to notice his gait has something wonky about it. He has stayed small. His chest is deep and wide, his feet are big, but he has not grown into them. I take that as a good thing, his skeletal structure can't take heavy weight. He has turned out to be a darn good dog, a great guard for the sheep and he is my protector. 

After all the time I spent with him on his recovery, he got very attached to me. That dog loves me and enjoys me sitting on a milk crate and giving him hugs. It looks like Sentry just may have a very good, long life.


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## messybun (Nov 15, 2020)

I wonder if some swimming would help him out? He’d probably get an ear infection and go deaf poor boy, but I wonder if it would keep his muscles stronger?


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## Baymule (Nov 15, 2020)

messybun said:


> I wonder if some swimming would help him out? He’d probably get an ear infection and go deaf poor boy, but I wonder if it would keep his muscles stronger?


No pond here and my bath tub isn't big enough. LOL LOL


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## thistlebloom (Nov 16, 2020)

That is phenomenal! I'm so happy for Sentry and you that he has turned the corner and is pain free and sound. So great!


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