Femoral Head Ostectomy and Hip Dysplasia in Sentry

[PaintPonyLvr]

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!!

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.

 

[Margali]

Hope healing goes well for Sentry!

 

[Coolbreeze89]

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!

 

[Baymule]

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.

 

[Baymule]

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.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

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

 

[Mini Horses]

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!

 

[Ridgetop]

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.

 

[Bruce]

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.

 

[Mini Horses]

Being inside is ---

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