Is Your Puppy a LARGE Breed?

1. Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS)

Large breed dogs have a predisposition to having Hip Dysplasia. Hip Dysplasia in easy terms is when the ball and joint socket of the hip aren't held together correctly. Essentially, it would look as if the ball of the hip joint is not sitting all the way inside the socket. In the past, the only option for fixing such a condition was a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) surgery or Total Hip Replacement. New technology and techniques have enabled doctors to find a fix that has a 90 to 95 percent success rate for correcting Hip Dysplasia. This surgery is called Juvenile Pubic Symphisiodesis (JPS). I will have more information with regards to exactly what is done for the JPS surgery with pictures coming soon. For now here are some of the comparisons:

Keep in mind most dogs will have to have both hips done.

The obvious benefit with JPS is your pet can be back to being a puppy in two weeks, the same recovery time as a spay, with no other restrictions on activity, and you are fixing the problem before arthritis begins. With TPO or Hip Replacement, your pet is on strict confinement for a very long period of time. That means only outside to use the bathroom and back inside to lay down.

Time is of the essence with this procedure. It must be done around 12- weeks-old or the procedure is not as effective. Speak to your veterinarian about it at your eight week appointment to determine if your puppy is at risk and a candidate for the surgery. Then at your 12 week appointment, you can do the needed x-rays and schedule the surgery. Many veterinarians may not perform JPS. You may need to go to a surgical specialist. If you are in the San Diego area, the hospital I work at performs the procedure. The owner of the hospital is a surgical specialist. Her name is Dr. Nancy Hampel. Check out Animal Medical Center at animalmedicalcenter.info or call 619-444-4246.

Roxanne Bergan sent us these pictures of her chocolate Lab Harley. The first one is of her at four months after hip dysplasia surgery. The second one is of her a year and a half after surgery. Roxanne tells Petopia.tv, “The first five weeks I wondered if I did the right think, but she is almost three now and doing GREAT! I just wanted your viewers to know they have come a long way in treating this condition, and you don't need to put your baby to sleep with this diagnosis.”

2. Tibial Tuberosity Advancement (TTA)

A TTA is a surgery done when the cranial cruciate ligament is either torn or ruptured. The symptoms of a dog with a damaged cruciate include limping during or after activity, favoring or even not using the effected leg. Typically you see cruciate damage on pets that are overweight. Larger breed dogs like Labradors, Retrievers, or other large breeds can be more susceptible

The following is an illustration of the anatomy of the knee. The Cranial Crucite Ligament is the effected ligament. It is comparable to the anterior cruciate ligament in humans. The following picture was taken from the web site ttasurgery.com.

The TTA is the newest most effective fix for a damaged cruciate. The basic idea is that the geometry of the knee is changed, so the knee can function without the ligament at all. Here is some information I received on how the surgery works from Animal Medical Center of East County when my dog Moose was diagnosed with the tear in his cruciate. Also, read my blog series on Moose’s surgery and road to recovery.

1. Normal Joint The normal joint, viewed from the side, shows the upper bone, the femur and the lower bone, the tibia. The Tibial Plateau is the actual point of contact between the femur and the tibia. In this diagram the Patellar Tendon is clearly visible. It is this structure that must offset the abnormal forces that are created with a rupture of the cranial cruciate ligament.

2. Typical Joint Angle In the typical joint, the angle formed between the Tibial Plateau and the Patellar Tendon is about 115 degrees when the leg is in a normal standing position.

3. Corrected Angle The abnormal motion that occurs in a knee with a torn cruciate ligament is called Tibial Thrust. After the TTA Surgery, the corrected angle is now 90 degrees, which will offset the forces in the knee that tend to make it unstable.

4. Surgical Appearance This diagram shows the knee once it has been stabilized with the appropriate Titanium implants. These implants are very lightweight and are designed to stay in permanently.

For more information on the TTA surgery, please e-mail me: dbozlinski@petopia.tv, or if you think your pet may have an injured cruciate, contact Animal Medical Center in the San Diego area at 619-444-4246. Dr. Nancy Hampel is the board certified surgeon who performs this procedure and is the owner of Animal Medical Center with her husband Dr. Richard Johnson.