Everything You Need to Know About Total Hip Replacement For Your Big Dog

My Rottweiler/lab/mystery dog, Lucky, is a rescue and the love of my life. He has a goofy grin and a great personality - and unfortunately, he also has hip dysplasia.

Lucky was born with an unusually severe malformation of his back hip bones, which means the balls of his hips don't fit properly in the sockets. He first showed symptoms (limping, incomplete range of motion) when he was only four months old, but for the first few years of his life, it was controllable with medication, supplements, and anti-inflammatory injections.

That changed when Lucky was around 3.5 years old. His intermittent limp, usually triggered by high-impact activity, became a constant. X-rays showed that the bone in his right hip had worn down enough that it was now causing gait changes and pain. Our veterinarian referred us to an orthopedic specialist, who recommended a total hip replacement. In small dogs, there is a less invasive procedure that may help with dysplasia, but for large breeds, a total hip replacement is the only option when the hip has detoriated past the point of lifestyle changes and pain management. Because Lucky was still young and in great health other than his hips, he was an excellent candidate for surgery.

However, Lucky's prognosis was complicated by the fact that no one on the east coast of Canada, where we live, was able to perform this surgery. So I was faced with the difficult decision to take Lucky to Montreal - at substantial cost - for a hip replacement, or to stay home and continue to manage his condition as best as I could.

Several factors went into my decision:

1. Cost - Of course, we all want what's best for our beloved pets, but veterinary care isn't cheap. Lucky's hip replacement and follow-up care ended up costing close to $10,000 CAD. (Most of this was the cost of the hip implant that replaced his original ball-and-socket joint. Costs will vary depending on where you live).

Fortunately, pet insurance can help cover vet costs. It is important to consider pet insurance as soon as your pet joins your family, as insurance companies won't cover treatment for anything they consider to be pre-existing conditions. If you don't have insurance and can't pay out-of-pocket, you may be able to negotiate a down payment and payment plan with your vet's office. Other options are to reach out to animal-focused nonprofits in your area (like Elderdog in Canada) or to consider crowdfunding.

2. Likelihood of success - I read everything I could find about Lucky's odds for a full recovery and consulted with several veterinarians about what his life might look like with surgery and without it. Things to consider include the skill and experience of your surgeon, your dog's age and overall health, and your ability to keep up with the necessary post-op care and rehabilitation. Lucky had to stay at the vet hospital for three days after surgery, which meant I had to make plans to stay in Montreal for three days until he was released. Then I had to drive him back to our home province 12 hours away, and finally, make sure he remained on total bed rest for 8 weeks. I was very fortunate to have family members who were able to help me with transportation, dogsitting, and moral support while Lucky recovered.

You will also need to be prepared for the possibility that the surgery isn't successful and a second surgery is needed. Potential issues include implant rejection, the implant migrating out of place, or infection. The risks of these things happening after total hip replacement for large dogs is low, but not impossible. Although Lucky's surgery was a success, it was still hard to see him in pain while he was healing, especially when he felt better and didn't understand why he wasn't allowed to move around more.

3. A hip replacement is not a complete cure - Although Lucky's acute, constant pain was fixed by replacing his right hip, he still has arthritis in both hips. He will always need to take anti-inflammatories and painkillers for his arthritis. There is also a good chance that his left hip will deteroriate to the point of requiring replacement over the next 2-3 years. When that happens, the decision to get the hip replaced or not will be much more difficult. Lucky will be older, with a lower likelihood of healing easily. I will also need to weigh his quality of life without surgery against the risks of major surgery as he ages.

In the end, Lucky's recovery was long, stressful, and expensive, but worth it for us. Lucky is now 5.5 years old and his quality of life is better than ever as a result of his surgery. His life expectancy has also improved. However, every dog has unique challenges and circumstances, so a total hip replacement isn't the right decision for everyone. I hope this information helps you make an informed decision for your dog. Feel free to leave any questions for me and Lucky in the comments!