The hip is comprised of a ball and socket joint. The ball (attached to the femur) sits in the acetabulum (socket) connected with the pelvis. The ball is kept in position by a combination of features including:
Dislocation of the hip occurs due to disruption of the normal connection between the ball and socket, this can occur due to:
Hip dislocation is often suspected based on palpation of the normal bony structures of the hip joint and derangement of these structures. However the diagnosis is always confirmed on radiography (X-Rays).
The direction of the dislocation influences the choice of treatment and includes:
The goal of managing hip dislocation is to restore the normal arrangement of the ball and socket, reduce the risk of osteoarthritis development and reduce the risk of subsequent dislocation events.
Options for management include:
The success rates of open vs closed reduction vary depending on the direction of dislocation, how long it has been dislocated for, and severity of the trauma. We recommend attempting a closed reduction initially as it is minimally invasive and works in 50% of cases. Costs vary depending on size of dog but generally including initial diagnosis, radiographs, aesthetic and reduction it works out to $800- $1000.
With closed reduction, unfortunately some are unable to be reduced, and others are able to be reduced but the hip does not ‘stay in’ and thus is unsuccessful at remaining ‘in’ and thus not functional. If closed reduction is successful there is a high risk period of 10 days where needs to be kept very quiet in order to support it remaining reduced (or in).
If closed reduction is not successful we then proceed to a surgical option. This costs are in addition to your cost for the closed reduction attempt. When surgery is necessary there are 3 options to consider
When surgery is necessary, and hip conformation is unacceptable, then total hip replacement is recommended. We rarely advocate for FHO due to the unpredictability of this outcome and the potential for ongoing lameness.