In the most basic terms, hip dysplasia means Otis has "loose hips". So, when he moves, his gluteal muscles (and others) have to work to keep his femoral head (the ball) in his hip joint (the socket). As it is, the ball doesn't really fit in the socket right. So Otis has been limping because his poor leg muscles have been working over time...especially after a trip to the dog park or a romp around the yard. Over time, the rubbing of ball-on-socket results in arthritis. And with a dog like Otis, it wouldn't be but a couple of years until he'd be completely crippled. That's not a life we want for our man-man. Some dogs who are dysplastic never need surgery. Unfortunately ours does.
The TPO surgery involves three "osteotomies" (bone cuts) around his pelvis and the insertion of a steel plate and screws to reshape the hip socket. Ideally, this preserves his natural hip socket and allows for the hip to move as it should. Voila--no more dysplasia. Our doctor says that the max rotation they can do with success is 40 degrees. Luckily for us, Otis only needs between 20-25 degrees rotation. This (plus his young age) makes him a good candidate for full recovery. Not to mention our surgeon is one of the most sought after in the nation. :-)
Anyhow, here are some links (not from our vet, but just some that I found online) that show x-rays, etc. I found them helpful as I was learning about the procedure. I'll be posting "Otis's last rambunctious weekend before surgery" in a few days.
X-rays after both hips have been done: http://www.lbah.com/images/canine/Hip_Dysplasia/TPO.jpg
As a researcher myself, I have a soft spot for research...so here's some research on the successfulness of the surgery:
That's great info cakes, thanks! Otis would be proud. We can call him the Bionic Dog!
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