Willow's hips - another update (with pics!)

smallscreamy · #1 10-01-12, 08:22 PM

As most of you know, Willow has hip dysplasia and has been on restricted exercise for a while. In the last few days, we have started to increase her exercise again - we have been advised to try 5 minutes off lead exercise for a few days (as well as her lead walk) and gradually build it up from there. As I explained to my very nice (but a little naive) vet specialist, if I was to let Willow off the lead after months of short lead walks, I really believe she would be like Mel Gibson yelling Freedom in Braveheart as she took off into the sunset and I highly doubt me yelling like a banshee to her would ever convince her to come back!! That said, her recall on the long line has been quite good so far so I am hoping to totally let her off the lead soon.

So we have started off gently by allowing her her space but on the end of a long line and I just though you might want to see a couple of pics of what she thought of it! Please note, although you can see that she has a halti on in the pics, her long line is not attached to it as the last thing we would want is for her to break her neck.

One last thing - the vet specialist also thinks that Willow has gracilis contracture in her right hind leg. I have tried to find some information about this on the internet but it is a little confusing and articles don't seem to agree with eachother. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks

Broxi Bear · #2 10-01-12, 08:32 PM

Oh, she is gorgeous

lauraburns · #3 10-01-12, 08:42 PM

She certainly looks happy to have a bit of freedom!!

Hope the muscle problem doesn't affect her too much! Could that have been caused by the lack of exercise because of her hips?

LOVEGSD · #4 11-01-12, 11:24 AM

Aww she's a very pretty girl, glad to hear she is back out exercising and I wondered if the muscle problem was due to restricted exercise....x

smallscreamy · #5 11-01-12, 07:53 PM

I don't think that Willow's muscle problem is due to the restricted exercise. For as long as I can remember, she has always bunny hopped when running with her right back leg in front of her left back leg. It's odd to watch but she has always done it so I suspect that she has probably had both problems for a long time. It doesn't seem to slow her down when she takes off after something!! I did notice she had an odd way of running and walking which is why the vet first started to investigate her hips in the first place, but now I have more of an idea what I am looking at, I can see the effect it has on her right leg too. She has a very odd sort of gait and a bit of a sexy hip wiggle too!!

super D · #6 11-01-12, 08:08 PM

Aw how old is this little lady now xxx

hippychickuk · #7 12-01-12, 11:38 AM

shes loving the freedom!!!

ArchandEbs · #8 12-01-12, 09:22 PM

My Arch had that funny walk too. We never had the op done. He was a 34/36 and lived until he was nearly 12. He died from a tumour - not his HD and he was mobile to the end. I hope this helps you to know that a dog with HD can live a long life.