Renee's post on stuff - reply GH

[Gina Heitz <brier@oregonsbest.com>]

Hi Everyone,

Renee,

Thank you so much for both of your most recent posts.  Your first post 
makes me blush, but was very well written and received here with a true 
BRAVO for you too!!!  On Torrey:  Yes everyone I have known about Torreys 
hips for a while, Renee and Leigh informed me, as you all know Judy and I 
rescued Torrey in November of 1999.  Torrey is from a back yard breeder in 
Portland and his parents were probably not cleared for HD we have no info 
on these dogs.  But as Renee points out and as I have over and over, HD is 
something that can happen to the best of a program.  Also this is a good 
example of we each make our own choices given each case on how to proceed 
with treatment.  I am sure that Leigh and Renee would do surgery for Torrey 
if their vet felt that medical management was not going to work and down 
the road they may be faced with needing to do more than management.  But at 
this time for Torrey management is working and does for a lot of 
dogs.  Torrey was already past the age that a TPO could have been done when 
his disease was diagnosed.  Torrey will be 3 in August, he and SeaJay are 
very close in age.

  I have to admit I do not know much about HD myself, I have had very 
limited exposure to it and can only go on what I have been told by others 
and in a nut shell that is this: Mild HD can go undetected for the life for 
the life of a dog, or at least until much later in life.  Dogs with 
borderline or mild diagnosis need to be kept lean and well 
exercised.  Keeping them lean and in tip top condition builds the mussels 
up and helps the dog compensate for the lack of working parts.  HD in mild 
form is very manageable and often surgery is not the definitive 
answer.  Again case by case, dog by dog, family by family.

In the past couple of months we have now seen both sides of the coin:  With 
Boomer Deb chose to do surgery, Though Boomer did not exhibit any signs 
that there was an issue.  Boomer is very young and has no arthritic 
changes, Deb and her vet have opted to do surgery to prevent an unknown, 
but the probable.  Dog's with HD can suffer at a later age from the 
arthritic changes.

Torrey was much older when he was diagnosed and arthritic changes have 
already begun to set in, but though medicine these changes can be minimized 
and compensated for.  Torrey is also a very sensitive dog and his pain 
tolerance may be on the low side, meaning mild pain for Torrey may be more 
bothersome, not more pain but simply he reacts more.

Each dog is diffrent in how they handle pain as are each of us.  I can 
personally tell you that I suffer daily with scar tissue from torn mussels 
and  arthritic changes in my spine both from injury and surgery, but I just 
move through it and go on.  At this point in time my condition is being 
medically managed as surgery did help but with spinal injuries there is 
little one can expect as far as total pain management via surgery.  I take 
some of the very same drugs that Torrey takes!

A third dog to note to you is my friend Diane Novotany's dog Pumpkin, 
Pumpkin will be 15 in October.  Pumpkin had received an OFA good rating on 
her hips at age 4.  But now at 14 she is suffering pain and 
lameness.  Current x-rays have shown arthritic changes in Pumpkins 
hips.  She was so lame that she could not get up on her own.  She went 
through a series of shots called Adiquan, <sp> which is a no steroid drug 
and equates to being similar to Glucosamine and Condrotin the drugs Torrey 
and I take. These products that I call drugs really are not drugs, they 
have no side affects and are actually supplements.  They aid the cartilage 
in recovery and actually can repair mild damage to this soft tissue.  After 
the series of shots and now daily use of Move Free product from Costco, 
which is  Glucosamine and Condrotin, Pumpkin is back up and running and 
appears to be pain free.  Go Pumpkin!

So what does all this mean?  Never say never, take each day as it comes, 
and look to what ever alternatives work, case by case.  But it also means 
this:

Information is very important, screening of dogs is very important and can 
help not only breeders but each dog.  Keeping your dog fit and being aware 
is also very important. Don't over feed, don't let them be couch 
potatoes!  I can tell you the Moon litter for the most part will demand to 
be exercised and will keep themselves more fit naturally.  On the other 
hand, Jester, Cayenne, Ruby Rose and the One litter are more laid back and 
may require more effort on your part to get them out and keeping them fit. 
This brings this to mind to:

As you all know I am urging everyone to look at not only hips but 
elbows.  But it's very important that when you do your dog be fit.  An 
obese dog should not be screened, as obesity can affect the outcome of the 
x-rays and mimic problems.   So if any of you are thinking your dog might 
have an extra roll please take measures to reduce food intake and up the 
exercise before even thinking about doing screening.  Screening out of 
shape dogs is not fair to the process of study...  I am sure from a 
scientific point Renee will agree here?  Meaning the samples that one put's 
into a study must be of the best quality to get the truest results.  If 
anyone is concerned about fitness please let me know, I am more than happy 
to give you my honest opinion, just bring on the dogs...  But know this, I 
will not tell you your dog is ok if he/she is not.  Put on your tough skin 
as grandma hold no bars on fat dogs and in no uncertain terms will I 
condone excuses...

As a breeder though who does see a lot of her dogs, I feel very fortunate 
to have such a great group, all of you who do for the most part to my 
knowledge keep your dog's in good condition.  I don't think there is anyone 
on this list that I have had to give my real fat dog lecture to.  Sure I 
have noted to a few here and there their dog has a bit of slop, but nothing 
that is out of control.  Often when talking with other breeders and seeing 
dogs coming in for grooming I see obese  unfit dogs and the problems that 
are ALWAYS associated with such which are many, skin problems, heart 
problems, orthopedic problems. You can not cause HD by over feeding and 
under exercising but you certainly can aid in the destruction of the body 
over all with it...

So with all of this said, nothing is absolute in life and while we all try 
to do our level best sometimes things are simply out of our 
control.  However keeping ourselves educated and being aware is a huge aid.

Bet to you all!

Gina