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Dr David Lindsay, Animal Chiropractor/Veterinarian

Just as humans do, pets get sore backs too.

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Hip dysplasia causes lameness in dogs because instead of having a nice rounded ball and socket joint like a caravan towbar the ball becomes knobbly and the socket becomes shallow. Bone is not like steel it is living tissue and remodels when abnormal forces apply to it.

I believe that in some dogs a muscle inside the thigh called the Pectineus does not develop to the normal length resulting in an abnormal force which pushes the ball into the socket too tightly causing it and the socket to remodel with subsequent severe arthritis. A dog cannot be said to be free of the condition until a clear X-ray is taken when it is older than 18 months.

The condition has complex genetic and environmental factors making it difficult o breed out and a dog with completely normal parents can unexpectedly be affected.

The photo is of Ella a 4 year old German Shepherd who was presented to me in August 2019. She came with great X-rays from a colleague and the severe HD was obvious with associated arthritis in the stifles (knees) especially in the left side. Her owner reported that she could no longer jump onto the sofa, could chase a ball still but not leap to catch it and appeared "as if she can not bend her spine". That also correlated to the x-rays which also showed a condition which chiropractors call facet disease. I also noted that she was "cow-hocked", her ankles were very close together.

I recommended removal of the pectineal muscles because in my experience this surgery gives relief. The surgery was performed on August 19 2019.

Ella came back on February 3 2020 for a 6 month check up.

Her owner reported that she "has her puppy back and that Ella can jump onto the bed. Then added that Ella's appetite has returned and she has put on weight." That suggested her chronic pain had been reduced as she was no longer on any medication.

I have asked that Ella be X-rayed again in August 2020 to see if the hips are indeed remodelling and the arthritic changes reduced.

Compared to the new current surgical techniques recommended for this condition Pectineal Myectomy is relatively simple and the cost is about a third.

In my experience Ella's response is not unusual in fact I would claim it is common, I acknowledge many vets are skeptical but here are 3 more examples:

Ruby a 6 year old American Staffie long standing lameness on anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery July 19 2019. Phone report Feb 2020 is running freely.

Molly 12 month Cocker spaniel (unusual to make a diagnosis of HD in a cocker but the x-rays were higghly indicative) Phone report Feb 2020, has gone to a new home but believed to be running on the beach daily.

Maggie 18 month old Rottweiler. Owner in tears because had been advised to put her down as alternative to surgical expenses. Surgery July 3 2019. phone report February 2020. "You have saved my dog's life!"

4 out of 4 happy owners in wide variety of breeds suggests that there is a benefit to be

Why does this surgery work for some vets and not for others?

I wonder if it depends on how much of the muscle is removed and suggest that the more of the pectineus muscle removed the less is the chance that it will heal and rejoin.

I remove as much of the muscle as I can but a warning to colleagues watch out for the femoral vein. If you cut it do not panic, tie it off and allow collateral veins to carry the load...it happened to me once a long time ago, but just as President Nixon survived having his femoral vein ligated so did my patient.

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