Buddy is a big and sweet 8-month old Golden Retriever. A few weeks ago, Buddy presented to Miami Veterinary Specialists for a surgical consultation with one of our Specialists due to right hind limb lameness.
He was seen by Dr. Laura D’Amico, one of our board-certified surgeons. During the consultation, she noticed that while walking, Buddy had an external rotation of the paw and a swaying gait in the hind limbs. Based on her observations, she suspected that Buddy suffered from hip dysplasia. Hip dysplasia is a common condition in dogs that begins as they grow and results in the instability or loose fit of the hip joint. She then performed an Ortolani test (a physical examination for developmental hip dysplasia) to confirm the extent of Buddy’s hip dysplasia.
Surgical and non-surgical options were discussed between Dr. D’Amico and his owners. They agreed that surgery was the best option for Buddy. She performed a successful TPO (triple pelvic osteotomy) surgery. During this surgery, the pelvic bone is cut in three places and a TPO plate is placed. This will help Buddy create a better angle to stabilize and hold the femoral head in place.
Just one day after surgery, he is looking great and will probably be ready to go back home tomorrow. Does Buddy resemble a familiar dog? We think he looks very similar to the star of the famous Disney movie series “Airbud”, who coincidentally (or not!) is also named Buddy! He is looking forward to a quick recovery and will soon be back to having dog adventures just like Buddy from Airbud!