Hip Dysplasia
9-month-old 4th generation Bernedoodle diagnosed with possible severe bilateral hip dysplasia — vets suggesting euthanasia, breeder disagrees
Hi everyone,
I’m hoping to hear from people who have experienced something similar, because we’re honestly very confused and devastated by the situation.
Our 9-month-old, 4th generation Bernedoodle recently started having pain and lameness in his left hind leg. We took him to the vet and had X-rays taken. The vets believe he may have severe bilateral hip dysplasia with subluxation of both hip joints. The left hip is currently causing him pain.
What makes this particularly surprising is that his parents, grandparents, and previous generations in his pedigree have all been graded HD A. As far as we know, there is no history of hip dysplasia in his lineage.
The situation has become even more difficult because two different vets have suggested euthanasia based on the X-rays and their assessment of his hips.
However, we contacted the breeder, who is a well-known and experienced Bernedoodle breeder in Sweden. She strongly disagrees with the vets’ assessment and believes this could be growing pains related to his rapid development, rather than something that means he has no quality of life or future. She has advised us to reduce his food intake so he doesn’t grow too quickly, give him glucosamine, keep him comfortable, and allow him to fully mature before making any drastic decisions.
There are currently no Bernedoodle breeders in Norway, and our vets have told us that this is the first time they have treated a Bernedoodle. Because of that, we’re wondering if there could be breed-specific factors or simply a lack of experience with Bernedoodles involved in how this is being interpreted.
We obviously don’t want to put our dog through unnecessary suffering, but at the same time, we don’t want to euthanize a 9-month-old dog if there are treatment options or if his condition could improve/manage better as he matures.
Any experiences, advice, or things you wish you had known would mean a lot to us. ❤️