Canine Hip Dysplasia

    After bringing Pepper home, I discovered that her leg condition was more severe than what was evident in the video. Concerned for her well-being, I took her to visit a renowned pet doctor in Shenzhen. The responses I received mirrored those of the previous owner; most advised me to consider giving up on Pepper. Undeterred, I continued seeking medical opinions, and after about a month, a doctor finally provided a glimmer of hope. He mentioned knowing a specialist in Guangzhou who specifically treated such cases and was among the best in Asia. With renewed optimism, I decided to take Pepper to Guangzhou.

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Diagnosis by multiple doctors and online research, Pepper's leg has been identified as CHD.（Read here）
	Here is the X-ray of pepper's hip. The hip joint shows signs of partial dislocation, meaning the ball of the femur (thigh bone) is not completely surrounded by the hip socket.
A normal hip joint has a well-formed, smooth, and sufficiently deep socket that fully envelops the femoral head, ensuring the correct formation of the ball-and-socket joint. These two bones should seamlessly fuse together, supported by a robust ligament that directly anchors the femoral head to the hip socket. In healthy dogs, the surfaces of the two bones are smooth, containing cartilage and lubricants that allow smooth joint movement, reducing friction and preventing pain. See the diagram below for an X-ray of a properly developed dog's bones(Right side)
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a polygenic inherited disease, characterized by progressive and irreversible hip joint malformation. It is an incurable condition, but there are many surgical and non-surgical methods available to help alleviate pain in dogs and improve their quality of life.
Since Pepper was not yet three months old when the disease was detected, early intervention treatment can be pursued, specifically through Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS).(Read here)

     On the day of the JPS surgery and in the days following, we adhered to the doctor's instructions by restricting Pepper's movements. We avoided activities such as chasing, running, jumping, and rolling with other dogs, and installed soft cushions at home to prevent vigorous movements on hard surfaces, lying down, or navigating stairs.

    Less than two months later, despite our dedicated care, Pepper's right leg worsened. She began limping, refused to use her right leg, and exhibited noticeable pain when touched on the leg. We took her back to the hospital, where it was discovered that the joint in her right leg had dislocated, and the ligament connecting it had ruptured. The doctor informed us that without surgery (total hip replacement) (Read here), she would continue walking on her left leg, placing double the weight on the left joint, which could eventually lead to problems and possibly paralysis.

    Consequently, Pepper underwent surgery at the hospital and commenced a 10-day inpatient rehabilitation.

The picture below is a photo after the surgery

On the day of discharge happened to be New Year's Day,hope my little girl will get better soon!

    Two months later, Pepper had fully regained normal walking abilities and made new friends, including a dog awaiting adoption that had been abandoned.

    After six months of effort, Pepper can finally walk normally like other healthy dogs and live the happy, healthy life that belongs to it. I feel very relieved about this, as long as Pepper can grow up healthily, it is enough for me.