Clicking Hips

Shady is my Rottie x GSD and she has terrible clicking hips that seem to have got more clicky this last week.
She is only just 16 months old so its not an old age thing. I havn't seen her limp at all and she runs round chasing her frisbee with no problems and does agility.
I am considering having her hips x-rayed to see if there is a problem but have heard somewhere that dogs went down with lameness problems after having thier hips pulled about to x ray them, so its worrying me a bit.
Anyone else have experience of dogs with clicky hips especially at a young age and if it caused them problems later, or if its a sign her hips are definatly bad.
I know its a risk with the breeds she is crossed with but don't want to be assuming its something its not.

Bev

have a chat with your vet about it ....he/she is best to advise you on this one x

I did, and they said the only way to tell if it was a problem with her hips was to x-ray, which as I said I didn't really want to do unless completely necessary after hearing of dogs that didn't have problems getting them after thier hips were pulled about for the x-rays.
Just wondered if anyone else had experience of clicky hips in thier dogs and what they done or found.

is she swinging her back end while walking at all or sitting with both legs to one side??

Not paticuarly, Sits straight and with legs to one side depends on her mood.

id take her down for an xray to be honest.
Its possible that she may have mild HD which is causing the clicking.
HD is usually apperent in the first 7 months of life but CAN show up later in life. So age really is not a huge factor.

I think you can request the scoring to be done on insurance but not always.

I personally believe its better safe than sorry especially as your girl is a mixture of 2 breeds that are prone to this problem and catching it early will benefit her alot.

You will know how much to exersise and what you can and cant do with her.

Rotties have average hip score of i believe 10 and GSD i think 13.

If you decide not to take her then may i suggest you keep a close eye on her. watch her gate for any swinging or bunnyhopping, Stiffness or soreness when she gets up from resting.

think this is very good advice and I agree, My dog has HD and since we found out about it and he has been on hydrotherapy treatment he is superfit and hasnt badly limped since before we had him xrayed.

The xray was done under sedation and was covered by our insurance - he was sore for a few days after it as they do have to manipulate the hips but if it means that you get a diagnosis and therefore a treatment plan the sooner the better then i think its worth it.

Hope you will keep us all updated and let us know if you find out whats causing the click!

Have a word with Annie and Mischief mum, they were hip scored without needing to be knocked out and as far as I know had no soreness at all afterward

No agility [ jumping ], for the time being I think, and much as she`ll be displeased, no frisbee either for now, as she does turn hard and fast for it. We can do some one to one sessions with poles on the ground between jump wings for her, and tunnels, to continue the smashing focus work she has been doing at agility, for which we can easily regulate her speed so that she does`nt overdo it, and you are more than welcome to use the enclosure for some obedience work and perhaps some sniffer type games til you know whats what with her hips :smt001

I'm going to ring the vets this morning when they open to find out the cost of having the x=rays done and if I can afford it before payday then I will get it done as soon as they can fit her in.
She is insured and as vet suggested having it done last visit they should cover it.
I've said she has clicky hips but I suppose the clicking could be from anywhere in the hind legs not necessarily the hips.
I just hear it as she walks around.
Thanks Patch will use the enclosure to give her some training, although god knows how I'm going to wear the hypo looney out without the frisbee or agility, she is bursting with energy and with her fear aggression can't just be taken for a calm walk out round here.

Bev