I work in animal rescue so my vet called me this weekend when they were asked to euthanize a 10 month old GSP mix with severe separation anxiety. According to the vet the owner had adopted him from the Humane Society 3 months ago. They had tried giving him xanax a few times before leaving him alone and took him to obedience class, but he had not improved and destroyed a lot of stuff so, they were no longer willing to with him.

I picked him up on Sunday and he is an absolute sweetheart with LOTS of energy. He does have some fractured teeth that I believe are from trying to get out of a crate. I am assuming that some of his separation anxiety/destruction is pent up energy. I started him on a physical and mental exercise program and he is doing well. However, we have not left him alone yet.  He will not go within 10 ft of a crate without showing signs of stress, so we are slowly reintroducing it to him.

I noticed on Monday that he was limping a little, but he had slipped on our snowy deck stairs on Sunday night, so I just kept an eye on it. With the increased exercise the limp got worse. We went to the vet yesterday and found out he has Hip Dysplasia and will need surgery.

They gave us two options TPO surgery ($2000) or FHO surgery ($200). I am doing research, but I want to make sure we make the best decision for him. Due to his separation anxiety and high energy level he is going to need a home where he will have TONS of exercise. I want to make sure that whatever surgery we choose will allow him to maintain very high level of activity and not cause a problem for the family that adopts him.

My biggest concern is the recovery and his mental health. The TPO surgery will require very strict rest with lots of crating for 8 weeks and then slowy returning to normal. The FHO surgery requires 2 weeks of rest with short walks and then they encourage activity.

I still have lots of reading to do, but I am completely overwhelmed with making this decision. I am terrified that we will do the $2000 surgery (TPO) and we will not be able to keep him calm enough and it will not be successful or he will literally lose his mind. Or we will do the $200 surgery (FHO) and he will not be able to tolerate the extremely active lifestyle that he will require to remain sane.

I would love advice from people who understand the needs of this highly active breed. Has anyone gone through the TPO or FHO surgery with a GSP?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

Thanks for the replies. I joined the Ortho Dog yahoo group and I am just waiting on confirmation. Thank you for that information. I can use all the resources and advice that I can get. I have read a couple articles about the importance of quality xrays and I will have to get a copy of Abe's. I really trust my vet and no matter what surgery we choose, they will give us a discount, but I will definitely look into a second opinion.

Kpwlee ~ I know it may be different for TPO vs TPLO, but how soon after the TPLO surgery were you able to start Hydrotherapy with your dog?

Here are a couple pictures of my foster puppy, Abe.

Abe with my dog Jackie and my sister's cat Thomas

Thanks everyone! I knew we were taking on a huge challenge with the separation anxitey, but I couldn't let a 10 month old puppy be euthanized. I had no idea he needed surgery, but that comes with rescue, and once I have committed to an animal, I will do whatever is neccessary to give them the best possible life. I learn something new with every animal we take in, but I am going to learn a lot from Abe. It is a good thing he is SO cute.

 I appreciate any support, advice, and information. I have been reading as many posts, blogs, articles, etc, that I can find. I have made a list of questions for my vet and I am currently waiting for her to call me back. Once my questions are answered we will still need to meet with the orthopedic surgeon for his evaluation, but I am hoping we can get him into surgery as soon as possible. Despite pain medication, Abe is hurting, and I feel so bad for him.

I like the blow-up collars too--they seem less frightening because they don't clunk into walls and tables.

Abe is a beautiful boy and I wish you both the best! 

We had a Lab that had a total hip replacement at 2 years old.  This was back when the surgery was still experimental and much cheaper than it is now.  The available options at that time were total hip or FHO.  Not sure how much it has changed but if I remember right, the odds for a good recovery for larger, active dogs with the FHO were not all that great.  The vets we talked to did not recommend it for younger, active dogs and said that once it was done if it didn't work there were no other options.

Sorry, don't have any info on the TPO, it was not an option back then.

Thanks everyone for the kind words, support, and suggestions. Sorry for my delayed response. My computer crashed and I have been without one for the last few days.

After tons of research and reviewing my questions with the vet, we have decided that Abe will have the TPO surgery on Wednesday. Stlbirddogs ~ I had found the same information as you mentioned. The FHO surgery does not have a good success rate for large breed active dogs and once you remove the head of the Femor, there is no going back.

We do have both an Xpen and a Superyard that we will use to keep him limited to certain areas of the house and we will need to have someone with him at all times.  I really hope we can find someone to "babysit" him once in awhile or I might go a little stir crazy.  

We have started him on Prozac and I am hoping this will help keep him a little calmer while he is recovering. (Although it will take awhile to kick in)

I will definitely get a blow up and/or clear cone that he can wear when needed.

I will keep you posted on Abe's progress, in case anyone is interested.