Taffy’s Double Surgery

Gorgeous young Taffy, a Border Collie, was just eight months old when it became clear that his hips were causing him real discomfort, so he was referred to us.

He was diagnosed with hip dysplasia which is a condition affecting the hip joints that leads to abnormal development of the joint and subsequent osteoarthritis.

James Grierson, our Head of Surgery said: “The best option for Taffy was a double hip replacement, which is not unheard of, but are not common in such a young dog. This decision was made due to his level of hip pain and poor mobility and the fact that he had failed to improve with initial management.”

This operation is a technical and complex procedure using very specific instruments and techniques. The surgeries were performed three months apart to help him get back to activity as soon as possible. They involved replacing the natural ‘ball and socket’ joint with a plastic lined metal cup in the socket and a metal stem in the leg with a ball on the top of it.

As well as calling on the skills of our surgeons, Taffy’s road to recovery also depended on our Specialist Anaesthetists, nursing team and physiotherapists who played a very important role in his recovery and management after surgery.

James finished by saying: “Since surgery Taffy has gone from strength to strength and is now enjoying life with pain free hips.”