# To be there for her x-rays or not to be?



## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Should I stay with Zelda for her hip x-rays or not? I work there and they said i could stay while she falls asleep and when she wakes up, etc.

Positives:

She has me there for comfort.
I'm there with her, so i worry a bit less about her.
I get to know immediately after of the results.
Negatives:

She has fear aggression to strangers. When I am there, she tends to be more reactive is what i am told by the techs- such as deep growls and when i am not there she will be scared (release anal glands, etc.) but its not as reactive if at all.
If i am there, i will still be a worry-wort.
If i'm not there, she may be without me longer.
If i am there and they ask me to do things with her, not sure if she will loose some trust in me? (at least for a bit) She's like a cat, she will get over it eventually right? lol


*I was told by them that i do not need to do OFA, they said this is really for people who want to breed their dogs. However, i do want to do it. So i push to get OFA? (I am going to ask to do x-rays of hips and spine. To check for pano)

Thanks guys!


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

For me, it was better not to be there because Dex is very much a mommas boy and wont listen to anyone else when I'm around. He's also a big baby and wants to hide between my legs. If you want OFA then tell them that's what you want. I didnt because it was more expensive and I didnt need it. I was doing the X-rays just for my own peace of mind. I got the results right away even though Dex was still in the back room.
IMO do what your comfortable with, that way you have no regrets.  it's your dog so if you want OFA they will understand.


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## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Msmaria said:


> For me, *it was better not to be there *because Dex is very much a mommas boy and wont listen to anyone else when I'm around. He's also a big baby and wants to _hide between my legs_. If you want OFA then tell them that's what you want. I didnt because it was more expensive and I didnt need it. I was doing the X-rays just for my own peace of mind. I got the results right away even though Dex was still in the back room.
> IMO do what your comfortable with, that way you have no regrets.  it's your dog so if you want OFA they will understand.


I bet it will be better for me to not be there too.. its really hard leaving her there! GAH! But it feels like the right decision! Thanks! 

Maybe i will go with OFA than! I will just ask how much extra it will be.


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## Harbud (Aug 27, 2013)

VTGirlT said:


> *I was told by them that i do not need to do OFA, they said this is really for people who want to breed their dogs. However, i do want to do it. So i push to get OFA? (I am going to ask to do x-rays of hips and spine. To check for pano)
> 
> Thanks guys!


Hey your post caught my attention because I have recently thought my guy may be struggling with Pano and because I have been considering OFA as well, he is 20mths. It was my understanding that OFA certification is best done after 24 months and I noticed you girl is just shy of 1 year. I know that you can have an xray prior to 24months and the results are usually accurate but if you have to pay more would it make more sense to wait until 24months?
Sorry I thought I would just ask and maybe you can fill me in on any missing information I may not have.

As for your questions doing what makes you more comfortable is the best answer. If the techs are concerned that she may be aggressive maybe muzzling her while they sedate her could be an option to put them at ease. And Im sure Zelda wont hold anything against you permanently although a new toy after may help smooth things over.


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

Harbud said:


> Hey your post caught my attention because I have recently thought my guy may be struggling with Pano and because I have been considering OFA as well, he is 20mths. It was my understanding that OFA certification is best done after 24 months and I noticed you girl is just shy of 1 year. I know that you can have an xray prior to 24months and the results are usually accurate but if you have to pay more would it make more sense to wait until 24months?
> Sorry I thought I would just ask and maybe you can fill me in on any missing information I may not have.
> 
> As for your questions doing what makes you more comfortable is the best answer. If the techs are concerned that she may be aggressive maybe muzzling her while they sedate her could be an option to put them at ease. And Im sure Zelda wont hold anything against you permanently although a new toy after may help smooth things over.


yes you are right . for younger dog it is either a pen hip or preliminary OFA. I think that's what my vet called it


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I was there, but not in the room, Masi does better without me around, she gets a little to 'guardy' of me with other people.

What I have done as well, was, sat in a room with the dog till she konked out, we take her in, xray, and then I take her back with me until she comes out of it, did this with my aussie, not for any other reason than I wanted to be there for the xrays, which my vet allows me to do..


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

I always want to be the last thing my dog sees before being sedated and the first thing when they wake up. 

I am a tech, but I will not run anesthesia on my Ian animals. But I will monitor and work with my dogs sedated. So if it's just a basic knock down for radiographs I will be there. 

If YOU are going to be so worried and freaked then your girl is going to feel it and act up worse. 

One more thing. I don't get why you are taking the X-ray views you are. Pano is a problem in the long bones. You won't see it in the spine or hips. You may see it in the femur. But if it's pano it could be in the tib/fib bones as well. Or the front legs. Don't waste the money on ****s that won't be diagnostic in any way. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

VTGirlT said:


> *I was told by them that i do not need to do OFA, they said this is really for people who want to breed their dogs.


Not necessarily. I've had OFA x-rays done when my dogs were under for their spay neuter surgeries, so they definitely were not going to be bred! 

It's much less expensive to send them to OFA for a rating (about $35?) than it is for a consulting radiologist, at least here it is. If your vet is experienced enough and you trust him/her you can certainly opt not to do either. 

I did it for my own peace of mind, to make sure that everything was okay and I didn't need to restrict activity or anything, and also so they'd be part of the OFA database, which I think is important.


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## crackem (Mar 29, 2006)

my 2 cents. wouldn't do either. If you think she has pano, is a diagnosis really going to do anything? it's rest and let them grow out of it. What is an xray going to do? If she's not having symptoms of pano, why go looking for it? if it's not affecting her to the point you have to give her rest, what's the difference?

and if she's not old enough to get and OFA certification, why do it now? Putting a dog under just to see?


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## martemchik (Nov 23, 2010)

I don't really see a reason to send in for prelims unless you're worried about something. You can't get official OFA until they're two years old. If you trust your vet, or are going to someone that's very experienced, I don't really see a reason to get that done.

I went to a specialist in the area that has been doing it for decades and is known to be very good. He also doesn't use anesthetic and tries to do it without having the dog put completely under. Dog gets muzzled, myself and a vet tech tried to hold down the front while the vet tried to line up the legs/hips to get a good shot. My boy wasn't having it, so we had to use a bit of tranquilizer, but I was much more comfortable with that than putting him completely under.


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## VTGirlT (May 23, 2013)

Harbud said:


> Hey your post caught my attention because I have recently thought my guy may be struggling with Pano and because I have been considering OFA as well, he is 20mths. It* was my understanding that OFA certification is best done after 24 months *and I noticed you girl is just shy of 1 year. I know that you can have an xray prior to 24months and the results are usually accurate but if you have to pay more would it make more sense to wait until 24months?
> Sorry I thought I would just ask and maybe you can fill me in on any missing information I may not have.
> 
> As for your questions doing what makes you more comfortable is the best answer. If the techs are concerned that she may be aggressive maybe muzzling her while they sedate her could be an option to put them at ease. And Im sure Zelda wont hold anything against you permanently although a *new toy after may help smooth things over*.


Well the accuracy is lower from 8-12 months, in the 90% range i believe for OFA hip pre-lims.
And yes i am sure she would forgive me! Thanks for you insight!



Msmaria said:


> yes you are right . for younger dog it is either a pen hip or preliminary OFA. I think that's what my vet called it





JakodaCD OA said:


> I was there, but not in the room, *Masi does better without me around*, she gets a little to *'guardy'* of me with other people.
> 
> What I have done as well, was, sat in a room with the dog till she konked out, we take her in, xray, and then I take her back with me until she comes out of it, did this with my aussie, not for any other reason than I wanted to be there for the xrays, which my vet allows me to do..


I defiantly think Zelda will do better without me, best for everyone involved i think.  i am sure they will let me hang out when she wakes up! Poor kid!



gsdsar said:


> I always want to be the last thing my dog sees before being sedated and the first thing when they wake up.
> 
> I am a tech, but I will not run anesthesia on my Ian animals. But I will monitor and work with my dogs sedated. So if it's just a basic knock down for radiographs I will be there.
> 
> ...


Ya, i will probably send bad energy to her and make her more worried. Thanks for your vet tech savvy advice 



Cassidy's Mom said:


> Not necessarily. I've had OFA x-rays done when my dogs were under for their spay neuter surgeries, so they definitely were not going to be bred!
> 
> It's *much less expensive to send them to OFA* for a rating (about $35?) than it is for a consulting radiologist, at least here it is. If your vet is experienced enough and you trust him/her you can certainly opt not to do either.
> 
> I did it for my own *peace of mind*, to make sure that everything was okay and I didn't need to restrict activity or anything, and also so they'd be part of the OFA database, which I think is important.


Well one of the vets has been working their for decades, he is great and savvy. The other two recently got out of vet school, and the one guy is my Vet, he is very nice and seems to know what he is talking about a lot of the time. But I believe he will share the x-rays with the other two vets there. And if they are unsure they would ask specialist. But i think i do want to do OFA, like you said, for peace of mind!



crackem said:


> my 2 cents. wouldn't do either. If you think she has pano, is a diagnosis really going to do anything? it's rest and let them grow out of it. What is an xray going to do? If she's not having symptoms of pano, why go looking for it? if it's not affecting her to the point you have to give her rest, what's the difference?
> 
> and if she's not old enough to get and OFA certification, why do it now? Putting a dog under just to see?





martemchik said:


> I don't really see a reason to send in for prelims unless you're worried about something. You can't get official OFA until they're two years old. If you trust your vet, or are going to someone that's very experienced, I don't really see a reason to get that done.
> 
> I went to a specialist in the area that has been doing it for decades and is known to be very good. He also doesn't use anesthetic and tries to do it without having the dog put completely under. Dog gets muzzled, myself and a vet tech tried to hold down the front while the vet tried to line up the legs/hips to get a good shot. My boy wasn't having it, so we had to use a bit of tranquilizer, but I was much more comfortable with that than putting him completely under.


I will discuss more with my vet about what they want to do, and what they believe is the best thing. 

*I** guess i didn't really explain my reasons for this. I am not just checking for pano but HD as well. It could be both or one or the other, maybe something else.
But Zelda cannot even run for 3 minutes before having to lay down. I also wanted to add that her heart is normal. and that her legs are sore after this as i have checked and it hurt her. So i have not been letting her run for a while now. And a hike over 1.5 hours is too much for her, she has to lay down. She also sometimes bites at her legs when walking sometimes. (she us to do that a lot when i first got her, she hasn't very much at all recently) So it really could be either or both. And i was advised to also check her spine. So that is why i want her spine and hips to be checked. 
I want to find out if its HD, and if she does have it, the severity. So that i can get her on a better exercise program (we do 3 miles a day, 1 mile at a time or 1.5 miles at the most at a time, this seems to be comfortable for her, as well as playing with her sister dog and tug), better supplements than what she is on now (glyco-flex), etc. If its not HD, than maybe pano is the reason for this, if its not either of those, than we have ruled those out and look at other reasons why she cant run and be a normal pup! *

Thanks guys!


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

Any updates?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

http://www.germanshepherds.com/foru...-zeldas-x-ray-hips-also-her-leg-laterals.html

she updated on the link above


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

I was hoping for good news.  darn it


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