Help Rusty Get New Hips

Hi, Im Rachel, Rusty's Mum and Im here to ask you a huge favour.

Rusty is a 9 month old Fox Red Labrador and has been diagnosed with severe bilateral hip dysplasia.

In a nutshell, Rusty's hip joints didn't form properly which has caused bone on bone contact with every step. This is very painful for him and unfortunately, Rusty needs both of his hips replacing.

Rusty is our first puppy and is a huge part of our family and lives. At under a year old, this is something that we would never have expected to be going through.

As soon as we got Rusty home at just 8 weeks and 1 day old, Rusty was insured with an annual limit of £4000. For one hip to be replaced it will cost around £8000 alongside aftercare.

This is where we are asking for your help. Rusty has a lifetime policy meaning that when his policy renews in August 2024, we will be able to up his annual limit to cover the cost of his second hip being replaced but right now we need to raise around £4.5K to get his first hip done.

We fully understand that times are hard right now but if you could donate anything at all we would be eternally grateful. We want to get Rusty's surgery booked ASAP however cannot do this until we have the funds.

Ill update this page regularly with every appointment and you can follow Rustys Journey on Instagram @rustytheredfoxlabrador

This is Rusty's hip dysplasia journey so far from the first vet visit upto today.

28th January 2024

Rusty's journey began when he refused to eat his meals, showing signs of discomfort. Initially, we attributed it to a passing phase, but as days passed, his reluctance to eat persisted. We tried changing his food, but it didn't make a difference. Our online research suggested various solutions, but after a week, Rusty's condition remained unchanged.

5th February 2024

Concerned about Rusty's ongoing food aversion, we booked a vet appointment. Observing him closely in the days leading up, we noticed he was unsettled, exhibiting behaviour's such as frequent standing and sitting, swaying while walking, arching his back, and bunny hopping during walks. The vet's examination revealed reduced hip movement, hinting at possible hip dysplasia. Rusty was prescribed Rheumocam for pain relief and had lost around 2KG. Administering the medication proved challenging as he needed it with food, but with persistence, we started seeing improvement. We modified his excercise, opting for short lead walks and reducing high-impact games.

24th February 2024

A follow-up vet appointment indicates potential hip dysplasia in Rusty's left hip and a possible floating patella in his left leg. X-rays were recommended, and we continued with Rheumocam while introducing joint supplements. The cost of X-rays is estimated at just under £600. Alongside this, we begin researching hip dysplasia management for our 7-month-old pup.

27th February 2024

X-rays are scheduled for 20th March 2024, and we explored hydrotherapy with a recommended local hydrotherapist. However, the vet advised against starting hydrotherapy until after the X-rays, leaving us in a period of uncertainty. Rusty's eating remained sporadic, but his weight stabilised between 28 and 29KG.

4th March 2024

Despite being on Rheumocam, Rusty displayed signs of pain and refused most meals, leading to another vet visit. A high temperature indicated a suspected infection, and he was prescribed a probiotic support paste and antibiotics. The vet recommends discontinuing Rheumocam, suggesting paracetamol with careful dosage. Rusty's weight remained stable at 29kg, although we were concerned about his nutritional intake.

8th March 2024

Rusty continues to be selective with meals but has showed an interest in sweet potato, fish and chicken. Continuing with short walks, with occasional limping and swaying.

20th March 2024

Rusty has had his X-rays today. We are absolutely devastated and its so much worse than we expected. Rusty has been diagnosed with severe bilateral hip dysplasia. We requested blood work due to the medication he was taking having side effects of kidney\liver damage. The only option for Rusty now is to have both of his hips replaced. Rusty is in alot of pain due to his hips not being in the correct position and this is causing to bone on bone contact. A referral has been sent for Rusty to start hydrotherapy to promote muscle growth in his back legs which will reduce pain and will benefit him when he has surgery.