Hip problem

Question
Heather:
At a second opinion yesterday, we were told that since our 9 1/2 month old, 94 pound dog is so big and still growing the FHO procedure would not be an option in their opinion.  The best option would be total hip replacement at $3000.  We can't afford this and we were told that yes he is showing dysplasia and in all likelihood would need the other hip relacement sometime in the future.    His hip sockets are very shallow.  We just want to have Gus around as long as we can with the best quality of life we can afford for him.  We lost a german shepherd puppy last year at 6 months of age to some mysterious illness that left him dehydrated.  We are at some loss as how to proceed from this point.  The vet last night gave Gus a shot for pain and inflamation.  We also have some daily meds for him regarding this.  If you have any further advice, I would love to receive it.  This is so hard.....  Thank you for your time and expertise.
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Our 9month old german shepherd was just found to have a right hip out of joint.  What would you say is the best treatment for this condition?  We believe this happened when the puppy caused our 100 pound son to trip and fall on said puppy.  It has been suggested to surgically cut the bone to fit back into the socket to create a new "connection".  This didn't really make sense to me.  We are going to seek a second opinion from another vet.  I'm just trying to get as much information as possible before we make a big decision like a surgical procedure.  Thank you for your time and your opinion.
-----Answer-----
Hi Paula. I am an assistant to a surgeon & this procedure is called an FHO or femoral head ostectomy. We do these quite often. This is where the head of the femur is cut off & then this helps the joint stay in place. This is the BEST route of treatment for this problem. Yes it may be extreme sounding, but it's the best thing for your dog. Unfortunately german shepherds are VERY prone to hip & joint problems. This is a problem that needs to be corrected very soon. It is VERY painful! After the procedure, the dog's leg will be in something called an emher sling for a little while & then some physical therapy is recommended. I really appreciate you being such a responsible dog owner but an FHO is the best form of treatment for your dog. Good luck & let me know if there are any other questions.
-Heather

Answer
Wow. I am SO terribly sorry to hear this news. I'm sure this is a rough time. I'm not very comfortable hearing that 2 different vets recommended 2 very different surgical procedures. A total hip is a VERY extreme surgery. Is either vet an orthopedic specialist? If not, then I strongly recommend you go see one. There is a website: www.acvs.org, this is the best & easiest way to find a specialist in your area. $3,000 is a fair price for the total hip procedure itself. The dog will need at least a 2week stay in the hospital. Was this included in your estimate? A total hip is a very big procedure for such a young dog. I would hate for Gus to go through it all & not have a good quality of life. Either way, the hip must be repaired. Without it, I'm sorry to say, he would not have a good quality of life at all. The question is... Which procedure is BEST for him?? That I unfortunately can't tell you without looking at him & his x-rays. I would feel much better if you went to see an orthopedic surgeon. Please let me know. I want to help you with this as much as possible!!
-Heather