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Hip dysplasia is one of the most common medical disorders in dogs. It is a disease of the hip joint which causes ongoing deterioration and subsequent loss of function of the hips. The founder of Troy Animal Hospital, Dr. Lonnie Davis has had a special interest in the diagnosis, treatment and management of this condition since opening the practice in the 1970’s. Over the years, he has worked on perfecting and honing his craft, ultimately leading up to the development of his very own Precise Positioning Technique™.
Dr. Davis is available for consultations over the email or in person.
“I started my practice here in beautiful Troy, Ohio in the late 1970′s and it wasn’t long before I did my first hip x-ray. Initially, I did what everyone else did: I gave the dog general anesthetic in order to take the x-rays. Twice the dog failed. The owner of the dog, an employee at my hospital, begged me to do the films for a third time and promised he would control the head of the dog if I would take them without a sedative or anesthesia.
Reluctantly, I agreed. The film was submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for a third time and lo, and behold, he passed!
I then went back and compared the three films we had taken and that’s when I realized the importance of precise positioning in order to achieve an accurate evaluation and grade. In the years since, I have fine-tuned my technique to what I feel results in the best possible positioning. I use a radiolucent tray to provide greater support and stability for the dog during the radiograph. I position the dog’s hips, a technician runs the equipment and the owner/handler controls the head. I have realized great success and consistent results with this approach and only a small percentage of x-rays now require the use of a sedative.
Word spread and in an average year, I do 300 to 400 hip radiographs. These films have been submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (O.F.A.), the Ontario Veterinary College (O.V.C.), PennHIP, and USA/SV A-Stamp.
I also offer a consulting service for owners/handlers who would like my opinion on the positioning of hip radiographs taken elsewhere, whether they have been submitted to an official body for evaluation or not.
In order to understand the vital importance of my Precise Position Technique™, I have produced a DVD to show the wide variation one encounters due to the positioning of the dog’s hips. In the beginning of the video, I show the dog perfectly positioned and the dog receives an excellent OFA rating. Then, I show numerous ways I can cause the dog to get a lower grade or even fail when the OFA required position is not precisely followed. Order your copy now for $33.98 plus tax and shipping/handling by contacting us.”
