Hi all, I've been stressing since last week about the decision I made to amputate, I know it's for the best for Zorion. Found this website, and all the support that I've read in other people's cases is just amazing. I thought I'd share my story, which is still in the making.

My 8 month old Kelpie pup dislocated his right hip just over a month ago - and did it badly. The femur could be easily popped back into the hip, but there was also a fragment of the femur head that had broken off in the fall - so it didn't stay in place. The vet also told me it was a strange way for it to be dislocated - instead of a normal dislocation, in which the bone pops out and up, tearing the ligament that holds the femur in place, Zorion's popped out and down, ending up under his pelvis, and the ligament was intact.

2 days after the accident, Zorion had an FHO to try and fix it. 5 weeks after the operation, and 4 weeks of swimming and physiotherapy, he still isn't putting weight on that leg, he hates me touching it for his physio, and he refuses to put the foot on the ground. Last week, while out on the front verandah eating dinner, he did something to himself - whether he fell over or tripped or tried to sit on the sore leg, I don't know. He was crying and shaking for about 10 minutes afterward, I brought him inside and sat on the floor with him curled up in my lap shaking, and tried to figure out what he had done. His 'bad' leg was tucked right up and he nearly snapped at me when I tried to stretch it out to see if he had hurt it - which he obviously had. Called my friend the vet and told her that he had done something, can I bring him in, in the morning, as he had settled a bit by then. Took him in, had some X-rays done, it didn't look good. Instead of the smooth edge of the femur that was expected after the FHO, it was jagged, and could be pinching a nerve with the way it was moving. My options - either another operation to try and fix it again by taking more of the end of the femur off; amputation; or painkillers for the rest of his life. My choice? Amputation.

Dropped him off at the vet this morning for the amputation, worried all day... I stopped in at 5pm to check - they had just started prepping him. I peeked in (I used to work there so I'm allowed in more than other clients) and there was my baby boy, lying on the table under anaesthetic and all shaved again. I had to go - I didn't want to watch it being done to my boy. Other people's animals, I can deal with those surgeries, but my own? No thanks.

Got the call at 7pm, operation is just finished, hes still sleeping but should be waking up shortly, operation went well, leg has been amputated mid femur like normal - I got told they might have to amputate at the hip because of the previous FHO, but apparently it was fine to still do it mid-femur.

I'm stopping in before work in the morning to see him, make sure he's fine, then picking him up after work tomorrow.

I know he won't have a big adjustment period to learn how to walk on 3 legs because he's been walking on 3 legs since the dislocation.

Will post some photos when I get him safely home,

Amy (Zorion's Mum)