Dog hip

Many dogs today develop a condition called hip dysplasia. There are an increasing number of qualified veternarians out there that are becoming very good at rectifying the hip problems that many dogs develop. There is a lot of informantion to be found about the different surgeries and their pros and cons. However, it is not very easy information to locate and can be confusing to sift through when trying to make a decision about which surgery to have and what will be best for your dog.
Many animal professionals agreee that the hips of dogs should be tested within the first two years of their life. This is because, if they should need surgery, they are still in the growth stage, with plenty of energy for rehabiliation exercises.

There are essentially three types of surgeries that are possible. The list from least invasive to most invasive are femoral head, triple pelvic osteotomy, and total hip replacement.
Femoral head is a process where the vet goes in, cuts off the tops of the ball from the ball and socket joint on the femor bone and finishes. The trick to this surgery is the rehabiliation. Through excercise, the muscles develop around the joint and take over all the action. Essentially there is no longer any hip joint. Nothing is connected besides the muscles around the hip.
The positives of this surgery include the lower cost which is between $1000. and $2000. depending on your vet and the recouperation time. Also, the bones will no longer rub against each other so they will never get arthritis in that area later on in life. Other pluses are that no foreign materials like implants or cement are used so the likelihood of infection is less.
The negative of the surgery is the time needed to exercise the dog after the surgery. Walks with a sling under the belly, and hip extension exercises while held down are very intensive for at least 6-10 weeks after the surgery. Continued excercise will help and increase the muscles more every day. After that, stair climbing and running will most likely be possible after about 3 to 6 months and normal life will be led.
The next surgery possibility is a triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO). In this surgery the vet cuts the pelvis in 4 places, rotates out the socket and pelvis to more firmly meet the ball of the joint and then inserts 2 plates screwed into the pelvis to hold everything in place.
The positives are that after recovery, the exercises and stretching are less extensive. The joints are now put into the place where they should have been all along.
From: http://www.getablog.net/catenemy/16409/Dog+diseases.html