The thread below re: the vet's manipulation of a young pup's hips got me to thinking...
I had an experience with a vet who pushed really hard for a simultaneous surgery - JPS procedure and spay - at the age of 17 weeks, all in the name of "preventing hip dysplasia and spaying."
It did not happen and I have changed vets.
However, it was an awful experience and the first I ever heard of this JPS procedure.
It would be a good thing if breeders warned their puppy people about JPS surgery when they are educating them about early spay/neuter. There are articles out there.
This particular vet wanted to spay/neuter and do JPS on ALL large breed dogs, regardless of whether the pups are having problems.
So, just a suggestion. You might prevent some heartache, and unnecessary expensive surgery, by teaching your puppy people about this procedure as well...

I have a friend who had an issue with it with a puppy she sold to a man who's father was a vet and they wanted to do the surgery on a 4 month old puppy. Since then I have put it in my contract that it is NOT covered!!

We have had a few puppy buyers call because this is what their vets did to 8 week old pups. Each describes how the pup screamed in pain. Each time, this scream was considered evidence of bad hips. We went as far as calling the OFA. We spoke directly to Dr. Keller and although I want to be careful in quoting him, I am advising more breeders to contact the OFA to influence them to do something educational for vets. I think it is safe to say that expert orthopedic vets are concerned about this procedure but are not aware how common it is.

That's awful. This particular procedure is for pups who have only mild to moderate dysplasia at a very young age. JPS is NOT for the severely dysplastic. Mild to moderate HD is exactly the population in which science has shown that medical management is just as good as most surgery! It sounds like a surgical procedure looking for a candidate, and it's breaking what isn't so broken to begin with, with similar outcomes to nutraceuticals and, later, maybe some pain meds from time to time in old age.

In our case, I took the pup for a routine visit - no problems at all. The puppy had no symptoms whatsoever, (and still doesn't) and the pressure to have a JPS done "to prevent future hip dysplasia" was just awful. And of course, spay at the same time....The vet was literally SCREAMING at me because I wouldn't give consent. She had an estimate she shoved at me ($900+ including the spay!) and consent papers and everything. She wanted me to leave the puppy with her right then and there! I had never heard of such a thing, and it would have helped me had I had some knowledge of what the heck this was.
A second opinion by a vet at a different practice confirmed normal puppy hips at the time.
I did quite a bit of research on JPS after that.
The thing is the procedure must be done between 16-20 weeks, and spay/neuter is mandatory at the same time. On a boy pup, the "plumbing" is moved while the growth plates on the spine are cauterized, and then everything is "put back."
Just thought it might be a good idea to include information about this procedure for puppy buyers if some vets are routinely recommending and pusshing this. My former vet sure thought all big breed pups should have it done.

What does JPS stand for? I'm not familiar with the acronym and I'd like to read up on it.
TIA

JPS = juvenile pubic symphysiodesis: http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/jps.htm

Thank you HGES. After reading the attached article it seems the procedure is only recommended after PennHip studies have shown HD. Is that correct? So why are Vets wanting to do this rather drastic step at 16 weeks to puppies that have only had manual manipulation (subjective at best) to evaluate hips? I must be missing something...enlightenment?
TIA

BECAUSE THEY NEED MONEY!!!!

Your posts made me think or rather remember... Several years ago I received a call from a person who had bought a pup from me telling me the 4 month old pup was dead (died in surgery). They said the vet told them the pup might develop hip dysplasia because of lax hips and talked them into a preventative surgery where he broke the hip into three parts - he said to allow it to re-grow and re-seat. They said the pup died right after the surgery. I was just sick... The vet was a proponent for the pen-hip, not that anything is wrong with pen hip but there is something very wrong with a preventative hip surgery on a 4 month old pup! The guy should not be practicing veterinary medicine as far as I'm concerned.