Young Terrier With a Cracked Hip Socket Not Improving After Two Weeks of Rest

Some stable cracks in the hip socket (acetabulum) can heal with strict rest and pain relief, but bone takes weeks to heal, so two weeks with little change isn't unusual. What matters is whether he is slowly improving and whether the crack is in a part of the socket that bears weight.

Ask your vet to recheck him and repeat the X-rays, and consider a referral to a board-certified surgeon. Fractures that involve the weight-bearing part of the socket, or that shift, are often repaired surgically to protect the joint from arthritis. Keep his crate rest strict in the meantime, with no jumping, stairs or off-leash play.

See dog hip surgery.

This is general information, not a diagnosis. Please follow your own vet's advice.