Dog injured coming out of back seat

My 2.5 year old black lab injured his rear hip coming out of the truck the other day. He has a dog hammock in the back seats and typically braces his front legs on the lower door sill then jumps when coming out. Something happened and he tweaked himself and cost $700 at the vet for diagnosis. (Don’t worry he’s on the bend and will be back to normal in no time)

For those with dogs, what are you all doing? Should I put one section of the seats down or remove it completely to reduce the height when getting in/out?

any advice will help. Like most of you, I’ll do anything to ensure he’s safe and comfortable.
Cheers!

 

Long time ago, maybe 25 years, but when I had my hunting dogs ride in crates in the bed of the canopied truck, I would let them jump down from the tailgate to the ground to start the next hunt. One time my Lab, Matt, a 90 pounder, jumped down from the tailgate and injured one of his front legs. I had to put Matt on "IR" a couple of days until his leg recovered. Another dog, Hale, also a Lab, injured one of her front legs jumping up onto the tailgate when I was kenneling her after a hunt. Leg got caught in the gap between the tailgate and bed.

Afterwards, I spoke with a vet who worked on a lot of hunting dogs and he told me dogs jumping down out of vehicles was a very common source of injury. He recommended use of a ramp or lifting the dog in/out of the truck. Ramps are awkward and I've found it simpler to lift the dog in and out. Now my dog, Calli, a 52# Pudelpointer, rides in the cab and she's lifted in and out.

Personally if I could count on Calli to not launch from the seat but rather from the door sill, I would let her hop down from the sill. But she's usually too rambunctious for that more cautious method, so I lift her down.

 

I lift my 60 lb mutt. Big jumps are a nono.

 

First mod. Rear seat delete and a crate.

 

My truck is lifted 2” so I gotta pick him up and lift him in/out of the truck. He is 85 pounds so it’s a great workout, hah.

 

Whosa goooood boooooy

 

Sorry for your pup OP. He will be better in no time For me I give my pup a help up. Getting out she waits and then jumps She is 70lbs. Guess I should start lifting her down as well.

 

My 100lb boxer has a harness with a handle on the back so when he goes to jump down I kind of lift him down so he doesn’t land with all his weight on his front legs. I also have to lift him in since he’s never been a jumper or climber

 

Aw look at that

 

Thanks brother she is the best.

 

I bet man, dogs are awesome!

 

Get a body harness. The ones with the suitcase handles. If nothing else you can control his jump.

 

As stated above, when I had a boxer, I always used a harness that had a built-in handle that took most of the strain off her coming out of the vehicle. Now I just buy the portable breeds. Easier on my back and the dog.

 

I think part of the risk is they are going from rest to high impact without a warmup. Seems like more and more dogs are having "ACL" issues and the like. Nearly every large dog I know has had one or both rear legs ruptured or completely torn. One factor may be neuter of spay too young. Probably other factors as well.

 

Haha look at that face!

 

I pick her up and she rides shot gun. She can jump down but shes spoiled

 

My guy loooooves riding shotgun.

 

Hell Yeah!!!

 

This is the harness my boy wears when we go for rides in the truck. The handle allows me to boost him up in the back seat and help him jump out without putting all his weight on his front legs. 90+ pound GSD so he's a bit of a load but it helps him if I give him a boost. Added bonus when the harness comes out he knows we're going for a ride and he's the happiest dog on earth!

 

Coco keeping an eye on me!!! Do t give the driver to much shit for cheesing