Understanding Canine Hip Dysplasia and How to Prevent It

Canine hip dysplasia is a genetic issue that starts to* difficulty in the back legs when getting up
appear from the ages of 4 to 12 months. Not all* pain in the hip
puppies in a litter will develop it, though if your dog* when the puppy is lying on its back, its back legs
has canine hip dysplasia, she should not bemay not extend towards the front legs without
bred.Larger breed dogs have a higher risk ofpainThe only way to find out if your dog definitely
developing hip dysplasia, due to the greater weighthas hip dysplasia is if he has an x-ray by a vet. This
these joints will have to bear. But it's important tonormally means the dog will have to be heavily
realize that small dogs can be affected also. Largesedated, or go under anaesthetic.Tips To Prevent
breed dogs at risk include rottweilers, germanCanine Hip Dysplasia* Don't feed a growing dog a
shephards, golden retrievers, dalmations, and blooddiet too high in calories. It's important that the
hounds.Canine hip dysplasia affects the ball andgrowing dog's nutritional needs are met, but
socket joint of the hip. The head of the large bone inexcessive weight, and rapid weight gain, create more
the dog's leg doesn't fit snugly into the hip socket.of a load for the joints to bear. If a dog is genetically
The problem is that the socket itself is not wellpredisposed to hip dysplasia, this can delay the
developed, and it creates a lot of stress on the joint.beginning of symptoms, or reduce the chance of it
The muscles don't develop as quickly as the bonedeveloping into a more severe form.* Be careful
grows, and a situation is created where the weightabout the type of exercise growing dogs get.
the joint has to bear is greater than the capacity ofJumping up and down from heights, and standing on
the ligaments, tendons, and muscles around the joint.their back legs, such as when they stand against a
Thus joint instability develops. This in turn leads to afence or window to look over it, can aggravate the
greater wear and tear than the joint would normallyjoints whilst they are growing quickly.* Buy dogs
experience.Canine hip dysplasia ranges from mild tofrom a reputable breeder. If one parent dog has hip
moderate. In mild cases, the space between thedysplasia, the risk of it occurring in the litter is
joints is greater than normal and the ball at the topdoubled. Good breeders take care to prevent this
of the hip bone is part way out of its socket.situation from occurring. The pedigrees of dogs can
Fortunately, in mild cases, there are no associatedbe checked to see whether they have been certified
arthritic changes in the joint.In moderate canine hipas normal by the Orthopedic Foundation For Animals
dysplasia, the top part of the normally rounded hip(OFA) in the US. Their website is organizations that
bone begins to flatten, and it sits only loosely in thecheck for markers of hip normalcy in dogs are
joint. Bone spurs begin to develop, and arthriticPennHip and the GDC (Genetic Disease Control in
changes start to happen.Unfortunately, in severe hipAnimals). Large breed dogs have a greater chance of
dysplasia, there is definite arthritis present. And oncedeveloping hip dysplasia, and prospective owners
arthritis appears in the joint, the condition iswould be wise to take this precaution.References: J
irreversible. In the severe cases such as this, the hipGriffin and L Carlson, Dog Owners Home Veterinary
bone is completely out of the joint. The silver lining is,HandbookWhilst large breed dogs are more
however, that not all dogs with hip dysplasia andsusceptible to canine hip dysplasia, buying from a
arthritis will become lame. Some may become lamereputable breeder can prevent this developing. Find
as puppies, some may not ever becomeout more about some of these loveable breeds here
lame.Symptoms of hip dysplasia include:* walking withat The Dogs Bone: Large breed dog articles, with
a limpphotos, include these on the bloodhound dog, and the
* a swaying gaitdalamation breed.
* bunny hopping when running