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