Hip dysplasia is a deformity in the hip joint. The hip joint is a
ball and socket joint, the ball fitting perfectly into the socket. In some cases the
socket is to shallow and/ or the head of the femur (the ball) is irregular or too flat.
This will result in poorly formed joints which will be subject to wear and tear on the
joint surfaces, and assists the development of arthritis. The ligament and capsule around
the joint become slack and the hindquarter muscles waste.
Causes Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition. It may be influenced by
exercise, diet, and growth rate within the first six to twelve months of the dogs life.
The incidence of this disease is higher in larger, heavier breeds.
Signs
Awkward movement in the initial stage.
Difficulty in getting up after lying down.
Activity restricted.
Difficulty in jumping.
Lameness in one hind leg to the other.
Signs may develop in some dogs as young as three to four months
of age. In others, signs may not develop until the dog is one to three years of age.
Severe cases may be determined by X-rays as early as three months. The normal practice is
to x-ray dogs when they are 12 months of age to determine if they are displastic. Your
veterinarian will assess whether or not your dog is displastic based on the signs shown by
the dog, and the x-rays.
Treatment Treatment will vary according to the symptoms. Hip dysplasia
leads to inflammation of the bone, soft tissue, and cartilage, of the hip joint. This can
cause pain and lameness. Treatment with drugs will help with the pain and mobility, but as
the condition advances some cases fail to respond to drug therapy. Surgical treatment of
these cases has produced good results.
Prevention Veterinary associations have formed committees whose role is to
give an independent opinion on x-rays for hip dysplasia submitted by veterinarians. The
dogs found to be free of the disease are given a certificate. Hip dysplasia can be
progressively eliminated by using dogs for breeding that has been given this certificate.
Remember that even if both parents have been certified free of the disease, it does not
guarantee their puppies will be free of it, although the chance of puppies having the
disease will be lessened considerably.
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