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