Hip dysplasia is a degenerative condition that stems from ill-formed hip joints. The problem most often affects large breed dogs such as Newfoundlands, Retrievers, St. Bernards and German Shepherds. While the condition is genetic, there are other contributing factors which can affect how painful hip dysplasia will be for your dog.
The hip joint works like a ball-and-socket. With dysplasia, the ball at the end of the femur does not sit snugly within socket of the pelvis. The socket (known as the acetabulum) is too shallow to properly encase the ball joint. This means that the joint is loose and wobbly. Because the ball joint is not resting properly within the socket, the joint wears down unevenly, creating an increasing amount of instability in the dog's rear legs.
A dog with hip dysplasia may seem normal as a pup, but the condition typically sets in somewhere between the first four and 12 months of a dog's life. An X-ray is the most definitive test for hip dysplasia, and vets usually require the dog to reach 24 months before checking. The X-rays will be taken while the dog is sedated so that clear views of the joint relationship can be seen. The X-rays will determine if your dog's hip dysplasia is mild, moderate or severe.
There are official hip dysplasia records for pure-bred dogs which can be seen upon request. However, more than genetics will affect the dog's level of pain when hip dysplasia is present. Diet and exercise also play a role. High calorie, high protein diets which can lead to rapid weight gain can place undue stress on the already tenuous hip joint. Monitoring your dog's diet and weight can alleviate unnecessary hip pain.
Proper exercise while your dog's bones are still developing is another vital factor. Though their exuberance can be delightful, owners of large breed puppies should try to keep their dogs from jumping and landing with their full weight on their hind legs. This means not having the puppy stand on his/her hind legs to look out windows, beg for treats or jump to catch balls or Frisbees. Running on hard, paved surfaces also causes damaging impact to stressed rear joints.
The malformed hip joints may cause your dog to walk with a limping gait, walk with a swaying motion and make it hard for him/her to rise from a seated position. If the joint has been stressed through rough treatment during development or continues to be stressed by the dog's weight, arthritis can result. On the other hand, owners who are careful to give proper exercise and who guard their dog's weight can minimize the arthritic pain caused by hip dysplasia. Giving your dog nutritious food and health-boosting supplements can ease the discomfort of hip dysplasia. Companies like ProLabs offers quality supplements to help with the joint pain health of your canine.
