What You Need to Know About Canine Hip Dysplasia

     A frustrating disease for veterinarians to treat is canine hip dysplasia because it can be quite severe and can strike young and older dogs. It is an orthopedic disease and causes the hip to form abnormally, and it leads to the hips being loose in the sockets, which in turn causes cartilage damage. The dog hip dysplasia can then lead to a very progressive form of arthritis that can be crippling, leaving the dog lame in the back legs.

Many dogs will begin to develop canine hip dysplasia at a young age since the disease has nothing to do with the age of the dog. It tends to be prevalent in some breeds and often runs in the dog's bloodline. It typically seen in larger dogs such as Labrador retrievers, Saint Bernard's, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Mastiffs, but can be seen in mid-sized dogs such as Cocker and Springer Spaniels as well as mixed breeds.

The canine hip dysplasia symptoms are clearly visible, which include refusing to climb stairs, hard time getting up from a lying down position, a swaggering gait, hopping gait, or lameness in the hind legs. Keep in mind, your dog may be very young when he or she develops the disease, as it is not an old dog illness such as arthritis. However, along with the dog hip dysplasia, the arthritis in the hip joint will follow at some point.

Your veterinarian can definitively diagnose canine hip dysplasia by doing a simple x-ray and other imaging tools to see how loose the hip joint is. The treatment of dog hip dysplasia depends on the severity at diagnosis. Many dogs need to undergo surgical interventions to replace the hip joints, but this is not always an option depending on the dog's age and size. Typically, a more conservative treatment is started with anti-inflammatory drugs to get the swelling and pain under control.

If your dog has canine hip dysplasia or you know the condition runs in their genes, you should always keep your dog at a good weight because if your dog is overweight, it just adds to the pressure on the affected joints. Physical therapy is also a viable treatment for dog hip dysplasia, but typically this is part of a larger treatment plan that you and your veterinarian create. If your dog has already become lame in both their back legs, they can also be fitted and learn to walk using dog wheelchair, which is also called walking wheels. It is fastened to the dog's body and he or she uses their front legs to walk and there are wheels in the back that take the place of their legs for getting around.

Thanks to advances in veterinarian care, if your furry friend develops canine hip dysplasia, there are treatment options available that can give the dog a happy and healthier life that is free of pain.