Canine Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia Occurs in Many Dogs, Not Just Dogs That Were Poorly Bred

Canine hip dysplasia is one of the most commonly occurring conditions that affects dogs of poor breeding around the world. Canine hip dysplasia does not only occur in poorly bred dogs; however, since it is considered at least in part to be a genetic condition as well as an environmental condition it occurs frequently in dogs of poor breeding. It is the opinion of most veterinarians that the largest factor affecting whether a dog will develop hip dysplasia is the presence of hip dysplasia in its parents. Additionally vets believe that nutrition as well as exercise can contribute to hip dysplasia in some dogs.

What Is Canine Hip Dysplasia?

To begin with, hip dysplasia can be present in a wide variety of animals, not just dogs but obviously canine hip dysplasia is a condition which only affects canines. In canine hip dysplasia the normal structures of the hip and femur are not structured correctly and as a result the head of the femur bone does not fit correctly in to the hip socket.

In a healthy dog the hip socket (acetabulum) is nicely rounded and deep enough to accommodate the femoral head so that the traditionally recognized ball and socket joint of the hip is formed. These two bones fit perfectly together and movement is fluid and supported by a strong ligament which attaches the femoral head directly to the acetabulum. Additionally in a healthy dog’s hip joint where the ball and socket joint meets the two bone surfaces are smooth and contain a cartilage cushion much like our own joints do. Not only does a healthy dog have a deep acetabulum to accommodate a perfectly rounded femoral head, smooth bone on bone surfaces that are cushioned by cartilage and the strong ligament working in its favor but it also has a lubricating fluid in this joint that assists in creating fluid motion when the femur moves in the hip socket.

In a dysplastic dog there are a variety of features of the hip and femur that are not formed correctly. While it is the belief of veterinarians that most dogs that develop hip dysplasia are born with “normal” hip joints gradual subluxation (separation of the two bone surfaces) causes the dog to develop abnormally shaped hip joints. Dysplastic dogs generally have shallow acetabulums meaning that the head of the femur will not rest in the hip socket and instead it will slide around against the surface of the shallow hip socket. The ligaments that are found within a healthy dogs hip are not as strong or supportive in a dysplastic dog and this allows the two bone surfaces to grow further apart rather than hold the two bone surfaces together. As a result of abnormal movement of the femoral head in the hip socket the dog’s acetabulum and the femoral head can both develop extremely painful bone spurs which make walking difficult and painful for the dysplastic dog. As the dogs walks these bone spurs can rub against each other causing an increasing amount of pain in the hip joint.

Dogs Prone to Hip Dysplasia

While certain breeds are particularly prone to developing hip dysplasia it can occur in a wide variety of dogs. It is believed that in general larger and giant breeds of dog are more prone to developing hip dysplasia although the majority of breeds that are cited as having a high incidence of this disorder are among the most popular breeds around the world and veterinarians believe that this may have skewed the numbers in regards to the occurrence of the disorder within these breeds. It is believed, however, that the larger a dog the more prone it can be to developing hip dysplasia as a result of the stress put on the hip joint by the weight of the dogs body. By adding additional weight to the load carried by a dog’s hip socket the ligaments are likely to become stretched and less supportive and more movement of the femoral head within the hip socket can occur. Unfortunately for all dogs that present with hip dysplasia there are few treatments available and arthritic joints quite frequently develop as a result of the misuse of the hip joint. When a dysplastic dog moves its hip joint the tissues holding the head of the femur to the acetabulum become strained as they attempt to keep the head of the bone within a shallow socket. As these connective tissues stretch and become less effective at holding the bone within the joint; the joint swells and also destroys the cartilage in the area which causes pain. All of these are key signs of arthritis.

Much like the age of occurrence of hip dysplasia varies by specific individuals so too does the onset of arthritis as a result of dysplastic hips. In addition to the age of onset the severity of both hip dysplasia and the arthritis that results vary from individual to individual as well. Some dogs present with hip dysplasia symptoms as young pups and yet some last well in to adulthood without showing any signs of subluxation in the hips. Also dogs that present with only mild hip dysplasia symptoms can often have those symptoms missed by their owners until the condition becomes much worse and inhibits their dog’s physical activity. Like most illnesses and disorders hip dysplasia can very often be more successfully treated when it is caught early; however, as mentioned above, the options for treating hip dysplasia are certainly limited.

Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia?

Firstly, if you have the opportunity to know where your dog comes from, knowing about any family history of hip dysplasia can greatly improve your odds of noticing it if or when it develops in your dog. Knowing that a condition is likely to occur in your dog will cause you to be more watchful and take note of any changes in your dog’s physical activity. Aside from knowing whether there was a family history of hip dysplasia symptoms to look or include: showing pain or signs of discomfort while exercising, lameness, walking with stiffened back legs, running with a “bunny hop”, stiffness when getting up or running, trouble rising from a prone position, loss of muscle tone in the back legs, and a reluctance to enjoy physical activities that were formerly enjoyed. Symptoms can seem to come out of nowhere; however, generally they will present themselves and worsen over time unless treatment of some form is sought.

What can be done for dog with hip dysplasia

Once a dog has received a formal diagnosis of hip dysplasia from their vet (a vet will conduct an x-ray to visualize the sockets of your dogs hips), they will offer you a variety of solutions to your dogs condition. “Solutions” range from making your dog feel comfortable to surgery and can range in price significantly. Your vet will offer you a variety of options that are customized to the severity of your individual dog’s condition.

Surgery Options

Sometimes veterinarians will suggest surgery. There are four varieties of surgery that are available and generally surgery will be suggested for a dog with severe hip dysplasia or a dog that presents with the condition at a very young age.

• The Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis is a surgery that must be performed on dogs that are younger than 5 months old. The Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis involves the fusing of the two pelvic bones to allow the rest of the bones in the pelvis to develop in a proper manner. This surgery is designed to improve the movement of the hip joints by changing the angle of the hips.

• Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) is a surgery performed on dogs that are less than 10 months old. This procedure consists of the osteopathic surgeon going in and breaking the pelvis in order to realign the head of the femur with the hip socket to correct the joint. This is a surgery that is recommended only for younger dogs because it is not effective once damage has begun to occur to the hip socket. The TPO is a particularly expensive and painful procedure and younger dogs tend to recover much more quickly than expected. The TPO is one of the most recommended surgeries for younger dogs with subluxation because it restores full function to the hip joints.

• Femoral Head and Neck Excision is a surgery that involves removing the tip of the femur (the neck and the head of the bone) and a fibrous joint replaces what used to be the hip. While this is a more affordable option as opposed to a total hip replacement it is not considered the best option for many dogs and is generally only recommended for lighter dogs and older dogs that are facing surgery for their dysplastic hips. While this procedure will allow the dog to be relatively pain free the original range of motion and stability of the joint will be sacrificed.

• Total Hip Replacement is the last surgical option for a dog with hip dysplasia and it is the most invasive procedure but also the procedure that restores complete function to the joint. Total hip replacements are only performed on fully grown dogs and generally dogs that show signs of degeneration of the joints as a result of the severity of their dysplasia. In total hip replacement the hip joint is removed and replaced with an artificial joint, even for dogs with two dysplastic hips these surgeries are done one hip at a time in order to allow the dog some motion during recovery time as well as to allow the body to recover after such a major procedure. The total hip replacement is obviously the most expensive option for treating a dysplastic dog; however, it is also the best surgery option for adult dogs with severe hip dysplasia that interferes with their quality of life. Dogs that undergo a total hip replacement will recover to a pain free life that allows them to function within a “near normal” range of motion with their new hip joints.

Other Alternatives

Surgery is not the only option available to dysplastic dogs and when hip dysplasia is not severe or in the case that families cannot yet afford surgery to correct the dysplasia veterinarians can offer a few other alternatives such as weight management plans, diet changes, supplement addition, anti-inflammatory drugs and in the case that your dog is in pain, pain medications can also be recommended. Many families resort to these methods of management because they simply cannot afford the surgery options available to them.

• Weight management is an important part of any dog’s life; however, for a dysplastic dog it is increasingly important to make sure that the dog is not carrying excess weight on an already stressed hip joint. Your vet will recommend a healthy weight for your dysplastic dog and give you some tips on how to maintain that weight.

• Diet changes relate most often to weight management, this generally includes cutting out people foods or high calorie dog treats in exchange for low calorie snacks such as baby carrots. Your vet may also recommend adding certain foods to your dog’s meals in order to increase your dog’s intake of certain elements.

• Supplements are widely recommended for dogs with hip dysplasia and generally these include glucosamine chondroitin and MSM as well as fish oils.

• Anti inflammatory drugs are often prescribed to help reduce the swelling in the hip joint these drugs can include pills or injectables that are designed to provide less inflammation and more fluidity within the joint.

• Pain medications are prescribed to many dogs that are feeling the effects of arthritis in their dysplastic hip joints. The long term effects of many pain management medications are not known or are known to affect the dogs liver function and so some people choose to manage pain through water therapy sessions and other muscle building exercises rather than masking the pain with medications. For some families, particularly those with older dogs that they would rather see live their last few years in comfort pain medications are a good choice.

Having a dog that has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia may feel like the end of the road, particularly if you are not able to afford the surgery suggested to you by your vet. You should not give up on your dog though, there are plenty of alternative routes you can take to help your dysplastic dog live a comfortable and relatively pain free life. Your dysplastic dog may not be able to function to the degree of healthier dogs of the same age but that isn’t to say that you shouldn’t do everything you can to free your dog from the hindrance of dysplastic hips in any way you are able whether it be supplementation, diet changes, medication or surgery.