Hip dysplasia
by Professor John Innes
RCVS Specialist in small animal surgery (orthopaedics)

What is hip dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia is a common developmental disease of the hip. As a puppy grows the soft tissue support for the hip may become loose (lax) and this can allow the head of the femur (the ball of the ball and socket joint) to slip in and out of the acetabulum (socket). This abnormal laxity of the hip can damage the tissues of the joint leading to osteoarthritis.



What sort of dogs are affected?
Hip dysplasia occurs most commonly in medium-large breed dogs of any breed. Some breeds are commonly affected whereas others are rarely affected (e.g. Greyhound). However, hip dysplasia can occur in smaller dogs and also sometimes in cats.

What causes these diseases?
The cause of hip dysplasia is not fully understood. Certainly there is a complex genetic basis and it is likely that several different genes are involved. It is also likely that environmental factors (exercise, growth rate, nutrition) play a role and obesity will worsen the condition. At Liverpool we are investigating the genetic basis of the disease in collaboration with colleagues at CIGMA at the University of Manchester.

What are the signs of these diseases?
Hip dysplasia can cause pain and lameness although in some dogs the disease may remain clinically silent for many months or years. Often in puppies there is a swaying hindlimb gait and some dogs may sit down at exercise because of the discomfort. Usually the condition occurs in both hips and so signs may relate to joint stiffness in both hindlimbs. Later in life, the osteoarthritis initiated by hip dysplasia may progress to cause pain, stiffness and lameness.

How are these conditions diagnosed?
A clinical examination by a veterinary surgeon is the first step in diagnosis. Certain clinical tests can indicate if hip dysplasia is present but it may be necessary to perform these tests under heavy sedation or anaesthesia. If hip dysplasia is suspected, radiographs (x-rays) such as the one above are the most usual initial step in making a diagnosis.

What can be done to treat the condition?
The treatment of hip dysplasia in young dogs is controversial. Certainly only those dogs that have disability should be treated - many dogs with hip dysplasia never need treatment. Conservative treatment involves exercise restriction and possibly pain-relieving medication and can be very effective. As an affected dog matures the pain associated with hip dysplasia can subside although the hip will be prone to osteoarthritis which may cause stiffness and pain in later life. Some veterinary surgeons advocate surgical treatment in puppies. In older dogs where the osteoarthritis of the hip is causing intractable pain that does not respond to medical treatment and weight loss, one might consider a total hip replacement. This operation is similar to that performed in people and can relieve pain and provide excellent function. Careful specialist evaluation of the dog is required prior to such a surgery. At Liverpool we use the Biomedtrix canine hip system, which is probably the most widely used hip system for dogs in the world today.




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© The University of Liverpool | Last updated: 30 March 2007 | Disclaimer | Accessibility | Staff | Students

Good informative post!

I was at a local bootsale on Sunday and I seen a lovely young golden retrever and I was watching it walking and noticed the poor thing with a swaying hindlimb I did speak to the guy in passing to comment on how beautiful his dog was , he paid a price for her , I told him about the sway and hes going to take her to the vets , I don't think he brought her from a knowlegable breeder as he didn't even know about the hip thing poor dog and poor guy

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I wish peeps would do their homework more before they buy a pup, all the breed clubs run puppy registers where the only dogs that can be put on the register are bred from hip scored and eye tested parents. A lot of people then say can get it cheaper from places that have not had the parents tested - but it costs them a lot more in the long run in vets bills. The only persons that could help us further this is the Kennel Club by refusing to register any pups whose parents have not had the relative health tests!!!

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i have a 10 month old bc and when he was little always used to worry about over exercising and the effect on his hips.
We always kept to the 5 minute per month of age rule and have had no probs.- touch wood!

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Dogs leave paw prints on your heart

its very common in large breed dogs ..
if you do some homework before you purchase your large breed dog, you will notice some breeders only breed from low 'hip score' parents..
Rottweilers for example should be below 20... (10 for each hip) the maximum is 100 ( 100 being full blown hip dysplasia)
so the lower the hip score, the better chance of the dog growing without hip dysplasia ..
my rotts have a score of ( heidi) 7,7 =14.. (erik) 3,4 = 7..
so are both good scores..
you can get 0, 0 wich is excellent...
in germany most top breeders take their rottweilers to be scored at exactly 15 months of age.. this is supposed to be the optimum age to be scored apparently..
over in the UK we usually score at around 12/15 months..
it costs around £120 - you take your dog/bitch to the vet, they have an anasthetic to make them just drowsy & still, they are lay on their backs so they can xray the hip joints then the xrays go off to the BVA (british vetenary association) to be scored.. you will get results back within about 3 wks..
its well worth it if you want to breed... so many dogs suffer cause they are bred from animals with this condition.. its horrific..

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http://www.whaface.co.uk/

you can let them play & run around, but be careful with jumping and going up and down stairs..
I wont let a pup go near stairs till they are 12 months old.. and if you want to do agility or any jumping they should be 18 months or so.. to be on the safe side..
also no jumping on & off furniture too...

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http://www.whaface.co.uk/

ok thanks for that advice- he has been up the stairs a few times but thats only when the stair-gate has been left accidentally open! He has two 50 minute walks a day- keeping to the 5 minute per month of age thing twice a day.

It is 5 mins per month of age but not twice a day !

O
I have been going by this rule from the Kennel Club:
Exercise - The Kennel Club
"A good rule of thumb is a ratio of five minutes exercise per month of age (up to twice a day) until the puppy is fully grown"
Perhaps they mean to split this time in two thou?
Either way I haven't been overdoing it and he is past the 9 month stage ( I have heard that after this u can let them do a little more?).

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Dogs leave paw prints on your heart