According to a study done in 2012 by the United States Humane Society (United States Humane Society), around 47% of households owned at least one dog. As we all know, there are many sicknesses and diseases that can hurt our beloved dogs, and one of the most well-known ailment is hip dysplasia. In short, hip dysplasia is an inherited disorder in which the dog’s hip joints are not formed properly. It is an ill-fitting joint. The joint is loose, causing the leg bone to move around too much. As a result, this causes excruciating wear and tear. Another term for hip dysplasia is osteoarthritis. A dog whose radiographs (x-rays) turn out to show that the dog has a loose hip joint is labeled as dysplastic. Bear in mind that any dog can inherit osteoarthritis, but it is most commonly seen in larger, heavier breeds. German shepherd dogs are renowned for the hip dysplasia that is tearing down the breed’s health. Saint Bernards, Labrador Retrievers, and Mastiffs are also famous for hips that wear out rather quickly.

The more in-depth description of osteoarthritis is that the femur head and the acetabulum are not properly fitted together, causing inflammation and joint damage (Cornell Baker Institute). Already present in the joint is synovial fluid, but it is increased with the ill-fitted joint, and this causes the round ligament that binds the femur head and acetabulum together to become enlarged. As a consequence, the smooth, articular cartilage that covers the femoral head and the acetabulum becomes chafed and weakened, making the joint capsule inflamed and thickened (Cornell Baker Institute). Unfortunately, this allows for muscles in the region of the joint to shrink, and the bulk is lost. The longer this disease is left to spiral out of control, the easier it is for little spurs, called osteophytes, to develop at the bone-cartilage interface (Cornell Baker Institute). At this point, the joint’s entire structural frame has been weakened, causing a lot of pain and hardship for the dog. The actual point of the pain is that there is intense inflammation around the joint capsule, as well as the nerve endings being stretched in the initial first stages of the disease.

Because this is such a prevalent disease in so many of our dogs, hip dysplasia is pretty high on the list for ailments veterinarian scientists are trying to cure, or at least manage. One of the organizations that is dedicated to helping this cause is the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, or the OFFA. Because we have found no set cure, we have been forced to find other ways to make our pets’ lives easier. Currently, there are many different types of treatment for osteoarthritis. One of these is the treatment of management by using drugs (OFFA). It is usually one of the first steps taken in managing the symptoms of hip dysplasia. For instance, some people might use a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory pain reliever that can help ease a dog’s lameness. These kinds of drugs help by inhibiting prostaglandin release, which reduces the amount of pain a dog will experience in the affected joint (OFFA). However, drugs may not be able to manage a dog’s symptoms. If the osteoarthritis becomes too much of a problem and it disables the dog, surgical steps can be taken.

If surgery seems like the only viable source of relief for the dog, the owner should first take into consideration the dog’s age. Sometimes dogs ten months and under suffer from subluxation hip dysplasia (a partial dislocation or misalignment) and a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy surgery can be performed (OFFA). This surgery helps to reestablish the joint’s stability and strength. It also helps to decrease the rate of biomechanical abnormalities before actual osteoarthritis occurs. The recovery time for a TPO surgery is around four to six weeks, and it has been reported that there is a high recovery rate. Most young dogs with simple subluxations – not full-blown osteoarthritis – were able to regain their joint movement and live healthy lives again.

However, if the dog is over ten months old that already have been diagnosed with actual osteoarthritis and the disease can no longer be medically managed, the only real way to restore full health and movement back to the affected joint is to perform a full hip replacement. If the surgery is successful, the dog will no longer have the pain and inflammation tearing their joint down, and they would be able to live a happier and healthier life (OFFA). As many as 95% of dogs were turned to normal functioning. Unfortunately, many owners shy away from this surgical method because of its expense. A total hip replacement for a dog in the US is generally anywhere around $4,400 to $4,700 (Ohio State University Veterinarian Medical Center). For many people, this just simply isn’t in the budget, and they try to continue to manage the dog’s issues medically. However, it sometimes gets so bad that the owner must put the dog down to save them from their pain.

While hip dysplasia can occur in a dog because of unsafe exercising in a puppy, many dogs could be spared from this disease if breeders only put more effort into eliminating the issue within their bloodlines. Osteoarthritis is predominantly a hereditary disease, and many larger breeds are plagued with it. Backyard breeders and puppy mills breed for cash profit and do not take into consideration the health of the dogs they are breeding. Because they are not out to better their breed, they do not take the necessary health precautions to ensure that future puppies will be free from hip dysplasia. To help eliminate these hereditary issues, there are registries that help keep breeders accountable and help them choose healthy stud dogs. One of the most well-known registries is the OFFA. The OFFA offers pre-screening to possible breeding dogs to determine whether or not they have hip dysplasia. If the breeder is a dedicated one who is trying to better their breed, then they will have their breeding dogs tested for hips, elbows, heart and eyes through the OFFA (OFFA). The OFFA grades these features on a scale of “Excellent,” “Good,” or “Poor.” Good breeders list their dogs as having, for example, excellent hips, poor elbows, good eyes, and excellent heart. Taking these steps could help to drastically reduce hereditary issues within our dogs. However, as long as there are breeders who breed only for profit, these issues will remain a huge threat.

It is unfortunate that even though good breeders take all the necessary precautions to prevent hereditary hip dysplasia, it is still possible for a puppy to develop it on their own. This is due to unsafe exercising and poor diets. While it is possible for an adult dog to develop it, it is pretty common in puppies. This is because a puppy’s hip joints are not fully grown at its younger stages. By allowing a puppy with hips that are not fully grown to excessively run, jump, and slide around on slick surfaces, the owner puts them at risk for developing hip dysplasia (2ndChance). When getting a puppy, it is important to come up with a plan on how you will safely exercise them. By making sure they do not play on ice or slick wood floors, the owner helps prevent the hip joints from straining and being twisted the wrong way. By restricting how much your puppy runs and jumps, you prevent the hips from sliding out of place. It is also important for owners to regularly bring their puppies to a good veterinarian. Another huge factor that plays a role in the overall health in a puppy is their diet. By feeding a whole, natural balanced diet, you are preventing a lot of health issues and assuring that the proper nutrients are being spread throughout your puppy’s entire body (2ndChance).

Should your dog be unlucky enough to experience osteoarthritis, it is important to know and understand the symptoms of the disease. It is equally important to know how to react when you come across symptoms as well.
If a puppy is experiencing symptoms, they might be unusually quiet and good. Because of the pain they are in, they do not expel as much energy as a healthy puppy would. They also would have underdeveloped muscle mass and bony hindquarters (PetFinder). However, for adult dogs, it is important to know that they might not show any signs of discomfort until they are four to five years old. Some of the symptoms of hip dysplasia in adult dogs include “bunny-hopping.” This is when a dog is running or ascending up stairs and they use their back legs at the same time, making it look like they are hopping (PetFinder). The dog could also have a funny sitting position, called a side sit. A side sit is when one leg is out to the side, or both back legs are directly in front of the dog when it is sitting.

A swaying walk is also important to look for. If you notice your dog’s back end sways back and forth when it is walking, it is because of loose hip joints (PetFinder), which of course is a prominent sign of hip dysplasia. Dogs may also experience limping, an unusual laying position (where the dog lays on its stomach and the back legs are stretched out behind them,) or an overdeveloped chest due to the dog shifting its weight to the front of its body to lessen the stress on their back joints (PetFinder). Another obvious symptom would be when a dog does not jump. Dogs who would usually jump on guests when they came to the door don’t jump anymore. For dogs that enjoy sleeping on the couch, you might notice that they tend to pull their front end up onto the sofa instead of jumping on it like a healthy dog would. (PetFinder).

If an owner suspects that their puppy or adult dog is suffering from hip dysplasia, the first thing they should do is get them to a veterinarian. The veterinarian will take x-rays of the dog’s hips and determine if it really is osteoarthritis (2ndChance). If x-rays come back positive for hip dysplasia, there are a number of different ways to help treat and manage it. The first and most important thing to consider is the amount of pain the dog is in. If the dog is in severe pain, it is important to start medications and physical therapies immediately to help reduce the pain and bring back quality of life. If the dog is seemingly in little pain, then it is ok to go a bit slower in the treatment and come up with a solid plan of action (2ndChance).

In the end, osteoarthritis will always be something pet owners are going to have to watch out for. However, if a potential owner does their research and finds a good breeder who has taken the necessary precautions to insure good health in their puppies, and owners take good care of their puppies, hip dysplasia cases can be reduced dramatically. When pet owners become more aware of the diseases that can harm their animals, we will be able to almost eliminate some of the biggest problems in the dog world.

Works Cited

2ndChance-When your Dog has Hip Dysplasia/CHD. www.2ndchance.info/hipdysplasiadog.htm. 2014, Dr. Ronald Hines/When your Dog has Hip Dysplasia.

Cornell University, College of Veterinarian Medicine, Baker Institute for Animal Health. www.bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu Baker Institute/Animal Health/Canine Hip Dysplasia. 2007 at Cornell University and Baker Institute for Animal Health.

The Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center. http://vet.osu.edu/vmc/faq-total-hip-replacement
2014, The Ohio State University, College of Veterinarian Medicine/Total Hip Replacement. The Ohio State Veterinary Medical Center/Hospital for Companion Animals.

The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, OFFA. www.offa.org/hd_treatment Orthopedic Foundation for Animals/Hip Dysplasia Treatment Options. 2010 Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

PetFinder, Canine Hip Dysplasia. https://www.petfinder.com/dogs/dog-health/dog-hip-dysplasia/
Sally Doyle/by PetFinder/Canine Hip Dysplasia.

The United States Humane Society. The United States Humane Society/Pets by the Numbers. http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/pet_overpopulation/facts/pet_ownership_statistics.html. January 30th, 2014, The United States Humane Society/Pets by the Numbers.