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Hip Dysplasia
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Hip dysplasia is a faulty development of the hip joint. All breeds are at risk but it most commonly affects the larger breeds. It is hereditary and is also affected by diet and other factors.
It can affect dogs early in life and progressively gets worse as dogs age. Dysplasia starts out as a laxity of the ball and socket joint. As time goes by, the architecture of the joint becomes deformed and the hip develops degenerative joint disease.
This type of arthritis is very painful and dogs will have varying degrees of lameness. They may have difficulty in getting up, and once up they may walk with a stiff or abnormal gait.
Radiographs are needed to confirm the diagnosis of hip dysplasia. Severe cases may need surgery.
If caught early, medication can go a long way in treating these dogs and avoiding surgery. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories such as carprofen relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Good long term results are achieved with some of the natural products designed for use in dogs such as glucosamine. With use of these two groups of medications our dogs don’t need to suffer from pain associated with hip dysplasia.
Compliments of Ronni Tudin DVM MRCVS, 941-923-3100.
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