Hip Dysplasia In Dogs

Because hip dysplasia is a genetic abnormal formation of the hip joint, there is no cure for hip dysplasia. Depending on the severity of hip dysplasia and how much pain the dog is in, the course for treatment will differ. Hip dysplasia is most common in the larger breeds of dogs such as German Shepherds, Mastiffs, and Golden Retrievers, but it has been seen in over 82 different breeds including smaller ones such as Cocker Spaniels. Hip dysplasia occurs when the femur head doesn’t fit properly in the concave socket in the pelvis. The femur head and socket are covered in cartilage to ensure a tight fit and smooth movement. When a dog has hip dysplasia, abnormal fit causes wear and tear of the cartilage causing inflammation and leading to arthritis. Depending on how bad the arthritis is from the hip dysplasia, your dog may do well with conservative management. Non-surgical management consists of pain medication, controlling weight, and controlling exercise. A lot of physical activity would be painful in arthritic hips, but walking, swimming, and a little jogging is good to keep up the muscle mass. If your dog is overweight, it would make the pain of the arthritis worse.

If your dog’s arthritis and dysplasia is pretty severe, your option is surgery. If your dog is younger with minimal arthritis, your option of surgery is a triple pelvic osteotomy. In this procedure three different bone cuts are made to free the socket of the hip joint from the rest of the pelvis. The socket is then rotated to provide a better fit for the femur head, and a bone plate is applied to maintain this position. Once the bone cuts are healed many dogs recover very well after this surgery. If your dog has severe arthritis and isn’t a good candidate for this surgery, there is a total hip replacement or femoral head ostectomy. For a total hip replacement, the femoral head is replaced with a titanium component and the socket is replaced with a plastic cup prosthesis. This procedure can be done on both hips or just one hip and is very effective for dogs that have severe arthritis. The femoral head ostectomy consists of removing the femoral head and allowing the femur to float about freely causing scar tissue to form. As the scar tissue hardens and thickens, it creates a false joint called a pseudoarthrosis. This is also an effective surgery for dogs with severe arthritis.

If your dog is diagnosed with hip dysplasia, you have options. Talk to your veterinarian about how severe the arthritis may be and ask what your dog’s options are. Remember, your dog may not have severe arthritis and may not need surgery; you could get away with pain medication, restricting exercise, and putting your dog on a dietary supplement that contains glucoasime.