Canine Hip Dysplasia

Many people like to keep dogs, especially lonely elderly people, who often keep dogs as companions. After keeping a dog, they will treat it as a member of the family and take good care of it. Dogs often bring joy to people. However, some dogs may have physical problems that require treatment, such as canine hip dysplasia, which is a common disease that can worsen and be life-threatening if left untreated.

What is Canine Hip Dysplasia?

Canine Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia (CHD) is a common hip disease in medium to large dogs that causes degenerative arthritis in the hip joint that progresses throughout the dog's life. The exact cause and pathogenesis of CHD are still not very clear. It is generally believed that canine hip dysplasia is a polygenic genetic disease. In addition, the occurrence and development of this disease is also affected by factors such as environment and nutritional status. In China, the dog breeds are somewhat different from those in foreign countries. Canine hip dysplasia is more common in Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Alaskan Dogs and German Shepherds.

How to diagnose

The international OFA standard scoring method is to take two standard X-rays (ventral-dorsal view and ventral-dorsal frog view) when the dog is 24 months old, and score the dog based on the positional relationship between the hip joint and the femoral head and the degree of inflammation in the joint. However, clinically, it is too late to diagnose a 2-year-old adult dog, as the morphological structure of the hip joint has already been formed.

3. Treatment

Treatment for canine hip dysplasia includes conservative treatment, early intervention treatment, and late treatment. Conservative treatment is to use joint health drugs to protect joints, reduce weight, do appropriate exercises to increase the tension of joint muscles and ligaments, and provide reasonable physical therapy measures using water treadmills or swimming.

How to Prevent Canine Hip Dysplasia

1. Take your dog to the veterinarian for testing. If you suspect your dog may have hip dysplasia, it's best to take him to a veterinarian for testing. The sooner it is diagnosed, the sooner you can treat your dog's condition and help manage any pain or discomfort he may be experiencing.

2. When your dog grows up, keep it active and help it maintain moderate physical exercise, such as running, walking and swimming.