Hip dysplasia in dogs is a disease that causes serious discomfort to the animal, making it difficult for them to carry out daily activities such as walking or running and reducing their quality of life.
Dogs are not the only pets that can suffer from this ailment, it can also occur in cats, for example, secondary osteoarthritis is common in geriatric cats.
We recommend that, in the event of any strange symptoms in your pet, you go to our center to carry out a complete examination of the animal and we can tackle the disease as soon as possible.
What is hip dysplasia in dogs
As its name indicates, this disease develops in the hip of our animal, more specifically, in the coxofemoral joint, responsible for joining the femur with the pelvis. At this point, by not fitting correctly, mobility is reduced. The definition of dysplasia in any joint is:
“An inconsistency that causes, among other changes, a deformation of the joint surfaces and, over time, a secondary osteoarthritis.”
The disease develops throughout the animal’s life but generally does not become manifest until adulthood. Dysplasia is perceived on many occasions as a puppy, but it indeed becomes asymptomatic in most cases, and it is in the adult state, from the age of 4 and a half, when secondary osteoarthritis manifests itself. In this initial stage of growth and development of our dog, the hip does not adopt the correct shape, but rather it forms incongruously, preventing its correct development and movement.
It should be noted that hip dysplasia is a multifactorial disease in which genetics plays an important role, so if we know the family history of our pet, we can make an early diagnosis.
Causes and symptoms of dysplasia in dogs
Many factors can cause this disease, from genetic to environmental, but the factors that most influence its development are:
- The genetics . As we mentioned before, it is a disease with a hereditary component.
- inappropriate activity . Performing inappropriate exercises, especially in the growth stage, can favor the appearance of dysplasia.
- The obesity. From a preventive point of view, it is important to control our pet’s diet so as not to favor dysplasia. Especially in the puppy stage, as being overweight is a risk factor. Do not neglect the first care of a puppy .
Our dog will send us warning signs that we must be able to recognize to go to a specialist to diagnose the disease. The most common symptoms that can alert us, although they do not have to manifest at the same time or continuously, are:
- Little or no activity.
- Weakness in the hind legs.
- Hip stiffness.
Grades of hip dysplasia
There are five different degrees of dysplasia in dogs and depending on where your pet is, it will suffer more or less pain.
- Grade I. The hip is normal and there is no dysplasia
- Grade II. Slight suspicion of its existence.
- Grade III. Radiographic tests confirm mild dysplasia
- Grade IV. moderate dysplasia.
- Grade V. Severe dysplasia.
Consequences of hip dysplasia
In addition to the difficulty in moving correctly and the pain, hip dysplasia tends to inflame the tissues and weaken them, which in the long run can cause osteoarthritis, generating greater inflammation and pain in the animal.
Does hip dysplasia in dogs have a treatment?
Unfortunately, this disease has no cure, although there are treatments such as physiotherapy that can alleviate the symptoms – along with other pharmacological treatments that help to manage it – to improve the quality of life of our dog.
In other cases, surgical intervention may be necessary. One option would be arthroplasty of the femoral head, which consists of eliminating the pain of rubbing by amputating this part. It would become the muscles responsible for carrying the weight of the extremities in such a case. After the operation, it is necessary to carry out a postoperative period and resort to physiotherapy to help him walk again. The other surgical intervention of choice is hip replacement.
In any case, when our dog is diagnosed with hip dysplasia, it is recommended to follow a protocol to prevent the disease from leading to osteoarthritis. For this, it will be carried out:
- Weight control to avoid being overweight, as we explained earlier, an excess of kilos can favor the worsening of the disease.
- Use of medications and food supplements in order to slow down the disease.
- Promote movement without reaching excess.
- Control the level of pain .
- Physiotherapy treatment to control pain and slow down the disease.
Breeds most prone to hip dysplasia
Within the breeds of dogs, there are some with an incidence greater than 20%, which are usually associated with large breeds such as the Rottweiler, the English, French, and American Bulldog, Saint Bernard, the German Shepherd, the Golden Retriever, or the Boyero. from Bern.
hip dysplasia in cats
As we mentioned at the beginning, cats can also suffer from this disease, which, like dogs, makes it difficult for them to move and causes a lot of pain.
In general, dysplasia in cats is more frequent in breeds such as Persians, Maine Coons, or British Shorthairs, although it does not mean that other breeds may develop it.
The most common symptoms that can alert us are:
- Weakness in the joints, especially when they are small.
- less activity
- Difficulty jumping or running.
- Hind legs closer together than normal.
- Difficulty getting up.
- Intermittent limp.
Now that you know the symptoms of hip dysplasia in dogs and cats, we advise you to be attentive to the possible signs that your pet emits, and when in the slightest doubt, go to our veterinary hospital to have the animal checked. Remember that the sooner diseases are diagnosed, the less suffering for our best friends.
