Elbow dysplasia in dogs

Elbow dysplasia happens when a dog’s elbow joints develop abnormally.

The elbow is made up of three bones, the humerus, radius and ulna. Elbow dysplasia refers to a group of developmental conditions where these bones fail to fit together smoothly.

When the elbow doesn’t articulate properly, this causes pressure on parts of the joint, leading to small stress fractures and pain. As your dog ages, wear and tear can cause the elbow joints to deteriorate and become arthritic, leading to stiffness, pain and discomfort.

The cause of elbow dysplasia is often genetics – the condition is passed down from one or both of the dog’s parents. Growth rate, nutrition, body weight and type of exercise during puppyhood can influence how severely the condition develops – though they’re not usually the primary cause.

It’s possible for any dog to develop elbow dysplasia, but large and giant breeds are especially prone to the condition. Some of these breeds include:

• Golden Retrievers
• Rottweilers
• Labradors
• English Springer Spaniels
• German Shepherds
• Chow Chows
• Bernese Mountain Dogs
• Newfoundlands

The first signs of the condition can appear from six months old. Mild elbow dysplasia may not show until the dog is older and has developed arthritis.

Dogs with the condition can show symptoms like:

• stiffness (especially after lying down)
• limping on one or both front legs (this can show as a ‘padding’ gait or head nodding when walking)
• avoiding exercise
• difficulty going downstairs
• front paws pointed out and/or elbows at unusual angles
• swollen elbows

If you think your dog may have elbow dysplasia, take them to your vet. They’ll look for swollen and painful joints, a stilted walk, and signs of pain when flexing and extending your dog’s elbows.

Your vet will also need to take some X-rays of your dog’s elbow, although X-rays alone cannot detect all components of elbow dysplasia. Many cases require further imaging, such as a CT scan. This is the gold-standard imaging method, and it helps to identify subtle bone changes and fragments. In some situations, arthroscopy (keyhole examination of the joint) may be recommended to directly assess the cartilage and confirm the disease.

Treatment options

Management of elbow dysplasia is tailored to the individual dog and depends heavily on which components are present, their severity, the dog’s age, and whether arthritis has already developed. Treatment typically includes a combination of medical management and, where appropriate, surgery.

Your vet may suggest some or a combination of the following:

Weight management

Being overweight will put extra strain on your dog’s joints, which is why it’s important to keep them at a healthy weight for their breed. This may involve a controlled diet and weight loss programme.

Controlled exercise

Encourage your dog to have low-impact exercise (such as short, regular walks) that’s appropriate to their breed. Minimise high-impact exercise like running, jumping, turning at speed, boisterous play with other dogs and ball catching.

Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy

Physiotherapy and hydrotherapy help to build up your dog’s muscle strength without putting strain on their elbows.

Pain relief

Anti-inflammatory and other pain medications may be prescribed to control the pain and discomfort caused by this condition.

Joint supplements

Joint supplements may be recommended to try and maintain joint health as much as possible.

Surgery

More severe forms of elbow dysplasia may need surgery by a specialist veterinary surgeon. The goal of surgery is not to ‘cure’ elbow dysplasia – because arthritis may still progress over time – but to correct the underlying mechanical problem, remove painful fragments or reduce abnormal forces in the joint.

Options may include arthroscopic removal of bone/cartilage fragments, addressing joint incongruity, or procedures aimed at redistributing weight-bearing forces. Early surgical intervention often yields the best long-term outcomes, but some dogs can manage well with medical therapy alone.

“In practice, elbow dysplasia is one of the most common causes of forelimb lameness I see in young, medium-to-large breed dogs. The early signs can be surprisingly easy for owners to miss – many dogs simply appear a little stiff after rest or reluctant to jump into the car.

“Even when X-rays look fairly unremarkable, clinical pain on flexion and extension of the elbow can be an early indicator that something isn’t quite right. Advanced imaging, such as CT, often provides a clearer picture and helps guide treatment.”

“Most dogs benefit greatly from a combined approach: maintaining a lean bodyweight, controlled exercise, joint-friendly physiotherapy and appropriate analgesia. For some, arthroscopic surgery can make a dramatic difference, particularly when there are loose fragments or significant incongruity within the joint.

“With the right management plan, many of the dogs I treat go on to lead comfortable, active lives despite their diagnosis.”

Emma Chandley – BVetMed PGCert SAS MRCVS

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Just let us know about all the conditions your dog has had in the last two years, and we’ll see if we can cover them*.

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