Hip dysplasia in dogs

Hip dysplasia is a developmental condition, which causes pain and arthritis in young puppies and adult dogs. Any breed can develop hip dysplasia, but it’s commonly seen in medium to large breeds and is strongly influenced by genetics.

It happens when the ball and socket joint in a dog’s hip doesn’t develop normally. Instead of fitting neatly together, the two sides of the joint are misshapen, mismatched and have too much freedom to move. This can cause damage, friction and inflammation. Depending on the severity, sooner or later, the deteriorating hip joint starts to cause problems.

Hip dysplasia is mainly caused by genetics but severity can be influenced by diet and exercise.

Hip dysplasia is often inherited from one or both of the puppy’s parents. The severity of hip dysplasia can also be affected by other factors which influence how your puppy’s bones develop. Being overweight, nutritional imbalances, or excessive stress and strain from injuries or high-impact activities can worsen the condition.

Although any dog can develop hip dysplasia, medium to large-sized breeds are often most affected by the condition. Breeds commonly prone to the condition include:

• German Shepherds
• Golden Retrievers
• Labradors
• Newfoundlands
• Rottweilers
• Bernese Mountain Dogs

Symptoms can begin at any age, with some dogs showing no signs until much later in life when arthritis begins to develop. The early signs of hip dysplasia in growing dogs are also very similar to the signs of mild hip dysplasia and early arthritis in adult dogs.

Symptoms can include:

• hip pain
• decreased activity
• decreased range of motion
• stiffness
• bunny hopping (hind legs together as one when running)
• avoiding exercise or getting tired quickly

Diagnosis

If your dog is showing any of the symptoms of hip dysplasia, speak to your vet. Diagnosing the condition involves checking for abnormal hip movement. This involves a general anaesthetic or a strong sedative to carefully position your dog for X-rays of their hips and pelvis.

Even with mild symptoms, if hip dysplasia is diagnosed while your puppy is still growing, surgery may be the best way to ensure a full and active life. For adult dogs with mild hip dysplasia, management and lifestyle changes can be enough to reduce pain and slow the deterioration of the hip joint. Your vet’s recommendations may well include all of the following:

• a controlled diet and regular weight checks
• anti-inflammatory medication
• low-impact exercise to build muscle, such as hydrotherapy
• specific strengthening exercises or physiotherapy
• reducing slip and fall risks
• limiting high-impact activities like jumping
• joint supplements

Prognosis

Hip dysplasia is a lifelong condition that gets worse over time. The aim of management is for that to happen as slowly as possible to minimise pain. With the right care, many dogs with mild hip dysplasia are able to live a happy and active life without ever needing surgery.

With severe, advanced or end-stage hip dysplasia, your dog can experience:

• osteoarthritis as the joints deteriorate
• greater pain levels which impact mood and irritability
• difficulty walking
• stiffness and exercise avoidance
• wobbling or swaying
• struggling to stand up, lie down or use stairs
• muscle wasting on their back legs
• enlarged shoulder muscles to compensate

Diagnosis

Diagnosing hip dysplasia involves a general anaesthetic or sedation. This is so your dog can be positioned in the right way to accurately assess the condition of their hips and pelvis.

When symptoms begin young or if your dog isn’t responding well to non-surgical options, your vet may suggest surgery. The surgical options available depend on age, severity and sometimes even your dog’s size:

• Fusing part of the pelvis in puppies less than 18 weeks of age.
• Rotating part of the pelvis in growing dogs less than 10-12 months old.
• Total hip replacement surgery, often performed on larger dogs. The damaged ball and socket are removed and replaced. This keeps good movement and flexibility.
• A salvage procedure to remove the damaged ball, often performed on smaller dogs and used when total hip replacement surgery isn’t possible. Can lead to limited flexibility.

Prognosis

Many dogs who have surgery for their hip dysplasia at a young age go on to lead happier, more active lives than they would have done otherwise. For older dogs the main aim is to reduce pain – their flexibility may or may not improve depending on the type of surgery performed.

However, with any surgery, there can be complications and a full recovery often takes weeks if not months.

“While almost everyone knows a dog with ‘a bit of hip dysplasia’, thankfully, severe hip dysplasia is rare. Pre-breeding screening is essential to reduce the risk, but even then, severity isn’t entirely predictable and can be life-altering.

“Imagine an active, outdoorsy family who chose a high-energy, working-type puppy to join their adventures… Only to find that despite bags of enthusiasm, pain and stiffness hold their pup back. I’ve seen how heartbreaking and frustrating this can be for everyone. And while surgery can make a big difference, it’s a major undertaking, usually done at a referral centre and often followed by rehabilitation.

“At the other end of the spectrum, people’s expectations for managing mild cases often don’t match reality. It doesn’t begin and end with giving an anti-inflammatory. Symptoms evolve as dogs go through different life stages, and the same medication won’t always suit them. Over time, X-rays to monitor bony changes, multiple medications, blood tests to check liver and kidney function, and sometimes surgery may be required. Whatever the severity, hip dysplasia means lifelong care.”

Dr Nicole Olewinski – BVSc MRCVS

Let us know about your dog’s hip dysplasia when getting a quote for Lifetime Plus insurance and we’ll see if we can cover them*.

It’s important to tell us about all the conditions they’ve had in the last two years.

Find out more about our dog insurance for pre-existing medical conditions.