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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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.
Choosing Petgevity to protect your pets gives you more than just vet fee cover. Here's what you get from our policy.
Dental accident
Covers your pet up to the chosen vet fee limit if they have a dental accident or injury. Always be sure to take your pet for annual dental check-ups, and follow your vet’s advice.
Behavioural treatment
Get expert help with your pet’s mental and emotional wellbeing, as advised by your vet. Cover up to your chosen vet fee amount or the cost of up to 12 sessions, whichever is lower (Lifetime Plus); or up to £1,000 (Lifetime).
Complementary therapy
As advised by your vet, this covers alternative treatments like acupuncture or hydrotherapy. Cover up to your chosen vet fee amount (Lifetime Plus); or up to chosen vet fee amount or £1,500, whichever is lower (Lifetime).
Emergency care
If you can’t look after your pet due to an emergency, such as an unplanned hospital visit, this covers you for up to £1,500 (Lifetime Plus) in minding costs.
Third-party liability for dogs
Covers you for legal costs if your dog causes injury to somebody or their pet, or causes loss or damage to someone’s property. Protects you for up to £2 million in a legal action.
Choice of optional extras
Need extra protection? Choose from several optional extras to cover your pet’s needs, including dental illness, or cover if your pet is stolen or lost.
Defaqto 5 star rating when you choose vet fees over £4,000 with all optional add-ons included.
Basic cover alone has 3 star rating
Three-time winner National Insurance Awards Pet Insurance Award 2022, 2023 & 2024.
Awarded Best Pet Insurance Provider at The Money Mentor Awards 2024
†For Lifetime Plus policies only – details correct as of 10 September 2024 via competitor websites. Competitor products are subject to their own T&Cs and can have different limits and requirements for cats versus dogs at different ages. For full details, please check the relevant policy wording. For full details of Petgevity pet insurance, please read our policy wording.
The only way to prevent hip dysplasia is to not breed dogs who suffer from the condition. Screening both parents (even if they seem healthy with no signs) can check if the condition could be passed on to their puppies.
Your vet can arrange for your dog to be x-rayed under the Canine Health Schemes Hip Dysplasia Scheme. They’ll then send the x-rays and other relevant information to be scored by a BVA veterinary surgeon.
Dogs must be at least 12 months old and microchipped to be eligible for the CHS Hip Dysplasia Scheme. There’s no upper age limit to the scheme.
The cost of submission to the BVA Hip and Elbow Scheme starts from £82.50 (with discounts available for Kennel Club registered breeders).
This is on top of your vet’s costs for the X-rays and sedation.
A hip brace may be able to support your dog’s movement and help ease their hip pain. Speak to your vet to see if this is an option that will work for your pup.
Always check with a vet before exercising a dog with hip dysplasia. Normally it’s fine to take your dog on frequent shorter walks to help their recovery and with weight management.
*Cover for pre-existing medical conditions is subject to acceptance. They will not be covered unless you have declared them and they are shown on your Confirmation of Cover.
**Illnesses and symptoms won’t be covered in the first 14 days and accidents won’t be covered in the first 2 days of the policy. This is unless you are switching from another lifetime pet insurance product with no break in cover and the claim you want to make would have been covered by your previous policy. Other exclusions may apply to other sections.