How Can You Tell If Your Dog Has Hip Dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia can affect dogs of all ages. However, the symptoms usually do not show up until the middle or later years in the dog's life. The disease has been detected in puppies as young as five months old. Our Siberian husky was a very healthy puppy and didn't develop the disease until he was about 9 years old. He lived until he was 13 years old. Husky puppies eventually grow up to be a large dog breed. Unfortunately this disease is common in the larger dog breeds.

The early signs of hip deterioration are pain and discomfort during and after exercise. Unfortunately the condition will worsen with time. Simple daily activities like getting up and walking around will become extremely painful. A dog with this disease must have intervention or they could eventually end up unable to walk. The signs and symptoms are similar to arthritis.

Dogs affected by the disease often walk or run with an altered gait. They may also resist any type of movements that require full extension of their rear legs. Dogs suffering from this disease will often run with a "bunny hop." Getting up slowly the first thing in the morning is also a sign of hip dysplasia. Stiffness is very common. Having trouble getting up was one of the first signs that our husky was having problems with his hind legs. His hind legs almost seemed paralyzed when he would get up. It took a little walking around to loosen them up.

Climbing the stairs is also usually a tough task for a dog whose hips are deteriorating. Some dogs that have milder cases of the disease will be able to work through the stiffness with a little walking warm-up. Limping is also common and a dog may become less willing to participate in their normal daily activities.

Many owners think that this is a direct effect of aging. Most people are surprised when they find out that there is treatment available. Unfortunately as the condition progresses, most dogs will lose muscle tone and they'll need help getting up.

There are several different surgical procedures that can be used to treat the disease. The type of surgery needed would depend on the dog's age, body size, and the severity of the hip joint's degeneration. Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO)is a procedure that is usually used in young dogs. Most are pups less 10 months of age that really have not developed major damage to the joints. Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis is a less invasive surgery. This procedure must be done before 20 weeks of age, preferably 16 weeks, and before any signs of arthritis are evident. Total Hip Replacement is usually only used for dogs that suffer from chronic hip dysplasia. While this is an expensive surgery, most dogs will return to a near normal level of activity without pain.