Hip Dysplasia (HD) in Dogs

Hip dysplasia - short HD - is a largely genetic disorder of the hip joint, which - contrary to the popular opinion – is not only found in German shepherds. Indeed, this was the breed that was first diagnosed with HD, but it can be encountered in almost all breeds. However, large growing dogs run a higher risk of suffering from HD. Besides, the genetic background, a poor diet and an incorrect posture also play important roles in the development and progression of the disease. We distinguish between various degrees of HD severity, the Norberg angle being an essential criterion. This is the angle formed between the line connecting the centers of both femoral heads and the front hip joint. In the event of HD, this angle is 105 ° or less.

Symptoms and disease progression

Hip dysplasia is difficult for dog owners to recognize at first, but obvious symptoms include pain and dogs are generally considered less prone to pain. In addition to this, the manifestations of symptoms are considered to be dependent on age and the stage of the disease. As the disease progresses, you will notice that the dog will sit more often during longer walks and that it will sometimes howl because of the pain. You will definitely see the changes during the progression of HD.

You might notice that the dog is more inclined on one side and might have some trouble with its hind legs. A crunching or cracking of the joint can be heard. You should always consult a vet who can confirm the suspicion and detect the level of severity if these symptoms appear. A dog is suspected of suffering from HD if the Norberg angle is sharper than 105 ° or if there are slight irregularities in the acetabular or femoral head. The animal must be observed.

A light form of HD occurs when the femoral head and acetabulum are uneven, the Norberg angle is less than 100 ° and there are slight arthritic changes. An average high angle and a significant degree of unevenness of up to 90 ° are visible. These arthritic changes are to be expected in any case. HD leads to serious changes and a flashy hip-Norberg angle below 90 degrees. Various arthritic changes are the result.

Medicines and cure

Hip dysplasia is not curable, in principle, but you can relieve the pain and delay the progression. The first thing you should avoid is the dog climbing stairs, jumping, getting into high boot racks and you should reduce its walks on hard because the more the hip is hereby charged, the faster the joints wear down. The vet will resort to different treatments depending on the severity of HD.

First of all, it will certainly come to drug therapy and analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs are used. Their implementation may take several years of pain, the pectineus muscle - a muscle on the inside of the thigh – may be cut or removed and the vet might cut around the edge of the joint capsule. A surgical tightening of the joint capsule is also possible. However, this is performed only in young animals because there are no abrasions.

Also, young dogs can also have an osteotomy of the pelvis. This elaborate operation leads to an improvement of the femoral head and the acetabulum. A very expensive, but extremely effective treatment is the insertion of an artificial hip joint, which promises a life free of symptoms. However, subsequent rehabilitation measures like specific movements or muscle building are required. There is an equally good and long-lasting success with respect to the promises of relief from pain if the joint head is removed. Physical therapy should follow. Unfortunately, permanent impairment is sometimes observed. The efficacy of alternative medicine in veterinary medicine is controversial, but the insertion of gold pins in the muscles of the acupuncture points seems to be a popular solution.

Prevention (vaccination)

There is no real prevention of HD except for a vaccine. One can only achieve the prevention of progression through proper nutrition and targeted movement. Excessive loads, compressing and stretching of the joints should be avoided. An added dose of the lining cartilage anabolic agents is possible. A particularly important approach to prevention is avoiding the inheritance of HD. Therefore, numerous dog breeding associations require a certificate showing that breed dogs are free of HD. However, there is no guarantee that a dog will not present hip dysplasia even if its parents or ancestors did not suffer from this disease.