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HIP
DYSPLASIA
Hip dysplasia is
a mostly
inherited
disease
involving
abnormal
development of
the femoral head
and acetabulum.
All puppies are
born with normal
hips. The hips
of dysplastic
dogs will
subsequently
undergo
progressive
structural
changes. Either
the socket (acetabulum)
will become too
shallow or the
ligaments and/or
muscles do not
exert enough
control to keep
the femoral head
from slipping
away from the
socket. The
severity of
radiographic
changes in a
particular dog
can range from
normal to mildly
affected to
severely
affected. There
is no
correlation
between
radiographic
findings and
clinical signs.
A dog whose
x-rays show
severe disease
may not show any
outward signs
and a mildly
affected dog may
have difficulty
even walking.
Regardless of
the symptoms,
they are both
dysplastic and
they both carry
the genes
necessary to
pass on the
disease
All my dogs were
x-rayed in the
Department of
Veterinary
Surgery, Faculty
of Veterinary
Medicine, U.C.D.
Belfield, Dublin
4, when they
were over one
year old, but I
have now found a
lovely
Veterinarian in
Wexford that
will also take
these x-rays of
my youngsters
and then send
them to the
British
Veterinary
Association for
scoring. The
results may take
several weeks to
be forwarded to
U.C.D. or my
Veterinarian in
Wexford, and
then on to me.
When received I
decide if the
dog scored is
suitable for
breeding, and I
will never breed
from them if the
score is above
the means
average. I can
sleep at night
knowing that I
have done my
best not to
cause suffering
to one of the
little puppies I
have brought
into the world.
SIGNS OF HIP
DYSPLASIA:
Lameness
Waddling/Swaying
gait
"Bunny Hop"
(both hind
legs move
together
when the dog
is running)
Acute
episodes of
lameness
after
exercise
Morning
stiffness
Reluctance
to move
Change in
temperament
Obvious pain
(some dogs
are more
stoic than
others)
Overdevelopment
of the
fore-limb
and shoulder
musculature
Underdevelopment
of the
rear-limb
musculature
I cannot express
strongly enough
the importance
of having both
the bitch and
the dog X-RAYED
AND HIP SCORED
if you intend
breeding from
them.
For An
In-depth Look at
Elbow & Hip
Dysplasia in
Dogs Please
Click on Mr. Fox
above
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