Hip Dysplasia In Dogs: Everything To Know in 2024

Dog Hip Dysplasia

First of all, what is hip dysplasia? Hip dysplasia is a developmental bone disease in which the head of the thigh bone improperly fits in the hip socket, causing cartilage damage and progressive joint destruction, pain, and swelling. This infection should not be confused with hip arthritis. Instead, it is the most common cause of hip arthritis. Canine hip dysplasia is one of the most devastating diseases in veterinary medicine today because it is very difficult to treat or prevent.

What causes hip dysplasia?

In large breed dogs especially, the beginning of hip dysplasia is mostly commonly associated with periods of rapid growth, when dogs are between three and nine months of age. Therefore, it is better to understand the reasons for this accelerated growth rate. Feeding your puppy with a high-calorie food loaded with carbohydrates and synthetic nutrients can worsen the susceptibility of hip dysplasia because rapid weight gain increases the pressure on the hips. Unnecessary weight gain during this period renders a higher occurrence and more devastating change in dogs. The excess weight doubles the large breed genetic potential for hip dysplasia.

Diet During Rapid Growth Period

Pooches that are allowed to eat as much as they want at any time they want tend to grow much faster than dogs that eat limited amounts of food. This increase in the rate of growth during the puppy stage can cause the body to develop intermittently and make the hips more vulnerable to hip dysplasia. Also, supplementation of certain nutrients can reverse the important phosphorus/calcium balance in the body, which also plays a role in skeletal formation. This is specifically in reference to calcium supplements.

Too Much Calcium

Taking too much calcium during rapid growth periods can cause hip dysplasia in dogs; this is because the extra calcium can accelerate the growth process, which causes bones not to form properly. In the same way, too little calcium can also play a role in the formation of abnormal bones.

Many professional dog breeders encourage new dog owners to supplement their food with calcium during the first year of the dog’s life for the prophylactic measure. Though they may mean well, it can actually create bone problems in your dog, and in addition, it produces defects in other nutrients.

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Insufficient Exercise

Another factor that encourages the condition is insufficient exercise. During the rapid growth period, young dogs should not jump up and down (like jumping up to catch a ball) and standing on their hind legs should be discouraged. As well as running on pavement. And let's be honest, nobody wants to be seen as that overprotective dog parent at the dog park, constantly interrupting play. But being vigilant and mindful of your pup's activities, especially during their rapid growth phase, can make a significant difference in their long-term health.

Genetic Inheritance

And lastly, hip dysplasia in dogs can be inherited genetically, particularly in large breeds of dogs. Sometimes, the disease goes through generations, but the possibilities increase for the dog if the disease affects its immediate ancestry. Though genetics is not the only cause, since it can also develop due to the above mentioned factors, it is best to be as educated and aware as possible in finding a proper diet and exercise regimen to meet the needs of your specific breed of dog.

German Shephard suffering with Hip Dysplasia

Symptoms of Dog Hip Dysplasia

In a dysplastic joint, the femoral head weakly fits into an ill-developed, shallow acetabulum. In serious cases, the femoral head is totally out of joint and arthritic changes are marked. Joint wear and instability occur as muscular growth lack behind the rate of skeletal development. The age of the beginning of hip dysplasia is 4 to 12 months old, and the puppy will show the affected symptoms.

Here are some signs to tell if your dog may have hip dysplasia.

Trouble Walking

The major symptom of dog hip dysplasia is when the pooch has distress in walking or seems to limp on one or both hind legs. Though both of the back legs will be affected by this, the pup may show a limp on the most vulnerable side. Annoying pain will not allow the dog to enjoy any of its normal activities, like running, playing or walking. He will also avoid jumping or climbing stairs and will have difficulty getting up after sitting or lying. There will also be pains in the back/ hip region.

Physical Changes

Another important symptom of dog hip dysplasia is the physical changes, such as muscle wasting in the hip area and underdeveloped thigh muscles. The shoulder muscles will develop as the pooch will places the excess weight in this area that his hind legs will not be able to carry.

Hind Legs Cow-Hocked

If the puppy is too slow to stand on the four legs, or climbs steps or even jumps, this may show that it will grow to develop hip dysplasia. Another strong indicator is whether the puppy's hind legs are cow-hocked, something similar to knock-kneed in humans.

Disabled old pug smiling while standing with dog wheelchair.