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The Care, Treatment, and Studies of Canine Hip Dysplasia

Allison Singleton
MRGS
December 19, 2013













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Hip dysplasia is one of the most common conditions that canines can suffer from,
affecting millions of dogs each year [6]. Larger breeds such as the German Shepherd, Golden
Retriever, and the Rottweiler all seem to have much more of an issue with this disease than other
small breeds [1]. Hip dysplasia is caused by the improper formation of the hip and the hip socket.
The bone begins to grow unnaturally and the friction causes pain and secondary problems such
as arthritis [6]. The many problems that affected dogs owners may face can be quite
challenging. The prevention of this disease is uncertain, the care for dogs with dysplasia greatly
differs from standard pet care, the treatment can be tedious and complicated, although the
information provided on this disease is expanding rapidly, which hopefully means that there will
be a much more effective way to prevent this disease in the near future.
Dogs with hip dysplasia require a great deal of attention. There are many aspects of
ownership that drastically change once this disease is introduced. The owner has a huge
responsibility of providing for that animal what it needs in order to protect itself from further
pain and suffering. The owner is obligated to provide three important factors for the dog: a
proper diet, sufficient exercise, and regular trips to the veterinarian. The diet is a very key aspect
to lessening the pain of this disease. If the dog is fed a healthy and lean diet, then it will not put
on any unnecessary weight, which just puts pressure on the ill-fitting joints [2]. Exercise is also
just as important as the diet. A very strict exercise routine should be created in order to bring
structure and regularity to the dogs life. Also the exercise cannot be too strenuous. A short walk
should suffice, just enough to warm up the muscles to help prevent arthritis, but not enough to
cause immense pain from the grinding of the bones [2]. The final responsibility is obviously to
regularly visit the veterinarian for checkups. The biggest problem with hip dysplasia is that it
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causes other problems like arthritis, so it is of the utmost importance that the dog be checked up
on for other complications on a regular basis [2].
There are numerous treatment options for this disease and a lot that help to reduce the
pain of the secondary issues. The first option would be surgery. A full hip replacement is always
an option, but requires a long recovery period and is expensive. The other option for surgery (as
a last resort) is a femoral head ostectomy which according to VetCentric is when,
The femoral head is removed, allowing the femur to float about freely and causing scar
tissue to form. The scar tissue hardens and thickens, it serves to create a false-joint called
a pseudoarthrosis. [3]
There are also various non-intrusive approaches such as message therapy, acupuncture, routine
exercise, dieting, medications, and physical therapy [3]. The message therapy and acupuncture
are relatively new ideas. They are used as a way to release pain through utter relaxation. By
messaging the dogs hips, it helps to loosen the muscles and ultimately reduce the friction of the
bones. The acupuncture releases built up pressure in the body and around the hip to help coax the
pain away. There are a lot of medications that can also be used as treatment. Such drugs as anti-
inflammatories, injectable pain killers, and disease-modifying osteoarthritis drugs (helps the
body to produce materials that an arthritic joint no longer synthesizes) can all help mainly with
the secondhand arthritis rather than the actual hip dysplasia [2 and 4]. As stated earlier, exercise
is a much needed part of treatment. Exercises such as walking and swimming have proven to be
very helpful to a dogs bones and joints [2].
New advances in the research of this disease are constantly being made. Recently,
veterinarians discovered that canine hip dysplasia is not only attributed to genetics, but also a
large percentage of the cause comes from the environment that the dog lives in [5]. Even pieces
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of information such as that are helping put the pieces together. Looking to the future of
veterinary medicine is a very promising glimpse of hope. There are many trials being done
currently on how to prevent, or at least treat the disease from a very early stage. A clinical trial
for a surgery called pubic symphysiodesis has been undertaken by several institutions. The
procedure involves manipulating very young dogs pelvises to grow in a tighter form in hopes to
prevent this disease [3]. Another interesting development in this field of medicine is a more
accurate test at a younger age for this disease. If veterinarians could detect canine hip dysplasia
from a younger age, there could be more treatment done earlier [1]. Their diet could be better,
along with their exercise. This progress could ultimately reduce the risk of arthritis by a great
amount. The test would involve DNA mapping to indicate whether the dog has the genes that
code for hip dysplasia, although scientists are not sure which genes those are yet [1]. Science is
making leaps and bounds with the information that is available on this topic and ultimately the
treatment and eventual cure for the disease as well.
In the field of veterinary sciences, there is rarely a disease as prevalent and common as
canine hip dysplasia is. The amount of dogs that are affected every year is astounding. Even
within the last couple decades the care, treatment, and future studies have all come so far. The
care for the dog is more thought out and planned. The variety of the treatments for this disease is
incredible. Between acupuncture, diet, message, physical therapy, exercise, and surgery it leaves
the owner with some wiggle room to choose what they think would be the best option for their
dog. As for the future, it is bright indeed. The advances that are being made are of great
importance and can soon be released to the public in order to help not only the canines, but their
human owners.

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[1]- Baker Institute for Animal Health. (2007). Baker Institute. Canine Hip Dysplasia.
Retrieved18 October, 2013 from
www.bakerinstitute.vet.cornell.edu/animalhealth/page.php?id=1104
[2]- Orthopedic Foundation for Animals. (2010). Hip Dysplasia Treatment Options. Orthopedic
Foundation for Animals: Hip Dysplasia. Retrieved 18 October, 2013 from
www.offa.org/hd_treatment.html
[3]- VetCentric. (2013).Working Dogs. Canine Hip Dysplasia. Retrieved 15 November, 2013
from www.workingdogs.com/vchipdysplasia.htm#chitika_close_button
[4]- Dr. Sherry Weaver. (2013). Cesars Way. Treatment Options for Hip Dysplasia. Retrieved
15 November, 2013 from www.cesarsway.com/dog-care/dog-health/treatment-options-
for-hip-dysplasia
[5]- USDAA Dog Agility. (2013). USDAA Dog Agility. Environmental Factors Can Affect the
Incidence of Hip Dysplasia. Retrieved 18 October, 2013 from
www.usdaa.com/article.cfm?newsID=2288
[6]- PennHIP. (2013). PennHIP. Canine Hip Dysplasia. Retrieved 18 October, 2013 from
www.research.vet.upenn.edu/pennhip/HipDysplasia/Introduction/tabid/3337/Default.aspx