What can be done for dogs with hip dysplasia?

Disclaimer: This article, its content, and its related references do not constitute veterinary advice and should not be considered a substitute for veterinary care. If your pet is showing any symptoms that could indicate a medical emergency, please seek immediate emergency care.

Hip dysplasia is a common condition in dogs, especially in some large and giant breeds, where the hip joint is abnormally lax, leading to hip instability and osteoarthritis. Canine hip dysplasia can be very painful and cause severe arthritis in young dogs, affecting their quality of life. There are various things pet parents can do to help their dogs with hip dysplasia. Read on to learn:

• How dogs develop hip dysplasia
• Signs of hip dysplasia and arthritis in the hips
• What can be done to help dogs with hip dysplasia
• If dogs with hip dysplasia need surgery

Early detection in at-risk breeds is very important in order to treat hip dysplasia. Surgical intervention before arthritis sets in is the cornerstone of hip dysplasia treatment in dogs. Low-impact exercises, physical therapy, maintaining a healthy weight, diets and supplements to support the joints, and medication are other treatment methods. Nonsurgical options will not cure hip dysplasia, but they can help manage the condition, slow the progression, and manage pain. Other treatment methods may be needed in the future if osteoarthritis develops due to a dog’s hip dysplasia.

Canine hip dysplasia is an inherited malformation of the hip joint that leads to varying degrees of instability within the joint, or joint laxity. Over time, the abnormal joint laxity leads to osteoarthritis, a very painful degenerative joint disease. Hip dysplasia is a genetic condition, but other factors may also play a role in the disease’s development, such as:

• Obesity
• Lack of exercise
• Overnutrition
• Growing too quickly as a puppy

The only way to stabilize an abnormally loose hip joint is surgical treatment. Whether a puppy has hip dysplasia surgery or not, osteoarthritis prevention is important for the rest of their life.

How hip dysplasia in dogs is diagnosed

Routine screening X-rays are recommended for puppies with a genetic predisposition for hip dysplasia, starting as early as 16 weeks of age, so it can be diagnosed before arthritic changes develop in the hips. Puppies as young as ten weeks of age can be diagnosed. Unfortunately, many dogs are not diagnosed until later in life, after osteoarthritis has set in.

When a dog presents with symptoms of weakness, instability, or lameness in one or both rear legs, a veterinarian usually starts with a physical examination and may recommend X-rays. Significant arthritic changes to the hips, whether from hip dysplasia or other joint disease, may be visible on X-rays. X-rays taken under sedation with the dog in special positions are used to identify canine hip dysplasia and characterize it based on how severe the joint laxity is. Programs designed to assess, catalog, and rate the severity of canine hip dysplasia include the PenHIPP method and the service provided by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

Hip dysplasia symptoms range in severity and can vary between dogs. The condition is often asymptomatic before joint damage, or arthritis, develops. Dog owners may notice a “bunny hop” gait due to the hips not aligning properly. Young dogs with hip dysplasia may show abnormal laxity or clicking when their back legs are straightened and rotated under pressure in a specific way. This is called a positive Ortolani sign and is something veterinarians look for when testing for hip dysplasia in dogs.

Additional clinical signs begin to develop as the hip joints deteriorate and osteoarthritis sets in. Common signs of arthritis in a dog’s hips include:

• Limping or change in gait
• Limited mobility
• Reluctance to stand up or jump
• Loss of muscle mass (atrophy) in the rear limbs
• Signs of pain when the hips are touched or moved

Hip dysplasia often shows few to no symptoms until there are significant arthritic changes to the hips. Dogs often mask their pain, so symptoms may not be obvious even when the joint damage is severe. Hip dysplasia can become a very painful condition and lead to crippling arthritis at a young age for severely affected dogs.

Other medical conditions with similar clinical signs

Other skeletal conditions that affect the hind legs and joints can have similar clinical signs to osteoarthritis from hip dysplasia. These conditions include:

• Torn CCL (cranial cruciate ligament disease)
• Limb fractures
• Kneecap dislocation (luxating patella)
• Bone cancer (osteosarcoma)

It’s important to get an accurate diagnosis from a veterinarian to determine the cause of a dog’s symptoms. Different health conditions require different treatment methods.

If your dog is an at-risk breed for hip dysplasia or shows signs of joint laxity, it’s important to get them screened with X-rays to look for hip dysplasia. Early surgical correction of hip dysplasia before osteoarthritis develops is the best way to help a dog with the condition. Whether your dog has a surgical procedure to correct hip dysplasia or not, it’s important to use a variety of methods to reduce wear and tear on the joints, minimize symptoms, and prevent the development or progression of osteoarthritis.

Appropriate exercise

Daily exercise and physical therapy can help keep the joints strong and maintain range of motion. However, concussive force on unstable hips increases wear and tear on the hip joints, so low-impact exercises are best. Helpful physical activity options include:

• Short daily walks
• Swimming
• Underwater treadmills
• Stretching and massage
• Short-distance fetch

Avoid stairs, excessive running or jumping, and other strenuous activities that put a lot of pressure on the hips. It’s important to stop the activity if your dog appears stiff or in pain, even if they want to keep going. Each dog’s situation is unique, and a vet can help you figure out a plan that will balance your dog’s comfort with their physical needs.

Weight management

Keeping a dog with hip dysplasia at a healthy weight helps prevent added stress on the joints. Excess weight can make hip dysplasia and arthritis progress faster and worsen the symptoms. Regular exercise and portion control are the best ways to help an overweight dog lose weight as well as to maintain a dog at an ideal weight. You can talk to a vet about a nutrition plan and safe exercises for your dog with hip dysplasia.

Joint supportive food and supplements

Joint supplements and special diets are available to help support joint function and health in dogs. Joint supplements are often marketed as stand-alone products, such as chews, powders, and oils, as well as special ingredients in some diets that are marketed for dogs with joint problems, but this doesn’t mean they have any proven benefits. Evidence to support the effectiveness of joint-health supplements and foods isn’t strong, but research is still being done to understand what ingredients may help, how much they may help, and their effective dosages. These supplements and diets are thought to be more effective at preventing or delaying damage to the joints rather than reversing it.

Dietary supplements do not undergo the same level of testing as medications and their quality varies widely. Not all diets or supplements are effective or safe. Always talk to a veterinarian for a recommended joint supplement to ensure it’s safe for your dog to have.

Medical management, physical therapy, and surgery

Medical management plays a vital role in reducing the severity of arthritis symptoms in dogs. Daily oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for arthritic dogs. Pain medication may also be prescribed. It’s crucial to talk to a veterinarian before giving your dog any medications that have not been prescribed. Many human pain and anti-inflammatory medications are toxic to dogs, and orthopedic wraps, braces, and other devices can cause more damage if used improperly.

Physical therapy with an animal physical therapist (rehabilitation veterinarian) can be also used for pain relief. Therapies include:

• Laser therapy
• Shock-wave therapy
• Underwater treadmill work
• Acupuncture

While surgically correcting hip dysplasia before osteoarthritis develops is the cornerstone of treatment for hip dysplasia, surgery also plays a role in treating osteoarthritis. Surgical options include:

• Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) or triple pelvic osteotomy (TPO) to correct hip dysplasia in young dogs before arthritis develops
• Femoral head ostectomy (FHO) to remove painful, arthritic hip joints
• Total hip replacement (THR) to replace diseased hips with implants made of plastic and metal

Evidence of arthritis in the hips and age of the dog determine whether they’re a candidate for surgery.

Surgery for dogs with hip dysplasia is the only way to eliminate or reduce joint laxity from the disease. “Having the hip joints surgically stabilized or realigned before osteoarthritis sets in is the best way to treat canine hip dysplasia,” states Dr. Jo Myers, a veterinarian on the Vetster platform. “However, surgery is not an option for all dogs because of the cost, severity of osteoarthritis, or age of the puppy.”

Surgeries for hip dysplasia are complicated and often need to be performed by a board-certified veterinary surgeon. The condition in some dogs can be well managed with appropriate exercise, physical therapy, weight management, and other nonsurgical treatment, especially if the degree of laxity in their hips is not severe.

Hip dysplasia in dogs is not an emergency. The condition is an inherited joint malformation that doesn’t usually show symptoms unless it’s severe or until after osteoarthritis has developed. Early diagnosis and intervention are critical for reducing the impact the disease has on a dog’s mobility and quality of life. Early screening in at-risk dogs, even if they’re asymptomatic, is recommended, especially if they’re to be used for athletic activities, heavy work, or breeding. Because hip dysplasia is hereditary, the only way to prevent it is to not breed dogs with the condition.

If you would like help from a veterinarian choosing a safe joint supplement, managing your dog’s weight, or discussing surgical treatment options for your dog, you can connect with a vet from the comfort of your home through Vetster’s virtual vet appointments.

How can I help my dog with hip dysplasia?

Surgery is the only way to correct the hip joint laxity seen with canine hip dysplasia. However, the condition can sometimes be managed without surgery. Anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, physical therapy, low-impact exercise, weight management, and other treatment methods may help. Talk to a veterinarian about the best treatment options for your dog.

Can dog hip dysplasia be fixed without surgery?

Canine hip dysplasia cannot be corrected without surgery. Other methods of medical management can sometimes help symptoms but will not fix the underlying problem.

Is it ok to walk a dog with hip dysplasia?

Daily exercise is important for dogs with hip dysplasia. Short on-leash walks on easy terrain are an option as well as other exercises, such as swimming. You may need to avoid excessive running, jumping, stairs, and other activities that put extra concussive force on the hips. Talk to a veterinarian to learn what’s best for your dog.