Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

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Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

By: Dr. Nicholas Trout

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Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

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Diagnosis In-depth

On physical examination, after watching your dog walk and performing a general physical examination, your veterinarian will perform an orthopedic evaluation in order to suggest the best course of treatment for your dog.

First your veterinarian will fully flex and extend the hip joint. Dogs with hip dysplasia usually tolerate hip flexion but resent hip extension. Abduction (rotating the leg out from the body) is also painful.

Your veterinarian may also attempt an Ortolani maneuver. This manipulation is performed on young dogs to assess joint laxity. A normal hip should stay tight as opposed to a dysplastic hip in which the "ball" might slide in and out of the "socket." In most cases, an Ortolani maneuver cannot be performed on a conscious young puppy.

Radiographs provide your veterinarian information about the conformation of the hip joint and, in many cases, associated arthritic change.

The most common view involves extending the legs with the dog on its back. This is also the view for x-rays submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) to provide a hip scoring scheme for hip dysplasia assessment.

The University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP), provides a much more objective evaluation of your puppy's hips by measuring the amount of laxity in the hip joint, thereby getting a good idea of the chances of developing arthritis in those joints as your pet ages.

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1 Hip Dysplasia and OFA
Hip dysplasia is a debilitating disease. Since 1966, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has been tracking this disease. With the combined efforts of OFA and breeders, the incidence of hip dysplasia...
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1Degenerative Arthritis in Dogs
Degenerative joint disease (DJD), or arthritis, affects the smooth articular cartilage of the joint. When it becomes worn, raw bone surfaces become exposed and rub together. DJD is the result, causing...
Read More
2Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs
Elbow dysplasia refers to the abnormal development of certain parts of the elbow joint during the growing phase of a dog’s life. The exact cause is unknown, but it may be due to genetic factors, over-nutrition...
Read More
3Coxofemoral Hip Luxation in Dogs
Hip luxation is the dislocation of the ball of the thigh bone out of the socket of the pelvis. The dislocation is usually the result of trauma and results in a non-weight bearing lameness of the affected...
Read More
4Hip Dysplasia and OFA
Hip dysplasia is a debilitating disease. Since 1966, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has been tracking this disease. With the combined efforts of OFA and breeders, the incidence of hip dysplasia...
Read More

Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

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