The hip is a ball and socket joint consisting of the ball component from the femur and the socket from the pelvis. Hip Dysplasia (HD) is a common developmental problem that causes deformity of the hip joint making them “loose”. Essentially, this means that the ball of the femur does not fit properly in the pelvic socket.
Clinical findings with hip dysplasia vary with the age of the animal. A lot of the time, there can be no clinical signs appreciated by pet owners. The affects of the disease are most severe in large breed dogs, however small dogs and even cats may also be affected.
The cause for HD is multifactorial and involves genetic and environmental factors. Joint laxity (hip looseness) in dogs with HD can be detectable as early as 12 to 24 weeks of age. As the pup grows and becomes more active on the loose hips, daily activity begins to injure the delicate cartilage surfaces. Over time this erodes away normal joint cartilage exposing sensitive bone. This will then lead to development of arthritis which is irreversible and will increase in severity over the life of your pet.
As HD begins early in life and treatment is more effective before arthritis has developed, it is highly desirable to have your pets hips assessed as soon as possible. Your primary care veterinarian can screen for HD as early as 12-16 weeks of age. If your veterinarian is concerned about the development of HD in your puppy, further assessment of the hips may be requested under sedation or anaesthesia and radiographs (X-Rays) performed. If further assessment confirms joint laxity, your veterinarian will discuss management and treatment options with you; these may be limited to controlling your pets weight through to recommending referral for more detailed assessment and treatments including surgery.
Treatment and Management
Although a very common disease HD is not inevitably crippling for dogs and there are a variety of management options available ranging from weight and activity control through to salvage procedures.
It is crucial that a veterinary assessment is performed to formulate a treatment plan specific for your pets need. The following are some of the treatments that can be used to correct or control Hip Dysplasia:
- Weight Control Programs
- Activity Control Programs
- Professional Physiotherapy
- Medication
- Controlled Diet
- Surgery
- Stem Cell Therapy*
*Brisbane Veterinary Specialist Centre does not currently recommend Stem Cell Therapy due to inadequacy of non-biased research results. However, we can direct you to these services for more information on request.
There are a variety of surgical options available for treatment of HD, including Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis, double pelvic osteotomy, femoral head osteotomy and total hip replacement. The specialist will discuss all medical and surgical options available for your pet during consultation. The decision of the surgical option of choice is patient specific and will require strict veterinary assessment.
Financing Surgical Treatment For Your Pet
BVSC understands that surgical treatments are both unexpected and costly. We can assist your access to third party external finance companies working with us to help spread your payments. To make an appointment for your pet ask your veterinarian for a referral and contact our friendly reception staff on (07) 3264 9400.
