Is Your Dog Suffering With Hip Dysplasia? - What Should You Do?

Hip dysplasia is a painful and debilitating condition in dogs that can sometimes result in the animal becoming completely crippled. There is no cure for it.

The best thing a dog owner can do is to choose a pet carefully. Hip Dysplasia is a genetic condition. That is to say it is passed on from the parents to the offspring. In some cases it can be the result of injury to a dog's hips while it is a puppy or while it is being born. But this is a comparatively rare cause.

While there may be some genetic component in most diseases hip dysplasia is in effect 100% genetic. You must therefore make sure that you examine the parents dogs when you buy a puppy. If they have sound hips the puppy is less likely to suffer from hip dysplasia. Question the vendors carefully about the pedigree of the puppy. Ask if there is any history of hip dysplasia in the family line.

Responsible breeders will have breeding dogs x-rayed to check for any sign of hip dysplasia. They should not breed from a dog that shows any signs of hip dysplasia. A dog may not exhibit any outward symptoms but have a tendency to hip dysplasia that only manifests itself in its offspring. A dog that shows signs of hip dysplasia should be neutered or spayed to make sure that it does not pass on the trait.

Some breeds of dog seem more prone to hip dysplasia then others. German Shepherds, in particular, often suffer from it. This may be because they have been bred for a stance that places the back hip at an unnatural angle.

Hip dysplasia may not show up in a puppy. It often only develops as the dog matures. This is because the back hips are misaligned and malformed. The joint is loose and that may lead to difficulty in walking and running or discomfort and pain.

Wear and tear on the joints gradually produces dislocation and damage. A hip joint that is damaged in this way can become arthritic. An owner may not know about the hip dysplasia and think that the dog has developed arthritis as it got older. But the root cause of the arthritis is the damage that the weak joint has suffered during the dog's lifetime. Large dogs are especially susceptible because of the weight that their joints must carry.

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Your veterinarian cannot offer any treatment for the dyplasia but will be able to prescribe pain killers. In bad cases the dog will have pain when walking and running. Its mobility may become limited. This can be a contributory factor in other health conditions because the dog cannot take normal exercise. Swimming may be one means of maintaining mobility and ensuring that the dog can exercise. The dog's weight is taken by the water and it experiences less pain.

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*Note: Glucosamine cannot cure Hip Dysplasia but it can make your dog's life more comfortable.

In extreme cases the dog's hindquarters may become completely immobile. The dog will have a very poor quality of life and chronic pain.

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Understanding Canine Hip Dysplasia

It is an unfortunate truth that dogs of all different age groups can fall victim to hip dysplasia. In more severe cases, puppies that are as young as only five months old will start to show discomfort and pain either during exercise or shortly after. This is a condition that can and will worsen until some of the most normal daily activities become painful. If not taken care of, these dogs may end up with an inability to walk, which calls for an understanding from dog owners as to the causes, symptoms and treatment options for this condition.

Hip dysplasia is a condition that can take place in dogs, but also in cats and humans as well. Within the canine world, this is usually a condition that impacts the larger breeds, including Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and so on. However, this is a condition that can impact all different breeds and sizes of dogs.

This condition is caused by what is known as a subluxation in the joints of the hips. When this happens, there is wear and erosion of the joint that can cause pain and arthritis. There have been studies done that have tried to determine if the number of calories that a dog has taken in throughout their daily life has been a factor as well as any predisposed factors in their genetics. Of course, obesity in any animal can lead to a problem of the joints and make it very difficult for them to get around, such as hip dysplasia can.

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It is very important that your dog is able to get just the right amount of calcium as well as other valuable minerals in his or her diet so that they have less of a chance of developing issues with their hip joints. If you are still unsure if your dog is getting the right nutrition or if you own a breed that is highly susceptible to dysplasia, it is important that you talk to your veterinarian about nutrition as well as supplementation that can be helpful to your dog's joints and bones.

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The right amount of exercise, without overexertion, can have a lot to do with how your dog progresses once diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Again, working closely with your veterinarian will be the best way to ensure that you are doing all that you can to improve the quality of life and range of motion that your dog has.

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5 Questions To Ask A Dog Breeder

Getting a new puppy is always exciting but there are a few questions you want to ask your breeder before you take your puppy home. In this article I want to discuss five of those questions for you. 

1. Genetic testing 

This is an important one. Has your puppy's parents been tested for the genetic problems that may occur in this breed of dog? And if you're considering a breed that can have hip dysplasia have the parents been OFA'd and if so do the breeders have certificates from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals to prove that. There's nothing worse than taking a puppy home and a few months later discovering that it has a genetic problem. 

When it comes to Labradors, Goldens, German Shepherds and any of the big breed dogs that could have hip dysplasia I would never take a puppy whose parents haven't been OFA certified. 

2. Can we see the parents? 

This is an important question to ask. Now I will admit there will be times that the sire will not be on the property because the female was sent out to be bred. However in that case I want to see at least the mother of the litter. If a breeder says that you can't see the parents for any particular reason I would completely pass on the litter. 

Breeders should be proud of their breeding stock and be willing to show them to prospective new puppy owners. However if the dogs are overly aggressive or have some other type of problem they may want to keep them away from you. 

3. What is your guarantee? 

I would like to know what the breeder offers for a guarantee on the puppies. Does their guarantee cover genetic issues? And how long the guarantee is good for is an important question as well. 

4. Do you have a contract? 

Does the breeder seem to be professional and have a pre-done contract outlining your responsibilities as well as the breeders responsibilities related to the sale? Is the guarantee included in the contract? 

5. Current shots and have they been to a vet. 

Have the puppies been examined by a veterinarian and are they current on all their shots. Does the breeder have shot records from the vet or did they give the shots themselves at their kennel? 

As you can see there are some important questions for you to ask a prospective breeder that you're considering for your puppy purchase. There are many great breeders out there that are very conscientious and care about their dogs and where they go for their new home. However there are many other breeders out there that shouldn't be breeding and really don't care about the puppies, only the money. 

The last thing I want to mention and it's very important you should never bring a puppy home and away from its litter until it is eight weeks old. A breeder that wants to sell you a puppy at five or six weeks old is not a good breeder and you should not even consider a purchase from him. A good conscientious, reputable breeder will not allow you to have a puppy until its eight weeks old. 

Good luck with your purchase and enjoy that new puppy!

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