Hip Dysplasia in Dogs: Do Heredity and Nutrition Affect Your Dog's Hip Health?
What is hip dysplasia?
The ball and socket arrangement in a dog's hip is much like our own. A large socket in the pelvis bone and a large ball at the top of the upper, rear leg bone (the femur) should make a smooth moving, flexible joint that will last a lifetime. According to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, in dysplastic dogs the femoral head fits too loosely in the hip socket. Even in young dogs, this looseness allows damage to the bones and ligaments joining the femur to the hip. The ligaments may stretch causing pain. The socket may endure micro fractures or grow bone spurs. Thickening of the joint occurs causing osteoarthritis in the hips.
Hip dysplasia shows up in dogs of all ages and all breeds and in mixed breed dogs. Young dogs may not show signs but an x-ray may show an unhealthy joint. Young dogs may have pain from ligament damage or bone spurs. Pain in young dogs is most likely to appear in the second half of their first year and may be permanent or disappear when the joints stop growing. Sometimes, symptoms don't show up until maturity or the dog's senior years. Occasionally, a dog with hip dysplasia will never show symptoms.
Hip dysplasia is caused primarily by heredity, rapid growth and over nutrition.
The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFFA) tracks hip dysplasia in dog breeds and will do a preliminary check of x-rays at 2 to 6 months and a final check at 2 years or older. The dog is usually sedated and must be properly positioned for the reading to be of value and recorded with OFFA. A knowledgeable vet should be able to perform the x-rays in their office. The OFFA rates dogs' hip as excellent, good, fair or borderline for normal readings. Dysplastic dogs are rated as mild, moderate or severe. Most breeds listed in the OFFA hip dysplasia statistics are AKC recognized breeds. Check the health heritage of your prospective puppy online with this objective and scientific database at: http://www.offa.org/. (OFFA keeps health records on some cat breeds, as well.)
For many years, puppy foods provided high-power nutrition that encouraged abnormally fast growth especially for large breeds. Increased calcium for "strong bones" was touted. We now know from many studies that dogs at risk for hip dysplasia should not be power-fed calories or minerals. Unbalanced feeding causes unnatural bone growth in joints that should fit together neatly causing hip dysplasia and other osteoarthritic diseases.
Talk to your veterinarian and reputable breeders for advice on feeding your specific breed of dog appropriately for best bone and joint health. Many popular brands of puppy food may not be appropriate for your dog. Check your breed's statistics and your puppy's health heritage and you will increase the chances that your best friend will live a long and healthy life. Both my Newfoundlands passed the OFFA screening with flying colors and I am happy to say they show no evidence of hip dysplasia or other genetic diseases as they pass their tenth year birthdays..
Resources and more information:
American College of Veterinary Surgeons, http://www.acvs.org/AnimalOwners/HealthConditions/SmallAnimalTopics/HipDysplasiainDogs/
Orthopedic Foundation for Animals, http://www.offa.org/index.html
Herman A.W. Hazewinkel, Nutritional Influences on Hip Dysplasia.World Small Animal Veterinary Association. 2004
http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2004&PID=8727&O=Generic
Published by Lisa Manguso
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3 Comments
Post a CommentSmall dogs do get hip dysplasia, however, since they're lighter it's not as devastating as it is for a large or giant dog. I'll be writing more on other dog diseases soon.
Good luck with your little guy.
I was not worried about hip dysplasia when I bought my dog since he is a smaller dog, but they were other genetics defects that I was very concerned about. great article.
Thanks for the article