What are the causes of hip dysplasia? Can it be prevented?

The dysplasia of the hip is often associated with German shepherds, but the race predispositions appear in many other large breeds of dogs, such as Rotweeller, Terra Nova, Labrador and others, characterized by intense growth at the age of puppies. Of course, this does not mean that we will not find cases of dysplasia in small races (for example, French bulldogs) and dogs. There is rarely about this, but cats sometimes suffer from this painful disease. It is particularly common in Maine Coon, Devon Rex Cats, Siamese and Himalayan Cats, Persians, Abysin and Bengali. How to protect our pet from suffering relating to hip dysplasia? To begin with, I will briefly explain the essence of this disease.

What is hip dysplasia?

Dysplasia is the abnormal development of the hip joint during the growth of the animal. The direct cause of the disease is the weakness and relaxation of the joint capsule, as well as the ligaments and muscles that stabilize it. Consequently, there is a lack of correspondence in the articulation and the movement of the head of the femur in relation to the acetabula of the pelvic bone. In most cases, there is a bilateral subluxation or dislocation of the hip joints. In the absence of treatment, we face the chronic inflammation of the joints and their gradual degeneration. Over time we observe the symptoms of pain in the hip area. It is often to chip, rigidity of the limbs, problems with lifting after rest. As the disease progresses, the dog moves less and less and when he goes, with significant changes, he brings together the rear limbs like the rabbit. Sometimes the dog is clearly restless and reports the pain for whining, especially when he is standing.

What are the causes of dysplasia?

The main cause of the development of this disease is the genetic predisposition, which is why medical control of animals, in particular inclined breeds, before reproduction is so important. However, defective genes do not determine the development of the disease. It is estimated that 30% is determined by environmental factors, such as the intensity of the movement during the growth period, obesity or improper nutrition. Correct nutrition plays a very important role from the first weeks of life. It is better to work the best quality food, which guarantees the complete portion (in the case of large and huge breeds, it is worth choosing specially adapted blends for them).

A frequent error is the belief that food, even the best, does not completely cover the need for a correct development of bones and, in such situations, the owners integrate large quantities of high calcium preparations. This contributes to the intensive development of the bones, while the muscles and ligaments are unable to keep up with them. The result is the improper stabilization of the hip joints and their predisposition to dysplastic changes. Another mistake is the excess of food of pets, which is particularly dangerous during the growth period. Excess weight and obesity are among the most common factors that negatively influence the development of joints in dogs and kittens. The quantity of physical activity should be moderate. If the chicken for dogs has little physical activity, this can contribute to the obesity mentioned above, but neither the intense effort, especially until the age of 6 months, is not recommended due to the risk of joint overload. A puppy should do a lot, but preferably on a leash. I do not recommend that you do an intensive formation with pets during growth. In the case of cats, obese specimens and those who do not come out are prone.

Prevention and treatment of dysplasia in animals

If you have a dog from a high risk of dysplasia, it is worth making a prophylactic radiography of the hip joints already in the third month of life. The X -ray should be performed by a qualified veterinarian, because its correct realization is one of the most difficult technically, and in my practice I often encounter x -raggi that cannot be evaluated for the hip dysplasia. First they are detected, more efficient it is possible to contrast degenerative changes. It should be remembered that, especially at an early age, small changes can be completely not detectable in a clinical examination, while x -raggi can already detect them. Depending on the degree of changes detected, preventive treatment or surgery is recommended. In the case of mild dysplasia, it is recommended to maintain a silhouette of the thin body, possibly exercises from home, as well as with the participation of the physiotherapist, to increase the amount of synovial liquid and, if necessary, the administration of analgesics to improve the quality of the animal. Most of these methods, however, are intended for animals with small changes, which have no clinical symptoms. Surgery is necessary in the diagnosis of more serious cases of hip dysplasia. There are many surgical methods that significantly support the correct positioning of the hip joint and reduce the formation of degenerative changes. The choice of a concrete method depends on the age of the dog, on the degree of joint location and the severity of the destruction of the joint surfaces. Each surgery must be performed by an expert orthopedic surgeon, to guarantee the best results of the possible treatment and the optimal choice of the operating method for each individual case.

Remember that the hip dysplasia does not mean the end of the world. Rapid detection and treatment usually provide satisfactory results and allows our pet to guide a long pain without pain.

The texts on the blog are not medical advice and do not replace the visit to the vet.

Dorota jóskowiak