Canine Hip Dysplasia --Common Doggie Disease

Some veterinarians do not know the exact treatment for Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) after definitive diagnosis. Many clients are not even aware of it. In order to improve life of our cute loyal buddies, let me explain briefly about CHD.

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is a very common disease in large to giant breed doggies. It is an abnormal development of hip joint and occurs bilaterally. The disease is characterized by joint laxity in juvenile dogs and secondary osteoarthritis in older dogs. Affected dogs have hips that are structurally and functionally disease free at birth.

The cause of this disease includes:
1. Inheritance

2. Environmental factors which affects expression of the phenotype

3. Non-genetic factors which influence the progression of hip dysplasia.

4. Rapid growth, especially between the 3rd to 8th month of life.

5. Overnutrition or overweight

6. Inadequate development of pelvic muscles

7. Hormones such as T3, T4, growth hormones...

Clinical signs are:

1. Lameness

2. Abnormal gait such as bunny-hopping

3. Reluctant to move and decreased exercise tolerance

4. Refuse to do stairs

5. Difficulty in rising and jumping

6. Lameness after strenous exercise

7. Flat rumps with wide hip

8. Narrow stance in rear legs (toes pointed outward)

9. Clicking sound of the hip joints in young dogs

10. Wobbly gait in rear legs in very young dogs (8-16 weeks old)

11. Change in disposition, maybe aggressive due to painful hips

Conservative Treatment (non-surgical):

1. Weight control

2. Exercise control

3. Physical rehabilitation

4. Pain relief

5. Long-term cartilage protecting agents

75% of dogs treated conservatively recover. Howvever, These are not enough. To improve your lovely dog's life and also allowing the hips and legs to quickly return to their normal functions, surgical treatment is the best choice. Orthopaedic surgery is usually not simple and requires experienced veterinarian.

Surgical Options:

1. Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) done in puppies less than 5 months of age, with mild to moderate hip dysplasia.

2. Triple pelvis osteotomy (TPO) done in young dogs between 5 to 10 months of age.

3. Excisional myectomy done in young and mature dogs but have limited value of treatment.

4. Total hip replacement (THR) done is mature dogs where bone stop growing. The femoral head and neck are replaced by protheses (fake), where it may or may not loosen over time. This is a salvage procedure.

5. Excisional arthroplasty (EA) or femoral head and neck osteotomy where the femoral head and neck is chopped off to form a false fibrous joint. This procedure is the last solution. If you are having financial, medical or size constraints, this method is the best choice. This salvage procedure is done in dysplastic dogs with degenerative joint disease (DJD).

So, the treatment choice depends on the owner himself -- YOU. Surgical treatment is definitely more costly than medical treatment but the results are usually promising. There are not many veterinarians in Malaysia who can perform these bone surgeries very well.

I can roughly tell that JPS sugery costs about RM600. If includes everything (anesthesia, hospitalization, drugs, medication, fluids...), it will cost approximately RM1100. The TPO costs about RM 3000 per leg. In other words, if both rear legs are affected, then you will have to spend RM6000 to treat the dog. However, 2 TPOs are done separately. Veterinarians will not do both TPOs on both rear legs at the same time.

How to prevent?

1.Onset, severity and incidence can be reduced by restricting the growth rate of puppies

2.Limiting food intake and thus body weight in adult dogs

3.All breed susceptible dogs should be screened for hip dysplasia at the age of 4 months

4.Breed only dogs with normal hips

If you have any dogs with hip dysplasia, Please.... please... please.... bring it to the vet
immediately. Make the best option for your dog. Interested in these surgeries, I am always happy to recommend you to the SUPERVET Dr Yeoh!!! You will never regret for his treatment!

LOVE YOUR DOG. KEEP THEM HAPPY AND HEALTHY.

TREAT THEM AS HOW YOU WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO TREAT YOU.