by Megan Kingsley

Created on: September 17, 2009   Last Updated: September 29, 2009

Hip dysplasia in dogs is a common, but often misunderstood problem. Hip dysplasia occurs when the ball of the hip joint fails to fit snugly into the socket. As the dog ages, arthritis sets in causing pain and mobility problems. A dog may be prone to the condition from a variety of sources- some genetic, some environmental. If a dog is diagnosed with dysplasia, there may be more than one factor contributing to the problem.

Genetics:

Hip dysplasia, like many other skeletal conditions, often has a genetic component. Dysplastic dogs often produce puppies prone to the condition, and some lines of dogs have a high percentage of 'carriers' of the trait. Responsible breeders screen all breeding stock for dysplasia; usually by radiographs (x-rays) taken at 24 months of age or later. OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) is the primary governing body in the US for recording and documenting health status. A dog's radiographs will be examined by three radiologists at OFA and the dog will be assigned a hip rating. An 'excellent' or 'good' rating is preferred.

While hip dysplasia has been thought to be primarily a condition of large-breed dogs, that is not the case. Small breeds are prone to the problem as well. According to the OFA (www.offa.org) the top ten breeds with the highest percentage of affected dogs include the Bulldog, Pug, Dogue de Bordeaux, Otterhound, Neopolitan Mastiff, St. Bernard, Clumber Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, and Black Russian Terrier. Other popular breeds with 20% or greater affected individuals include the Basset, Bloodhound, Golden Retriever, hybrid/mixed breed dogs, and the Rottweiler. In many breeds, such as the German Shepherd, careful breeding to eliminate the condition has resulted in drastically lowered incidence of the problem in recent years. All dogs (and even cats) are at risk; purchasing a pet from a breeder who carefully screens breeding stock and offspring will greatly reduce one's chances of acquiring a dog that will be dysplastic. Contrary to popular belief, mixed-breed dogs are just as likely to have hip dysplasia as purebred dogs.

Feeding:

Perhaps the most important thing you, as a pet owner, can do to reduce your dog's risk of developing hip dysplasia is to feed the animal correctly. Cheap foods, or foods with an unbalanced ratio of nutrients have been linked to hip problems. Most knowledgeable breeders, particularly those with larger breed dogs, agree that feeding a puppy food may cause a pup to grow too quickly thus affecting

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