Hip Dysplasia
Abnormal formation of the hip socket causing lameness and arthritis.
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Hip Dysplasia and arthritis go hand in hand. The weight, pain relief, physio and quality-of-life guidance below is shared with our flagship Arthritis Hub.
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Hip Dysplasia guides
Hip Dysplasia: Understanding the Condition and Its Surgical Options
Hip dysplasia is one of the conditions owners most fear hearing about. Part of that is the name, which is familiar and carries a weight of dread, and part of it is how strongly the condition is tied to large breeds, so that many owners of big dogs worry about it from puppyhood onward. It's...
My Puppy Has Just Been Diagnosed With Hip Dysplasia: What Happens Now
Hip dysplasia is one of the commonest orthopaedic conditions in large breeds, and a diagnosis in a young dog is far more manageable than it sounds in the moment. Most of these dogs go on to live full, happy, active lives. Here is what it means and the calm, practical steps to take next.
Is My Large-Breed Puppy at Risk of Hip Dysplasia? Early Signs and Prevention
A large or giant-breed puppy comes with a fair question attached: how worried should you be about hip dysplasia? Genetics set the baseline, but how you feed, exercise and grow your puppy really shifts the odds. This guide explains who is most at risk, the early signs to watch for between roughly four and twelve...
Conservative Management for a Young Dog With Hip Dysplasia
A diagnosis of hip dysplasia in a young dog does not force a choice of surgery. For many dogs, especially milder cases, a carefully managed non-surgical path is a sensible first approach, and a good number do well on it for years. This guide explains what that path involves, when it suits a growing dog,...
Hip Scoring and Buying From a Responsible Breeder: OFA, PennHIP and the BVA/KC Scheme
Hip dysplasia is substantially inherited, so the single most powerful thing you can do for a large-breed puppy happens before you ever bring it home: choosing parents whose hips have been screened. No scheme guarantees perfect hips, but breeding from low-scoring dogs measurably lowers the odds. This guide walks through the three main screening schemes...
FHO or Total Hip Replacement: How Vets Choose Between Them
Once a young dog has moved past the windows for preventive hip surgery, or has already developed arthritis in the joint, two surgical routes usually remain on the table: total hip replacement and femoral head ostectomy. They sound like two answers to the same problem, but they aim at quite different goals, and this guide...
Hip Dysplasia Surgery by Age: Which Options Are Open at Your Dog’s Stage
For a young large-breed dog with hip dysplasia, the surgical options on offer depend heavily on age. Some of the most useful procedures can only be done in puppyhood, and those doors close early. This guide maps which options fit which stage, so you know what is still on the table.
From the Arthritis Library
See all →Spondylosis in Dogs: What That X-Ray Finding Actually Means
Spondylosis usually turns up by accident, on an X-ray taken for something else entirely, and the word alone is enough to set a frightening picture going: a dog's spine slowly fusing into a solid rod. The internet, when you look, rarely helps. So here is the reassuring headline straight away, and the rest of this...
Cruciate Ligament Disease: Understanding the Most Common Reason Dogs Need Knee Surgery
A dog diagnosed with cranial cruciate ligament disease is in very common company. It's the single most common orthopaedic problem in dogs and the most frequent reason a dog ends up needing knee surgery. It's also one of the biggest causes of hind-limb arthritis, which is why it earns a detailed article in this space.
How Arthritis Is Diagnosed: Understanding the Vet Visit
Most owners notice the same odd thing. The dog who was stiff, slow and reluctant at home walks into the consulting room and turns into a bright-eyed, bouncy version of themselves on the floor. Adrenaline and unfamiliar surroundings mask a remarkable amount of discomfort, so by the time the vet is examining them, your dog...
How to Spot Arthritis in Your Dog: The Signs Most Owners Miss
Ask most people what arthritis looks like in a dog and they'll describe a limping older Labrador struggling up the stairs. That picture is right, but only partly. By the time a dog is obviously limping, the disease has usually been progressing quietly for months or years. The signs you were meant to catch came...
Arthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
Most owners arrive here for one of two reasons: a dog who's just been diagnosed with arthritis, or a nagging sense that something isn't quite right and a wish to work out what's going on. Either way, you've come to the right place.
Arthritis in Cats: The Invisible Epidemic
There's a very good chance your cat has arthritis, particularly if they're getting on in years. And the odds are that nobody has told you.
Breeds prone to Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia is seen more often in some breeds than others. If you have one of these, its breed guide covers what to watch for and where to get help.
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