Hip Check:In the battle against canine hip dysplasia, identification, treatment, research, and careful breeding selection are the weapons of choice.
First printed in the July 2002 issue of the AKC Gazetteby Jerold S Bell, DVM, Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine
For affected dogs, hip dysplasia can be a debilitating and painful disease. It has been one of the fancy’s great challenges to combat and treat this hereditary developmental disorder, whose signs can include hip-joint pain, hind-limb weakness, lameness, exercise intolerance, degenerative joint disease, and arthritis. The disorder can include several abnormalities of the hip joints, such as joint laxity, anatomical abnormalities, and a predisposition to arthritis. While hip dysplasia is commonly perceived to be a disorder of larger dogs, it also occurs in small breeds, mixed-breed dogs, and even cats. The Pug, for example, has a significant frequency of affected dogs, while the Siberian Husky has a relatively low frequency of dysplasia. Continue reading hip dysplasia, identification, treatment, research, and breeding |