![]() ![]() Large breed dogs are most commonly diagnosed, however small breed dogs and cats also. First described in the 1930's, it continues to affect millions of dogs worldwide. Hip dysplasia is the most common developmental orthopedic disease in dogs. Please call us to discuss your dog’s risk of developing hip dysplasia, to schedule a screening, or to discuss treatment options. Application error: a client-side exception has occurred (see the browser console for more information). If your dog competes athletically, consider using this technique to evaluate the future soundness of your dogs or puppies. If you are a breeder, consider using this test to help you select good breeding candidates at a younger age. Requiring a general anesthetic, it involves x-raying your dog’s hips in three different positions to measure how loose the joints are and determine the presence or likelihood of osteoarthritis. We can x-ray your dog’s hips using the PennHIP method for evaluating hip dysplasia in dogs, which can be performed much earlier (at 16 weeks of age) than OFA certification. Correct positioning of your dog is essential for proper radiographic evaluation, so a general anesthetic is required to make the procedure less stressful for him or her. We will forward these radiographs to the OFA, where board-certified radiologists will evaluate and grade your dog’s hips for OFA certification. Hip x-rays: x-rays at this stage are unlikely to show arthritis, but can reveal hip laxity: Figure 1: Dog with normal hips. We can x-ray your dog’s hips for hip dysplasia at 2 years of age. OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Certification: The earlier we can diagnose hip dysplasia, the better the possible outcome for your dog. We can also screen your dog for hip dysplasia, using one of two methods. We can help prevent or slow this condition by monitoring food intake and ensuring that your dog gets proper exercise as he or she ages. Being overweight can aggravate hip dysplasia. Although genetics often play a role in this disorder, young dogs that grow or gain weight too quickly or get too much high-impact exercise are also at risk. Hip laxity refers to the degree of looseness of the ball in the hip socket. Using a special device the hip joint is stretched. Hip dysplasia most commonly affects large- and giant-breed dogs however, smaller dogs can also be affected. Pennhip X-rays measure looseness of the femoral head in the acetabulum. Signs of this condition are pain, reluctance to get up or exercise, difficulty climbing stairs, a “bunny-hopping” gait, limping, and lameness, especially after periods of inactivity or exercise. If left undiagnosed and untreated, this instability causes abnormal wear of the hip cartilage and ultimately progresses to osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. Canine hip dysplasia (abnormal development of the hip joint) begins when the hip joint in a young dog becomes loose or unstable.
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