Canine Hip Dysplasia
Definition:Hip dysplasia is a faulty development of the hip joint. It is characterized by a varying degree of joint laxity (looseness). This permits harmful motion and bumping within the socket early in life. As the condition progresses with age it will lead to secondary degenerative (arthritic) changes within the joint.
Hip dysplasia is the most prevalent disorder of the canine hip and the most important cause of osteoarthitis in that joint.
Who is at risk?
Although almost all breed are at risk, hip dysplasia most commonly affects large and giant breed dogs. Its mode of inheritance is polygenic – i.e. controlled by more than one gene site.
Large breed dogs that grow rapidly (or become overweight) are the most susceptible. Also, dogs that undergo a great deal of stressful activity as they grow (e.g. training, hiking, running) are at a greater risk.
Diagnosis:
- Although from physical examination we can become suspicious of hip dysplasia, it is a diagnosis that can only be made with radiogaraphs (X-rays).
- To make the diagnosis requires an X-ray with the hips in full extension. Unfortunately, this can be uncomfortable for the patient. Sedation (pain relief) or sometimes anesthesia can be required.
Prevention:
- Genetic screening
- Limited activity until skeletal maturity
- Under no circumstances allow the dog to get heavy
- Slow steady growth is the key – will still get to the same overall size
Conservative Therapy
- Weight loss to decrease the load across the hip joints
- Analgesia (e.g. aspirin, Rimadyl, EtoGesic)
- Non-concussive exercise (e.g. swimming)
Surgical Intervention
1. Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO)- Done at an early age, before major arthritic changes have occurred
- Usually do in puppies
- Reshape the pelvis to allow greater coverage of the head of the femur to create a tighter joint
- Good success and usually will allow the animal to be pain free throughout life
- Involves the placement of a special plate to reshape the joint
- Generally done by a surgical specialist
- Relative cost: $1600-1900 per hip
- Specific candidates for the procedure
- Relative cost
- Possibility of implant failure
- Limit of exercise after surgery
2. Femoral head and neck ostectomy (FHO)
- Can be done at any age
- Done when changes have taken place in the joint that prevent TPO from being done
- Can also be done as a less expensive alternative
- Excellent (surgery of choice) for smaller dogs
- Surgically remove the “ball” from the ball and socket joint (i.e. take out the femoral head)
- No surgical implants are needed
- Body forms a pseudo joint (fibrous attachment like that of the shoulder) to hold in tight
- Usually a very successful procedure
- Relative cost: $650-850 per hip
- Need to do lots of walking following surgery (every day)
- May see some slight cosmetic differences in the length of legs
3. Total Hip Replacement
- Done as a restoration procedure after conservative therapy has failed
- Complete removal of the hip joint and a prosthesis is placed
- Special implants and a surgical specialists are generally needed
- Similar to success rate of the human form
- Considered by some to be the treatment of choice
- Usually do at an older age: allows for life of the implant
- Relative cost: $3000-3300 per hip
- Relative cost
- Possibility of implant failure or breakdown
- Need for strict activity restriction following surgery
