Canine hip dysplasia
While bones provide the strength necessary to support body weight, cartilage ensures a smooth fit and a wide range of motion.
Normal hip function can be affected by congenital conditions such as dysplasia, trauma, and by acquired diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Secondly, the caput or acetabulum are not smooth and round, but are misshapen, causing abnormal wear and tear or friction within the joint as it moves.
However, cartilage repair is a relatively slow process, the tissue being avascular, so the joint may suffer degradation due to the abnormal wear and tear, or may not support the body weight as intended.
Since the hip cannot move fully, the body compensates by adapting its use of the spine, often causing spinal, stifle (a dog's knee joint), or soft tissue problems to arise.
[citation needed] The causes of hip dysplasia are considered heritable, but new research conclusively suggests that environment also plays a role.
[2] In part this is because the underlying hip problem may be mild or severe, worsening or stable, and the body may be more or less able to keep the joint in repair well enough to cope.
[citation needed] The following conditions can give symptoms very similar to hip dysplasia, and should be ruled out during diagnosis: A dog may misuse its rear legs, or adapt its gait, to compensate for pain in the forelimbs, notably osteoarthritis, osteochondritis (OCD) or shoulder or elbow dysplasia, as well as pain in the hocks and stifles or spinal issues.
[citation needed] Non surgical intervention is dependent on many factors including age, weight, degree of hip laxity, lifestyle of the owner and their tolerance for the cost incurred for medication and physical therapy.
[5] Reasonable exercise stimulates cartilage growth and reduces degeneration,[14] and also regular walks taken in the early stages of dysplasia can help prevent loss of muscle mass to the hips.
Exercise should fit an individual dog's maximum intensity level with the goal to maintain muscle tone and cardiovascular function without causing pain, stiffness, and inflammation to the joint.
[15] Both are used to treat arthritis resulting from dysplasia, although other NSAIDs such as tepoxalin (Zubrin) and prednoleucotropin ("PLT", a combination of cinchophen and prednisolone) are sometimes prescribed.
[citation needed] Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are nutraceuticals that can also be added into the diet to help treat osteoarthritis caused by hip dysplasia.
[citation needed] Surgical procedures attempt to modify, repair, or replace the hip joint in order to allow pain-free usage.
