What is hip displasia?
We can greatly reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia through selective breeding.
Its associated with abnormal joint structure and a laxity of the muscles, connective tissue, and ligaments that would
normally support the joint.
Hip Dysplasia is the most common inherited joint problem of large breed dogs.
Diary of (what was) Cooper's Hip Dysplasia
6-9 months is a when a lot of puppies go through a growth spurt, so it's quite possible that a true diagnosis can't be
made if you see mild laxity with no joint degeneration. Secondly, hip positioning is VERY important in diagnosing hip
dysplasia. If the dog is rotated incorrectly even slightly it could make all the difference in a laxity diagnosis. Go to an
expert in hip positioning when you get the x-rays done. Thirdly, be aware of the difference between laxity and dysplasia.
If you are told that your dog has hip dysplasia, find out whether there has been joint degeneration or if there is simply
laxity with possibility of future degeneration.
In my opinion, a dog with excellent hips but with more than 25% of its siblings and/or other close family members
affected with hip dysplasia is a poorer breeding prospect than a dog with fair hips and less than 25% of its siblings
and/or other family members
One cannot tell if a dog has "good hips" by looking at the dog: a radiographic film (x-ray) is the most accurate diagnostic
tool.
"Fair" means that there are minor irregularities; but not dysplastic. "Good" is where the majority of the passing grades
are for any given breed, and "Excellent" would indicate superior joint conformation. If the dog is dysplastic, the OFA will
grade accordingly, and the dog will not receive any certification.
You increase the probability of having puppies with good joints if the parents have good joints.
You cannot, repeat, cannot make a reliable diagnosis of Hip Dysplasia on the basis of external symptoms such as
lameness or gait. "CHD can not be diagnosed by observing how the dog moves, acts, lies down, etc. The clinical signs
may be caused by other problems; therefore, a complete orthopedic and radiographic examination is required before
arriving at the conclusion that the signs are caused by CHD."
It's best to keep your puppy from any kind of jumping for the first year or so in life. It's also best to keep from sustained
exercise until at least a year old. Sustained exercise includes: jogging with owner, pulling weights, mushing, running with
owner on bike, etc. Even for dogs not at risk from HD, it's wise not to exercise too strongly too early as such exercise
may interfere with proper growth of joints, leading to similar problems such as arthritis on the joint or OCD.
OFA recommends radiographs be taken one month after weaning pups and one month before or after a heat cycle.
Physical inactivity because of illness, weather, or the owner's management practices may also result in some degree of
joint laxity. The OFA recommends evaluation when the dog is in good physical condition.
dogs with acceptable permanent ID are assigned a PI suffix, and dogs with VERIFIED permanent identification are
assigned a VPI suffix.
Example: GS-78866G27F
•GS = Breed Code, in this case a German Shepherd
•78866 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number,
in this case the 78,866th German Shepherd to be given a number
•G = The phenotypic OFA evaluation, in this case G = Good
•27 = The age in months when the testing was done, in this case 27 months
•F = Sex, in this case a female
•PI or VPI = Indicates that the animal has been permanently identified in the form of DNA, tattoo or microchip. If the dog
is permanently identified AND the id has been verified and signed off by the attending veterinarian, a suffix of VPI is
applied. If the animals lacks permanent identification, a suffix of NOPI is applied.
Prevention of Hip Dysplasia
There is no known method of preventing hip dysplasia except for a thoughtful and carefully executed breeding program
with regular radiographic analysis of all stock before breeding. It is possible to reduce symptoms entirely to the point
where the dog will radiograph much less severely [1], however followup studies show that these dog's offspring have the
same risk for HD as they would have whether the parents had been so treated [2]. The implication is that it is unethical
to use as breeding stock dogs that were treated to prevent their symptoms from disappearing.
Surgical intervention
Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO)
TPO is a surgical procedure to rotate the acetabular portion of the pelvis so that there is increased coverage of the
femoral head. Increasing coverage promotes improved articulation and, in the ideal situation, joint degeneration is
halted. However, if degeneration is already present within the hip, cartilage breakdown is likely to continue, even with
improved articulation. This is why checking your dog at 6-8 months regardless of symptoms is often recommended. The
best candidate for TPO is a young dog (6-8 mths) with moderate laxity that has no damage to the dorsal acetabular rim
or early evidence of degeneration of radiographs. Currently, the cost of Triple Pelvic Osteotomy, including examination,
radiographs and hospitalization, is approximately $1,200.
Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)
Sometimes the head of the femur can be simply removed and the muscles around the site compensate for the missing
joints The dog is pain free afterwards and learns to walk again, but running and jumping are not done normally again.
Most commonly, smaller dogs are the best candidates for this surgery. Obese or very large dogs will still experience
some pain, as the muscles cannot totally compensate.
Uncemented hip prosthesis (subcategory of hip replacement surgery)
Dr. David J. DeYoung of NCSU, professor of orthopedic surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine, helped develop
the prosthesis based on a human version that is held in place without cement. The prosthesis features a beaded
surface into which bone and fibrous tissue can grow and secure the components. More than 100 of the new prostheses
have been implanted in dogs over a five-year period without loosening or infection, two of the main concerns with
cemented total hip replacements,
BOP shelf arthroplasty
This is a relatively experimental method, whose effectiveness is debated. Polymer "lattices" are implanted in the affected
joint. The premise is that new bone will gro owver the lattice, correcting the degeneration and/or deformation of the joint.
than it is experimental)
Total Hip Replacement (THR)
This traditional surgery involves replacing the femoral head or ball portion of the joing with a metal prosthesis. The
acetabulum is replaced with a polyethylene socket. The procedure thus removes the source of pain and inflammation as
the bone is no longer in contact with the degenerated joint.
Hip Dysplasia (HD, or C(anine)HD)
Here are 6 examples of OFA good hips
We can greatly reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia through selective breeding.
Its associated with abnormal joint structure and a laxity of the muscles, connective tissue, and ligaments that would
normally support the joint.
Hip Dysplasia is the most common inherited joint problem of large breed dogs.
Diary of (what was) Cooper's Hip Dysplasia
6-9 months is a when a lot of puppies go through a growth spurt, so it's quite possible that a true diagnosis can't be
made if you see mild laxity with no joint degeneration. Secondly, hip positioning is VERY important in diagnosing hip
dysplasia. If the dog is rotated incorrectly even slightly it could make all the difference in a laxity diagnosis. Go to an
expert in hip positioning when you get the x-rays done. Thirdly, be aware of the difference between laxity and dysplasia.
If you are told that your dog has hip dysplasia, find out whether there has been joint degeneration or if there is simply
laxity with possibility of future degeneration.
In my opinion, a dog with excellent hips but with more than 25% of its siblings and/or other close family members
affected with hip dysplasia is a poorer breeding prospect than a dog with fair hips and less than 25% of its siblings
and/or other family members
One cannot tell if a dog has "good hips" by looking at the dog: a radiographic film (x-ray) is the most accurate diagnostic
tool.
"Fair" means that there are minor irregularities; but not dysplastic. "Good" is where the majority of the passing grades
are for any given breed, and "Excellent" would indicate superior joint conformation. If the dog is dysplastic, the OFA will
grade accordingly, and the dog will not receive any certification.
You increase the probability of having puppies with good joints if the parents have good joints.
You cannot, repeat, cannot make a reliable diagnosis of Hip Dysplasia on the basis of external symptoms such as
lameness or gait. "CHD can not be diagnosed by observing how the dog moves, acts, lies down, etc. The clinical signs
may be caused by other problems; therefore, a complete orthopedic and radiographic examination is required before
arriving at the conclusion that the signs are caused by CHD."
It's best to keep your puppy from any kind of jumping for the first year or so in life. It's also best to keep from sustained
exercise until at least a year old. Sustained exercise includes: jogging with owner, pulling weights, mushing, running with
owner on bike, etc. Even for dogs not at risk from HD, it's wise not to exercise too strongly too early as such exercise
may interfere with proper growth of joints, leading to similar problems such as arthritis on the joint or OCD.
OFA recommends radiographs be taken one month after weaning pups and one month before or after a heat cycle.
Physical inactivity because of illness, weather, or the owner's management practices may also result in some degree of
joint laxity. The OFA recommends evaluation when the dog is in good physical condition.
dogs with acceptable permanent ID are assigned a PI suffix, and dogs with VERIFIED permanent identification are
assigned a VPI suffix.
Example: GS-78866G27F
•GS = Breed Code, in this case a German Shepherd
•78866 = Ascending numerical identifier given to each animal within a breed evaluated as normal and given a number,
in this case the 78,866th German Shepherd to be given a number
•G = The phenotypic OFA evaluation, in this case G = Good
•27 = The age in months when the testing was done, in this case 27 months
•F = Sex, in this case a female
•PI or VPI = Indicates that the animal has been permanently identified in the form of DNA, tattoo or microchip. If the dog
is permanently identified AND the id has been verified and signed off by the attending veterinarian, a suffix of VPI is
applied. If the animals lacks permanent identification, a suffix of NOPI is applied.
Prevention of Hip Dysplasia
There is no known method of preventing hip dysplasia except for a thoughtful and carefully executed breeding program
with regular radiographic analysis of all stock before breeding. It is possible to reduce symptoms entirely to the point
where the dog will radiograph much less severely [1], however followup studies show that these dog's offspring have the
same risk for HD as they would have whether the parents had been so treated [2]. The implication is that it is unethical
to use as breeding stock dogs that were treated to prevent their symptoms from disappearing.
Surgical intervention
Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO)
TPO is a surgical procedure to rotate the acetabular portion of the pelvis so that there is increased coverage of the
femoral head. Increasing coverage promotes improved articulation and, in the ideal situation, joint degeneration is
halted. However, if degeneration is already present within the hip, cartilage breakdown is likely to continue, even with
improved articulation. This is why checking your dog at 6-8 months regardless of symptoms is often recommended. The
best candidate for TPO is a young dog (6-8 mths) with moderate laxity that has no damage to the dorsal acetabular rim
or early evidence of degeneration of radiographs. Currently, the cost of Triple Pelvic Osteotomy, including examination,
radiographs and hospitalization, is approximately $1,200.
Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)
Sometimes the head of the femur can be simply removed and the muscles around the site compensate for the missing
joints The dog is pain free afterwards and learns to walk again, but running and jumping are not done normally again.
Most commonly, smaller dogs are the best candidates for this surgery. Obese or very large dogs will still experience
some pain, as the muscles cannot totally compensate.
Uncemented hip prosthesis (subcategory of hip replacement surgery)
Dr. David J. DeYoung of NCSU, professor of orthopedic surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine, helped develop
the prosthesis based on a human version that is held in place without cement. The prosthesis features a beaded
surface into which bone and fibrous tissue can grow and secure the components. More than 100 of the new prostheses
have been implanted in dogs over a five-year period without loosening or infection, two of the main concerns with
cemented total hip replacements,
BOP shelf arthroplasty
This is a relatively experimental method, whose effectiveness is debated. Polymer "lattices" are implanted in the affected
joint. The premise is that new bone will gro owver the lattice, correcting the degeneration and/or deformation of the joint.
than it is experimental)
Total Hip Replacement (THR)
This traditional surgery involves replacing the femoral head or ball portion of the joing with a metal prosthesis. The
acetabulum is replaced with a polyethylene socket. The procedure thus removes the source of pain and inflammation as
the bone is no longer in contact with the degenerated joint.
Hip Dysplasia (HD, or C(anine)HD)
Here are 6 examples of OFA good hips