Signs of Puppy Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia in dogs is a condition where the dog's femur, the largest bone in its leg, does not sit comfortably in the hip socket. It primarily affects the larger breeds of dog, and in many cases, surgery is the only solution. In severe cases, puppies as young as five weeks old can start to show signs of hip dysplasia.

  1. Exercise-Induced Lameness

    • If the puppy starts favoring one or both hind legs after exercise, hip dysplasia may be to blame. The soft tissues and ligaments that are meant to be supporting the joint are not doing their job, and the soreness and fatigue results from the puppy trying to keep up during its exercise.

    Hopping

    • When a puppy has hip dysplasia, it might try to compensate for its weakened or aching rear legs by moving them together. This can result in a hopping gait that is sometimes called a bunny hop. The puppy may try to use this hopping gait routinely or it might only do it from time to time, but if you notice your puppy doing this, take it to the veterinarian to see what might be the problem.

    Periodic Soreness

    • In puppies, hip dysplasia can manifest as short periods of soreness that seem to come and go. Puppies have better resources for coping with the pain of hip dysplasia than older dogs do. Where older dogs will be consistently sore, puppies can have periods where they seem just fine.

    Discomfort With Standing Up or Lying Down

    • A puppy who is suffering from hip dyslasia may show discomfort when it needs to rise or lie down. The puppy's hip joints are making it uncomfortable when the bones need to be realigned into a new position, and the puppy may rise or lie down slowly or with some whimpering.

    Short Stride

    • Hip dysplasia can make a full extension of one or both rear legs painful for the puppy. Because of this, the strides that it can take with its rear legs might be significantly shorter than the strides that it can take with its forelegs. This gives the puppy a shortened, uneven gait.

    Problems Walking Uphill

    • Because more of the puppy's weight is resting on its rear legs when it goes uphill, a puppy with hip dysplasia might be sore after it has done some climbing. It might hesitate, or it might need periodic stops to rest.