German Shepherds are well known for their beautiful physique and friendly manner, but they're also well known for contracting severe hip problems like canine hip dysplasia. According to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, hip dysplasia is an abnormal formation of the hip joint and can occur in more than 50 percent of large breed dogs. Dogs that become lame after exercise or refuse to partake in exercise activities altogether usually suffer from some sort of hip ailment. Knowing how to treat your German Shepherd's hip problem is essential if you want to keep your dog as healthy as possible.
Things You'll Need
- Nutritional food
- Pain medication
- Joint supplements
Instructions
Regularly allow your dog to partake in mild exercise activities, like walking or swimming. Mild exercise activities are beneficial at treating hip problems in German Shepherds by improving muscle tone and performance, building strength and relieving stress on joints.
Feed your German Shepherd nutritional foods to keep her at an ideal weight. Dogs that are overweight and suffer hip problems tend to experience more pain in the hips. Talk with your veterinarian about the best foods to feed your German Shepherd to keep her healthy and help her lose weight.
Give your dog anti-inflammatory pain medications or joint supplements to reduce hip pain. Follow the directions on the medication label thoroughly to prevent misuse of the medicine. You can purchase pain medications and joint supplements from your veterinarian's office.
Allow a professional veterinarian to perform surgery on your German Shepherd. According to Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, depending on your pet's age, physical condition and degree of hip pain/lameness, several surgical treatment options are available to relieve your dog of hip problems.
Practice giving your dog physical therapy or massages on a daily basis to relax muscles and improve your dog's aching joints. Using your fingers, gently knead the muscles around your dog's hips. Repeat the process multiple times each day to achieve success.