Signs of Hip Dysplasia in a Dog

While hip dysplasia, an inherited orthopedic disease, may strike any dog, it is more common in large and giant breed dogs. Among the breeds at greatest risk of hip dysplasia are German shepherds, Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Rottweilers and retrievers. In addition, the lack of attention to early nutritional needs in a puppy may increase the risk of hip dysplasia during adulthood. Owners of dogs with hip dysplasia are encouraged to sterilize them before they can breed.

  1. Early Signs

    • Between the ages of four months and twelve months, a puppy may begin to show signs of dysplastic hip joints. The earliest signs may appear as an occasional limp or tenderness in the hip area. Pressing on the dog's rump (something to avoid) may cause him to sit down. A puppy of this age may not allow his hind legs to relax outward, in a frog position, while lying on his back.

    Age

    • Although hip dysplasia symptoms increase with the dog's age and weight, some dogs that develop the disorder live relatively pain-free lives. The younger the puppy is when it first shows signs of lameness, the more likely it may be to develop advanced symptoms of the crippling disorder as it ages.

    Advanced Signs

    • Limping increases and the dog may have difficulty lying down or standing back up. It may exhibit pain upon walking and may shy away from its owners petting its lower backside. The dog may struggle to eat from a bowl on the floor, prompting owners to feed it from an elevated bowl. Lameness becomes worse and the dog becomes less active. Arthritis may accompany the disease, making the symptoms worse.

    Pain

    • The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals explains that pain due to a dysplastic joint causes lameness in dogs. Unfortunately, there is no definable pain level that accompanies the disorder in each dog so some dogs with only slight hip dysplasia may exhibit great pain while others with severely affected hips may run and play with little evidence of pain.

    Diagnosis

    • Preliminary X-rays are done on puppies over the age of four months, although comprehensive testing is not valid until the dog reaches 2 years of age. At that time, the hips may be X-rayed and evaluated by the OFA. The OFA issues each dog a grade of either "Excellent, Good or Fair" for dogs without advanced signs of the disease, "Borderline" for dogs with slight signs and "Mild, Moderate or Severe" for those with serious visible signs of the disease.