Hip Dysplasia in Dogs Can Be Painful For Your Pet
Hip Dysplasia in dogs is a painful and debilitating problem for dogs and occurs usuall as they get older although many dogs who suffer from hip dysplasia do so due to the an abnormal joint structure and a slackening of the muscles, ligaments and tissues that would support this joint.
If you find that you dog is starting to slow down on walks and doesn’t run around as much as he or she used to, you might be seeing the early signs of hip dpysplasia in your pet.
Avoiding the stairs, or finding extreme difficulty getting up and down them might also be an indicator of this potential problem.
Causes of Canine Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is caused by a subluxation of the hip joint and when this happens it causes abnormal wear and tear of the hip joint causing erosion. This in turn causes pain and arthritis to develop in the dog.
Which Animals Suffer From Hip Dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia is not a disease limited to dogs only.
Cat, dogs and humans are all prone to suffering from this condition.
Usually, in dogs, it is the larger breed of dogs that tend to have this disease.
Breeds such as:
- Rottweilers
- Great Dances
- German Shepherds
- Golden Retrievers
- Labrador Retrievers
tend to suffer more than other breeds of dogs, although it might also be the case that because these dogs are the more popular dogs likely to be kept by pet owners, that we seem to see the occurence of this more in these breeds. That said, is has also been found that Greyhounds have a low incidence of hip dysplasia.
It is a disease that occurs rarely in small breeds.
How to Spot Whether Your Dog Has Hip Dysplasia
Hip Dysplasia doesn’t only occur in older dogs and in fact can be found in dogs of all different ages. Young puppies less than a year old have been know to suffer from this painful condition which will get worse with time. There will come a time when your puppy or dog will find normal activities painful. If nothing is done to to help alleviate this condition, your dog will eventually be unable to walk. This is indeed a very sad situation, especially for dogs who are relatively young.
Usually though, you won’t see the symptoms of hip dysplasia in dogs until the middle or later years of your dog life.
How can you spot Hip Dysplasia in its early stages?
You will find that your dog is walking or running differently than normal. His gait will be different and he might be hesitant to perform movements that require a lot of flexion of the hind legs. After a morning walk or exercise, your dog will show pain and stiffness in the back legs as well as finding it hard to go up the stairs.
Contributing Factors of Hip Dysplasia
It has been found that the following have been found to be contributing factors of hip dysplasia in dogs:
- Exercise
- Obesity
Exercise
Studies have shown that dogs with large muscle mass in their legs are less likely to develop the disease than dogs with corresponding small muscle mass. So, it appears that getting a reasonable amount of exercise and helping to maintin the good level of muscle mass could lead to reduction in the likelihood of developing the disease. Activities such as swimming and running help to strengthen the gluteal muscles but jumping would apply a lot of force to the hip joint and should therefore be avoided.
Obesity
Research studies indicate that dogs born with a genetic predisposition towards hip dysplasia are at a higher risk of contracting the disease if they are overweight.
Diagnosing Hip Dysplasia in Your Dog
The first signs of hip dysplasia would be if you see your dog slowing down and showing signs of pain and stiffness, especially after exercise and also hesitancy when going up stairs. A proper physical exam and x-rays are needed in order to make a proper confirmation.
New, Natural Pain Relief for Dogs with Hip Dysplasia
Arthro-Ionx provides safe and effective relief from arthritis pain as well as providing daily support for strong, healthy joints and good mobility for your dog.
This is a liquid-based homeopathic complex that can be added to your dog’s water dish.
Arthro-IonX has been formulated for dogs suffering from hip dysplasia and arthritis.
If you are concerned about your dog and want to provide fast relief from pain, try Arthro-IonX. Backed with a 60-day Satisfaction guarantee if your pet shows no signs of improvement.