Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine hip dysplasia can cause a great deal of pain for your dog and can even render it immobile. This disorder is caused when your dog experiences an abnormal growth where the leg bone meets the pelvic bone, which is the hip. This abnormal growth makes it impossible for the leg bone to fit properly in the cup of the pelvic bone because the cup becomes too shallow. As a result, your canine friend’s leg bone slides out of the pelvice socket and becomes dislocated. Over time, arthritis can also result from the disorder, which can effect just one or both hips. Side Effects of Canine Hip Dysplasia The most obvious side effect of canine hip dysplasia is the severe pain it causes to your dog, as well as the general immobility. This makes it difficult for your dog to climb stairs, get into a car, get up from a resting position, and even to use the restroom. In addition, the pain and difficulty moving can cause your dog to become more irritable, which can put a strain on your relationship with your pet. This relationship becomes further stressed when it becomes necessary for you to carry and lift your pet to compensate for its problem.
Protecting Your Pet
Certain breeds of dogs are more susceptible to canine hip dysplasia than others. Large dogs, such as Labrador Retrievers, St. Bernards, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, and Rottweilers are commonly affected by hip dysplasia. For some dogs, there is a genetic link to the disorder. Therefore, the only true way to prevent it from occurring in these dogs is to stop breeding animals with the problem. For other dogs, the hip dysplasia is the result of poor nutritional habits, particularly when they were young. Large breed dogs that are overweight when they are puppies have a greater tendency to develop canine hip dysplasia. Therefore, you should be sure to feed your puppy right and to make sure it gets plenty of exercise. Many dog food manufacturers create puppy food specifically for large breed dogs to help prevent the development of the disorder. Be sure the exercise your dog gets is in moderation. Pushing your dog to do things that are physically challenging can also aggravate the hip area and lead to dysplasia. Large breeds, for example, should not be encouraged to jump real high to run for long distances. Be sure to begin taking precautions while your dog is still young and it will be sure to live a long, pain-free life.
Canada Vet
P.O. Box 47035, 15-555 West 12th Ave.
Vancouver, BC, Canada V5Z 4L6
Toll-Free Phone number: 1 (877) 822-6838
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