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Beth
 Jun 21, 06 - 12:13 PM |
HIP DYSPLASIA
By breeding only those dogs certified as free of dysplasia, we continue our efforts to eliminate the disease. The system is working. It has been shown that in those breeds actively using OFA certification, the incidence of the disease is decreasing. If you are not x-raying your breeding animals, then you may contribute to the problem rather than the solution. Selective breeding is crucial! Hip dysplasia is a very common problem causing pain and lameness in large breed dogs. The word dysplasia is a little bit intimidating and non-medical people seem to assume that the disease is very complicated. Actually, the problem is quite simple. It's the solution that's everybody's confused about, the medical profession included. Here are the basics: 1)In simple terms, all hip dysplasia means is that the head of the femur bone (thigh bone) doesn't fit into the hip socket properly. This causes abnormal wear and tear of the cartilage in this high stress joint, and this, of course, leads to gradual destruction of the joint as well as pain and inflammation. This disease is often crippling. 2)There's overwhelming evidence that the poorly formed hip joint that causes hip dysplasia is a genetic problem. That's why breeders and the veterinary profession make such a big deal about trying to identify dogs with hip dysplasia early enough to prevent them from breeding. It's why breeders go to great expense and effort to prove that the parents and grandparents of the pups they sell are hip dysplasia free. 3)But it's very difficult to detect all but severe hip dysplasia in the early years of a dog. The joint usually looks normal on radiographs and there's usually not any obvious signs of lameness until middle age. Just to avoid confusion here, some dogs have obvious hip problems as early as 5-6 months of age (extreme cases) and other pets get around well until late in life (mild cases). Other pets don't exhibit any lameness or pain but can still be genetic carriers of the disease. But for most pets, clinical signs start becoming apparent to the observant owner in early middle age. Often your vet will pick up the early signs during routine exams. (Yet another example of the importance of regular check ups if you really care about your pet) 4)Early signs of hip dysplasia in a dog include hopping like a rabbit with the rear legs when running, difficulty in rising from a sitting position, stiffness in the first few steps after lying down, and a reluctance to walk normal distances or play as hard or as long as normal dogs of the same age. These signs are often more evident after exercise. 5)As the problem becomes more severe, they become more obviously lame and are often reluctant to go on walks or to play like they used to. It hurts. From the John M. Olin Laboratory for the Study of Canine Bone and Joint Diseases James A. Baker Institute for Animal Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University |
Ann
Aug 3rd, 2006 - 7:44 PM |
Re: HIP DYSPLASIA
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