How can you help your dog cope with hip dysplasia?
WHAT IS THIS DREADED DISEASE?
Hip dysplasia is a dreaded term for dog owners because it is challenging to manage and usually not curable. This painful skeletal disease affects thousands of dogs, especially larger breeds. What is it exactly and how can you help your dog?
The hip joint is a ball and sock configuration in which the ball of the femur moves in the socket of the hip bones. If that joint isn't formed right, the hip doesn't move the way it should. As time goes by, this causes the joint to wear down, leading to increased pain and impairment of movement.
In general, older dogs are more likely to suffer from hip dysplasia than puppies, but it can affect some puppies too. If your dog starts limping or moving differently with possible guarding or pain, checking in with the vet would be a good idea. Read this post about recognizing issues in your dog or this post from AKC about hip dysplasia.
HIP DYSPLASIA CAN BE CAUSED BY SEVERAL FACTORS.
- Genetics contribute to this painful issue. If the parents have it, they can pass it on to their pups. When getting a puppy, you'll want to find out about the parents' health
- Size matters. Big dogs are more likely than smaller dogs to have hip dysplasia.
- Arthritis or an old injury can set your dog up for problems, especially in older dogs.
- In any of these situations, factors like rapid growth, improper nutrition, being overweight, or extreme activity can worsen the problem.
DIAGNOSING HIP DYSPLASIA.
A trip to your vet for an exam is a great next step if you suspect a problem. Your vet will probably want to do x-rays and blood work to help with diagnosis. And they'll most likely perform a lameness exam to see how the joint moves. It is crucial that you tell them about observations you've made, anything you've tried, and how it has worked.
TREATMENT
Since this disease is usually not curable, treatment is generally about pain relief and slowing the progression of the disease and its symptoms. Depending on your dog's particular situation, there are many options for helping them maintain a happy, comfortable life, often for many years to come.
- Activity modification to reduce stress on the hips can help.
- Participating in a low-impact exercise like walking or hydrotherapy to maintain muscle strength. Strong muscles help stabilize an unstable situation.
- Massage to soothe sore muscles, especially around the hip area.
- Physical therapy to help strengthen muscles and maintain function.
- Maintaining a healthy body weight to decrease stress on joints.
- Appropriate diet for growing dogs to prevent too-rapid growth.
- Use of anti-inflammatory drugs to help with pain relief.
- Use of joint supplements with MSM, glucosamine, etc., to decrease inflammation.
- Cold laser treatments to increase blood flow, decrease pain, and help with inflammation.
- Surgery can be a consideration in extreme situations, although it is very costly.
- Alternative approaches like CBD oil, reiki, magnets, herbal or homeopathic treatment can also be worth a try since the risk of harm is extremely low, and the possible benefits outweigh the risks.-
- Acupressure helps decrease pain and inflammation by stimulating acupoints and helping the body heal itself.
You'll want to double-check with your vet to ensure you come up with the best treatment plan possible for your dog.
HELPING YOUR DOG LIVE WITH HIP DYSPLASIA
One of our rescue dogs, Lincoln, was diagnosed with this condition. We used anti-inflammatories, joint supplements, CBD oil, and cold laser, ensuring he got plenty of low-impact exercise and monitored his diet. He got an additional four years to enjoy life. More would have been nice, but age took over and it was time.
Having a dog with this disease isn't the end of the world. As long as you can keep your dog comfortable and happy, you're ahead of the game. Have you had a dog with hip dysplasia? Tell me about it in the comments below.
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