Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a disease of young animals. Its progression over time leads to degenerative joint disease. CHD is characterized by a malformed "ball and socket" joint in an animal’s hip, and associated joint tissue abnormalities that occur when the body attempts to compensate for the instability that occurs. Dysplasia, which means improper growth, is just what it implies -- the improper growth of a dog’s hip joint, which causes decreased flexibility for the animal.
Over time, this poor fitting of the bones also causes a series of other complications such as joint inflammation, calcium build-up in the area, the loss of cartilage, bone spurs and muscle pain for the poor dog. Veterinarians have historically given dogs NSAIDs ( non- steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs) for this condition, but many vets are now recommending glucosamine sulfate instead, which we’ll soon discuss as a holistic treatment option.
Simply because the parents of your pet never developed hip dysplasia does not mean that your dog cannot develop hip dysplasia, especially if it is one of the breeds that commonly develop the condition. Hip dysplasia can result from silent genes whose expression can skip one or more generations, or from genetic expression as a result of poor breeding practices, such as inbreeding. We’ll get into it later, but the supplementation of vitamin C for puppies may help prevent them from experiencing the deleterious effects of this sometimes congenital condition.
Canine hip dysplasia is a progressive condition that will usually result in arthritis and lameness of the animal if left untreated. It may manifest as different levels of severity in different animals and is notoriously common in certain breeds like Labrador and Golden Retriever, St. Bernard, Bloodhound, Boxer, Great Pyrenees, Rottweiler and in German shepherds.
These noble breeds need all the help they can get to deal with the debilitating pain and inflammation of hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
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