Two Harbors Veterinary Clinic 1333 Fairgrounds Rd. • Two Harbors, MN 55616 • (218) 834-1333 C ANINE HIP D YSPLASIA

Canine (CHD) is adult weight slower. Penn Hip involves the taking of disadvantage to this procedure a malformation of the hip several x-rays using several hip is cost, running $8000 per hip. that results in painful arthritis if How do We Screen for CHD? positions. Your dog gets a left untreated over a long While any dog can have CHD, measured laxity of its hips. Medical Treatment Options period of time. The time it takes certain breeds are more prone This procedure can be While surgical therapy is the to develop arthritis depends on to developing it. German performed at six months of preferred treatment of CHD, a number of factors, including Shepherds and Labrador age, expanding the number of the one-time cost of these the severity of the dysplasia Retrievers in particular seem treatment options available. procedures can certainly be and the size of the dog. The very prone. Any dog with an blinding. Arthritis from CHD purpose of this handout is to adult body weight of over 60 The Penn Hip is probably a can be managed medically as discuss this disease and what pounds warrants a screening x- better procedure for predicting well, but it is important to treatment options are available. ray around 6 months of age. arthritis, but at this point in time understand that this therapy is OFA remains the breeders' palliative only, not curative. How Do Dogs get CHD? Certification is necessary for standard. It is well-accepted that genetics dogs that are going to be bred. Medical therapy of CHD in- is a major factor in CHD. Other There are two techniques: Surgical Treatment Options volves anti-inflammatory drugs, The preferred method of joint supplements, and con- surgical treatment of CHD is trolled exercise. Powerful anti- called a Triple Pelvic inflammatory drugs can relieve (TPO). In doing discomfort, and supplements this procedure the hip joint is can slow the progression of reformed to become more arthritis. Controlled exercise congruent, decreasing the maintains muscular strength likelihood of arthritis. and avoids obesity, both of which decrease the forces A TPO can only be performed applied to arthritic . on animals younger than 14 months. This age cutoff is why Using these three therapies in we strongly reccomend combination can help keep checking for dysplasia at 6 many dogs with CHD quite months, either by a regular x- comfortable, sometimes elimi- The hip on the left is normal. Notice how tightly the ball fits into the ray or with Penn Hip. Cost for nating the need to consider socket. The hip on the right is dysplastic. Failure to correct this condition early in life results in the changes seen here: arthritic bony this procedure runs around surgery. proliferation of the head and neck of the , resulting in a very $3000 per hip. painful joint.

Two surgical options can be than obtaining the animal from Orthopedic Foundation of performed at any age. In a a responsible breeder, this is America (OFA) certification and something the average dog Penn Hip. (FHO) the end of the “ball” of owner has little control over. the joint is simply cut out. The OFA is the long-time standard leg becomes much less able to However, nutrition can also for diagnosis of CHD. The hold up weight, but dogs are play a role. We recommend dog’s hips are graded objec- pain-free after this procedure. feeding puppies destined to tively. The biggest drawback to This procedure costs $900- grow over 60 pounds a Large- OFA is that the test cannot be 1100 per hip.

Breed puppy diet. Major dog performed until the dog is two In a triple pelvic osteotomy food companies like Purina, years old. This can have a Total is a three pelvic are cut to allow the socket to be Hill's and Iams produce these. dramatic limitation on the procedure in which the articular remodeled so it covers the The goal is to manage young treatment options available. surface on both sides of the hip ball better. dogs so that they get to their is replaced. The main