Hip dysplasia occurs when the head of the upper bone in the hind leg (femur) does not fit properly in the socket of the joint and pulls away, riding on the rim of the acetabulum during movement. Hip dysplasia puts a lot of stress and the joint and damages the joint capsule. It is accompanied by severe pain. Sometimes the joint stabilizes and the dog is pain-free. Problems with the conformation or shape of the joint will remain though, and later on it can lead to lameness and the pain will return.

In older dogs hip dysplasia is caused by osteoarthritis and caused by degeneration of cartilage, which results in bone formation and fibrosis around the joint. The head of the femur is changing shape so it won’t fit into the joint making it unstable. This causes pain and lameness.

When found early, the problem can be corrected with surgical procedures, called a triple pelvic osteotomy. The pelvis is cut into three pieces and repositioned which makes the head of the femur fit better into the acetabulum. Usually this procedure works best on young dogs with little damage and not too many degenerative changes in the joint. The animals are normally resting for up to 8 weeks after surgery to make sure that the bones of the pelvis heal correctly.

When a dog shows already extensive degeneration of the joint a treatment that involves the surgical removal of the head and neck of the femur is necessary. Most pets do well without the pelvic joint since the muscles of their hind leg will compensate to form an “artificial joint” (muscular joint), similar to the joints in the forelimb of domestic animals. After these surgery dogs most likely will never be competitor in agility sports, but can lead a perfectly functional live. It is important after this surgery that the dog keeps moving afterwards to develop strength in the muscles of the hind leg for support. Most of the time physical therapy is of great help and highly advised.

Another option is a hip replacement, especially if the dog is fully mature and in good health otherwise and weights over 30 lbs. A careful examination is required prior to surgery to rule out other orthopedic and general health concerns. During hip replacement the head and medullary cavity of the femur is removed and an implant put in its place. The implant is made of cobalt chrome stainless steel. This artificial joint will function almost as well as a natural joint, but the surgery requires extensive post-operative care and at least 6 – 8 weeks cage rest. Dogs need to walk on their new hip immediately after surgery though.

The danger of a post-surgical infection is one of the major concerns with this procedure and antibiotics will be administered for any future surgical or dental procedures on the animal. In addition his overall health should be monitored very carefully to avoid any infection that could spread and jeopardize the success of the implant.