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Puppy Health Informations

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Puppy Health Informations
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New Theories and Hope for Hip Dysplasia

Hip Dysplasia is a hereditary condition that affects many large and pure bred dogs, and even some cats. It is one of the most debilitating degenerative diseases known in the veterinary community and as a matter of fact it is one of the most common skeletal diseases encountered clinically in dogs. Hip dysplasia refers to a faulty fitting of the hip joint (which is a ball called the femoral head) and the hip socket (which is called the acetabulum). In some cases the conformation is so poor that the hip ball doesn't fit into the hip socket at all. The majority of animals that are diagnosed with hip dysplasia are usually young animals ranging between 4-8 months of age, this is when their bones are still developing. Hip dysplasia can be in just one or both hips, and is always directly related to genetics. So if you are purchasing a dog from a breeder make sure you check the blood lines, hip dysplasia is best prevented by not breeding affected dogs.




Many times hip dysplasia also effects the surrounding tissues in the knees and the shoulders. Loss of cartilage and inflammation of the joint capsules can lead to bone damage and abnormal growths on the bone. It is usually very painful for the animal and the signs could include reduced activity, difficulty rising, resistance to run, jump or climb stairs and intermittent lameness. Hip dysplasia shares a lot of its symptoms with arthritis. In actuality, hip dysplasia usually is a precursor of arthritis. As the disease progresses the joints can start to degenerate, many times leading to arthritic conditions like osteoarthritis. With proper therapy affected pets live reasonably normal lives




Diagnosis of hip dysplasia is made through x-rays. The OFA ( the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) has developed some guide lines for veterinarians to follow when x raying hips. The animals back legs are pulled back and stretched out as far as possible behind the body, so the animal is in a straight line. The x-rays are then taken, developed and read by the veterinarian, and a diagnosis is made. This process has been followed by veterinarians for decades, and always seemed to be a valid way to diagnose hip dysplasia, that is until we met one veterinarian, Dr. Brian Wessels, who was bold enough to explore this procedure. What he had to say not only made a lot of sense, but it seemed to be a scientific epiphany. The position in which the OFA has veterinarians placing these animals for hip x-rays is completely unnatural. This type of manipulation of the joint is going to temporarily move the hip out of place, making it look like it is not properly set in the socket. This could make the difference between diagnosing true hip dysplasia verses a laxity of the joint.




According to Dr. Wessels, many animals are being diagnosed with hip dysplasia, when in reality it could be a mild condition of the joint muscles or a very mild case of dysplasia. This could mean the difference between surgery or simply restricting exercise. Imagine putting an animal through an unnecessary hip surgery. So what does Dr. Wessels recommend? He believes two sets of x-rays should be performed, the OFA standard x-rays of the unnatural positioning, and a set of x-rays where the animal is in a fully flexed position, which is a natural position for the animal. These two sets of x-rays should be compared, and then the final diagnosis made. One set of x-rays should not be done without the other. Dr. Wessels has been working on this theory for years, and is in the midst of writing a thesis in hopes it will be published in veterinary text when completed, and also submitted to the OFA.




Many dogs with this disease are found to be deficient in vitamin C. Vitamin C is necessary for development of connective tissue such as muscle, cartilage, and bone. Insufficient amounts of vitamin C in affected dogs and cats may cause difficulty in synthesizing sufficient collagen to maintain joint stability. So how do we treat this disease? There are many professional opinions on the treatment of hip dysplasia. Therapies vary from restricting exercise for mild cases to surgery if the hip dysplasia is severe. There are many ways to treat hip dysplasia. The main therapy utilized is nutrition. Even "conventional" veterinarians will put an affected animal on glucosamine, which works wonders. Vitamin C is also a must in treating hip dysplasia, it is not only an antioxidant but it also will help the body produce the necessary nutrients for joint and bone formation. Distilled water is extremely important to flush the joints out, as well as a pure and nutritious diet plan. Exercise should be limited, and body weight should be monitored. An animal with hip dysplasia should not have any extra weight on its body; this only puts more pressure on the joints.