Introduction to Canine Hip Dysplasia

 

Dysplastic Hips

Dysplasia comes from the Greek words dys, meaning "disordered" or "abnormal", and plassein meaning "to form". The expression hip dysplasia can be interpreted as the abnormal or faulty development of the hip. Abnormal development of the hip causes excessive wear of the joint cartilage during weight bearing, eventually leading to the development of arthritis, often called osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease (DJD). The terms osteoarthritis and  degenerative joint disease are used interchangeably.

Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) was first described in 1937 by Dr. Gerry B. Schnelle.  Dr. Schnelle initially called it "bilateral congenital subluxation". It was originally thought to be a rare condition but is now recognized as the most common orthopedic disease in dogs. The radiograph image on the left is the first known example of CHD to be published in a scientific journal.

In 1966, Henricson, Norberg and Olsson refined the definition of CHD describing it as: "A varying degree of laxity of the hip joint permitting subluxation during early life, giving rise to varying degrees of shallow acetabulum and flattening of the femoral head, finally inevitably leading to osteoarthritis."

Today, the general veterinary consensus is that hip dysplasia is hip joint laxity resulting in OA.

Canine Hip Dysplasia afflicts millions of dogs each year and can result in debilitating orthopedic disease of the hip. Many dogs will suffer from osteoarthritis, pain, and lameness, costing owners and breeders millions of dollars in veterinary care, shortened work longevity, and reduced performance. The occurrence of CHD is well documented in the large and giant breed dogs, but there is also evidence that CHD is prevalent in many small and toy breeds as well as in cats.

Hip dysplasia is a disease of complex inheritance, that is it is caused by many genes. Veterinarians and dog breeders have attempted to eliminate CHD through selective breeding strategies. However, the reduction of CHD frequency in pure-breed dogs has been disappointing.


Fast facts about Canine Hip Dysplasia

 

  • Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is the most commonly inherited orthopaedic disease.
  • CHD is a degenerative, developmental condition that leads to hip arthritis. Hip arthritis can cause pain, stiffness and diminished quality of life.
  • All breeds are affected. In certain breeds, more than 50 person of dogs are afflicted.
    The disease is polygenic and multifactorial.
  • The developement of CHD is affected by environmental influences.
  • There is no medical or surgical cure for CHD.
  • CHD is a major concern for pet owners, breeders and veterinarians.

 

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