Hip Dysplasia (HD)
Hip dysplasia is a common condition of large breed dogs. The larger the dog, the more likely the development of this problem becomes, particularly as the dog ages.
What is Hip Dysplasia?
The term dysplasia means abnormal growth, thus hip dysplasia means abnormal growth of the hips. Hip dysplasia occurs during a puppy’s growing phase and refers to a poor fit of the “ball and socket”.
When a dog has hip dysplasia, the ball and socket do not fit smoothly. The socket is flattened and the ball is not held tightly in place, thus allowing for some slipping. This makes for an unstable joint and the body’s attempts to stabilize the joint only end up yielding arthritis.
If Hip Dysplasia starts in puppyhood why are most affected dogs elderly?
There are two sets of dogs typically affected by hip dysplasia.
The first group is the adolescent dog, typically 6 to 18 months of age. The radiograph on the right above shows the hips of such a young dog. This dog has hip dysplasia but has not yet developed arthritis. Note the shallow hip sockets. This dog was brought to the veterinarian clinic because of discomfort. Radiographs discovered hip dysplasia.
The second group are dogs with similar radiographs who are not in pain and thus will not end up coming in for an evaluation. These dogs don’t have pain until they are elderly, after they have been walking on their poorly formed hips for many years. Bony build up along the margins of the socket, mineralization of the joint capsule, cartilage wear, and inflammatory change in the joint (i.e. degenerative arthritis) have become painful.
What causes Hip Dysplasia?
The primary cause of hip dysplasia is genetic but inheritance of this trait is not as simple as a dominance/recessive relationship like we study in high school biology. Normal dogs can breed and yield dysplastic offspring as the condition may skip generations. Until a test based on the actual DNA can be developed, the best we can do to prevent this disease is to breed only dogs with normal hips, scored by the NZVA or AVA.
Nutritional factors are also important in the development of hip dysplasia. For example, it has been popular to try to nutritionally “push” a large breed puppy to grow faster or larger by providing extra protein, more calcium, or even just extra food. Practices such as these have been disastrous, leading to bones and muscle growing at different rates and creating assorted joint diseases of which hip dysplasia is one. One study showed that when puppies of hip dysplasia prone breeds were allowed to free feed, two thirds went on to develop hip dysplasia while only one third developed hip dysplasia when the same diet was fed in meals. Another study showed German Shepherds were nearly twice as likely to develop hip dysplasia if their adult weights were above average.
Studies such as these have led to the development of puppy foods designed for large breed puppies, where the optimal nutritional plane is lower than for small breed puppies.
Excessive exercise in a young dog aged 3 till 18 months. Such as repetitive movements: walking stairs, jumping in cars and jumping over gates. But also rough play or walks that are too long for the puppies age.
How Can we reduce the chance of Hip dysplasia?
When purchasing a puppy, particularly one of a larger breed, the parents should be hip scored with the NZVA or AVA. Score results no more than 10 in total, with a goal of reducing the incidence of hip dysplasia. What this means is that the breeder has had the hips of the dog’s parents x-rayed by a vet and send off to an official scoring team of independent vets. A dog for breeding can have radiographs taken at age 12-18 months. Offspring of parents with a hip score under 10 would be less likely to develop dysplasia themselves.
Hip Dysplasia Statistics
Hip Dysplasia by Breed Source: |
Breeds having at least 100 evaluations January 1974 through December 2012
Breed |
Rank |
Number of Evaluations |
Percent Excellent |
Percent Dysplastic |
BULLDOG |
1 |
536 |
.4 |
72.0 |
PUG |
2 |
483 |
.0 |
67.1 |
DOGUE DE BORDEAUX |
3 |
431 |
1.2 |
57.3 |
OTTERHOUND |
4 |
395 |
.3 |
50.4 |
BOERBOEL |
5 |
126 |
5.6 |
47.6 |
NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF |
6 |
156 |
2.6 |
47.4 |
ST. BERNARD |
7 |
2124 |
4.1 |
46.8 |
CLUMBER SPANIEL |
8 |
899 |
3.0 |
44.0 |
BLACK RUSSIAN TERRIER |
9 |
499 |
3.4 |
43.3 |
SUSSEX SPANIEL |
10 |
262 |
1.5 |
41.6 |
CANE CORSO |
11 |
771 |
6.7 |
39.8 |
ARGENTINE DOGO |
12 |
203 |
3.0 |
38.9 |
BASSET HOUND |
13 |
200 |
.0 |
37.0 |
PERRO DE PRESA CANARIO |
14 |
189 |
4.2 |
34.4 |
NORFOLK TERRIER |
15 |
287 |
.0 |
33.4 |
AMERICAN BULLDOG |
16 |
1792 |
4.9 |
33.0 |
BOYKIN SPANIEL |
17 |
3092 |
2.3 |
32.8 |
GLEN OF IMAAL TERRIER |
18 |
160 |
.6 |
30.6 |
SPANISH WATER DOG |
19 |
109 |
5.5 |
30.3 |
FILA BRASILEIRO |
20 |
599 |
7.5 |
30.1 |
FRENCH BULLDOG |
21 |
1050 |
1.5 |
29.0 |
LAGOTTO ROMAGNOLO |
22 |
116 |
7.8 |
28.4 |
AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER |
23 |
2944 |
2.4 |
25.9 |
BLOODHOUND |
24 |
2825 |
2.8 |
25.6 |
NEWFOUNDLAND |
25 |
15118 |
8.5 |
25.0 |
AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER |
26 |
751 |
5.7 |
24.4 |
MAINE COON CAT |
27 |
1096 |
4.2 |
24.3 |
BULLMASTIFF |
28 |
5509 |
3.9 |
24.3 |
LOUISIANA CATAHOULA LEOPARD |
29 |
552 |
12.0 |
22.1 |
ENGLISH SHEPHERD |
30 |
355 |
11.0 |
21.7 |
CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER |
31 |
12664 |
12.5 |
20.3 |
ROTTWEILER |
32 |
93301 |
8.3 |
20.2 |
CARDIGAN WELSH CORGI |
33 |
1888 |
3.2 |
20.0 |
GOLDEN RETRIEVER |
34 |
133383 |
4.2 |
19.6 |
NORWEGIAN ELKHOUND |
35 |
3822 |
7.4 |
19.5 |
MASTIFF |
36 |
10785 |
7.9 |
19.4 |
CHOW CHOW |
37 |
5286 |
7.3 |
19.4 |
SHIH TZU |
38 |
623 |
1.9 |
19.3 |
GORDON SETTER |
39 |
6046 |
8.9 |
19.1 |
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG |
40 |
105204 |
4.0 |
19.0 |
PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI |
41 |
10962 |
3.2 |
18.8 |
GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN DOG |
42 |
2648 |
13.7 |
18.4 |
PYRENEAN SHEPHERD |
43 |
114 |
2.6 |
18.4 |
OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG |
44 |
10641 |
11.8 |
18.4 |
HYBRID |
45 |
1346 |
8.6 |
18.2 |
GIANT SCHNAUZER |
46 |
4341 |
9.9 |
17.9 |
KUVASZ |
47 |
1754 |
14.2 |
17.9 |
BEAGLE |
48 |
895 |
2.6 |
17.8 |
FIELD SPANIEL |
49 |
1026 |
8.6 |
17.7 |
ICELANDIC SHEEPDOG |
50 |
244 |
12.7 |
17.6 |
CHINOOK |
51 |
643 |
10.0 |
17.3 |
STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER |
52 |
577 |
1.9 |
17.2 |
SHILOH SHEPHERD |
53 |
768 |
9.5 |
17.2 |
WELSH TERRIER |
54 |
113 |
5.3 |
16.8 |
EPAGNEUL BRETON |
55 |
141 |
2.8 |
16.3 |
ENGLISH SETTER |
56 |
10359 |
10.6 |
16.0 |
ENTLEBUCHER |
57 |
308 |
4.2 |
15.9 |
BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG |
58 |
17384 |
13.8 |
15.8 |
SPINONE ITALIANO |
59 |
1167 |
18.3 |
15.8 |
AFFENPINSCHER |
60 |
287 |
3.8 |
15.7 |
POLISH LOWLAND SHEEPDOG |
61 |
490 |
8.6 |
15.5 |
AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG |
62 |
3511 |
4.5 |
15.5 |
LABRADOODLE |
63 |
228 |
10.1 |
15.4 |
HAVANA SILK DOG |
64 |
188 |
2.1 |
15.4 |
CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER |
65 |
1156 |
8.7 |
15.1 |
BOUVIER DES FLANDRES |
66 |
8116 |
6.2 |
15.0 |
BLACK AND TAN COONHOUND |
67 |
692 |
10.3 |
14.7 |
BRITTANY |
68 |
18101 |
8.8 |
14.5 |
LEONBERGER |
69 |
1664 |
19.8 |
14.1 |
TIBETAN MASTIFF |
70 |
923 |
7.8 |
14.1 |
BRIARD |
71 |
2397 |
13.3 |
14.0 |
HARRIER |
72 |
323 |
9.0 |
13.9 |
BEAUCERON |
73 |
373 |
13.9 |
13.7 |
CHINESE SHAR-PEI |
74 |
9572 |
9.2 |
13.3 |
NORWICH TERRIER |
75 |
794 |
7.1 |
13.2 |
ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL |
76 |
14741 |
8.8 |
12.9 |
AKITA |
77 |
16177 |
19.1 |
12.8 |
PORTUGUESE WATER DOG |
78 |
7872 |
14.1 |
12.7 |
CAVALIER KING CHARLES SPANIEL |
79 |
6249 |
4.1 |
12.4 |
KOMONDOR |
80 |
972 |
12.6 |
12.2 |
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER |
81 |
337 |
8.3 |
12.2 |
PUDELPOINTER |
82 |
410 |
14.6 |
12.2 |
POODLE |
83 |
22785 |
11.9 |
12.0 |
GREAT DANE |
84 |
12526 |
11.7 |
12.0 |
IRISH SETTER |
85 |
11237 |
9.2 |
11.9 |
WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER |
86 |
312 |
2.9 |
11.9 |
IRISH WATER SPANIEL |
87 |
1302 |
17.1 |
11.8 |
LABRADOR RETRIEVER |
88 |
227013 |
18.2 |
11.7 |
BOSTON TERRIER |
89 |
205 |
6.3 |
11.7 |
WELSH SPRINGER SPANIEL |
90 |
1971 |
15.5 |
11.5 |
ALASKAN MALAMUTE |
91 |
13808 |
16.9 |
11.4 |
AIREDALE TERRIER |
92 |
5887 |
7.2 |
11.4 |
PETIT BASSET GRIFFON VENDEEN |
93 |
706 |
4.1 |
11.2 |
SAMOYED |
94 |
15905 |
10.5 |
11.0 |
FINNISH LAPPHUND |
95 |
164 |
11.0 |
11.0 |
BOXER |
96 |
5398 |
3.5 |
10.9 |
BORDER COLLIE |
97 |
10923 |
13.1 |
10.7 |
ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD |
98 |
1795 |
18.3 |
10.2 |
PULI |
99 |
1746 |
16.7 |
10.0 |
HAVANESE |
100 |
3106 |
9.2 |
9.9 |
WIREHAIRED VIZSLA |
101 |
111 |
10.8 |
9.9 |
CAIRN TERRIER |
102 |
102 |
2.0 |
9.8 |
AKBASH DOG |
103 |
542 |
24.2 |
9.6 |
AMERICAN ESKIMO DOG |
104 |
1012 |
8.9 |
9.5 |
TIBETAN SPANIEL |
105 |
334 |
6.9 |
9.3 |
NORWEGIAN BUHUND |
106 |
185 |
10.3 |
9.2 |
GREAT PYRENEES |
107 |
5853 |
14.0 |
9.1 |
SMALL MUNSTERLANDER |
108 |
143 |
14.0 |
9.1 |
SWEDISH VALLHUND |
109 |
212 |
5.2 |
9.0 |
AUSTRALIAN KELPIE |
110 |
122 |
9.8 |
9.0 |
GERMAN WIREHAIRED POINTER |
111 |
4071 |
16.8 |
8.9 |
COTON DE TULEAR |
112 |
703 |
9.5 |
8.8 |
STANDARD SCHNAUZER |
113 |
4163 |
8.2 |
8.5 |
MINI AMERICAN/MINI AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD |
114 |
1365 |
17.2 |
8.4 |
WEIMARANER |
115 |
11989 |
21.3 |
8.4 |
POINTER |
116 |
1567 |
14.0 |
8.0 |
WIREHAIRED POINTING GRIFFON |
117 |
1983 |
20.3 |
7.9 |
DUTCH SHEPHERD |
118 |
211 |
17.5 |
7.6 |
AMERICAN WATER SPANIEL |
119 |
754 |
10.2 |
7.6 |
FRENCH SPANIEL |
120 |
174 |
18.4 |
7.5 |
BICHON FRISE |
121 |
3482 |
11.4 |
7.1 |
VIZSLA |
122 |
13484 |
16.7 |
7.0 |
BULL TERRIER |
123 |
105 |
11.4 |
6.7 |
NOVA SCOTIA DUCK TOLLING RET. |
124 |
1803 |
18.6 |
6.5 |
COCKER SPANIEL |
125 |
12929 |
10.8 |
6.4 |
LHASA APSO |
126 |
813 |
14.6 |
6.4 |
SCHIPPERKE |
127 |
450 |
9.8 |
6.4 |
KEESHOND |
128 |
4660 |
9.2 |
6.3 |
DOBERMAN PINSCHER |
129 |
15337 |
18.0 |
6.1 |
BEARDED COLLIE |
130 |
4441 |
16.4 |
6.0 |
HOVAWART |
131 |
133 |
24.1 |
6.0 |
FINNISH SPITZ |
132 |
324 |
17.0 |
5.9 |
AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD |
133 |
31675 |
16.4 |
5.8 |
AFGHAN HOUND |
134 |
6701 |
29.7 |
5.7 |
ENGLISH COCKER SPANIEL |
135 |
6874 |
18.9 |
5.7 |
TIBETAN TERRIER |
136 |
3935 |
30.6 |
5.7 |
SHIBA INU |
137 |
3029 |
18.5 |
5.6 |
KERRY BLUE TERRIER |
138 |
1543 |
13.0 |
5.6 |
BELGIAN MALINOIS |
139 |
2619 |
18.7 |
5.3 |
NORTH AMERICAN SHEPHERD |
140 |
336 |
16.7 |
5.1 |
RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK |
141 |
11053 |
22.0 |
4.9 |
IRISH RED & WHITE SETTER |
142 |
229 |
31.9 |
4.8 |
IRISH WOLFHOUND |
143 |
1771 |
26.5 |
4.8 |
SOFT COATED WHEATEN TERRIER |
144 |
5952 |
17.0 |
4.8 |
SHETLAND SHEEPDOG |
145 |
19651 |
27.6 |
4.6 |
DALMATIAN |
146 |
3412 |
10.4 |
4.5 |
FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER |
147 |
5440 |
19.9 |
4.2 |
GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER |
148 |
15575 |
25.9 |
4.2 |
BORDER TERRIER |
149 |
2580 |
20.6 |
3.8 |
PARSON RUSSELL TERRIER |
150 |
109 |
24.8 |
3.7 |
TOY AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD |
151 |
108 |
27.8 |
3.7 |
BASENJI |
152 |
2539 |
22.8 |
3.6 |
BELGIAN TERVUREN |
153 |
5832 |
26.1 |
3.5 |
RAT TERRIER |
154 |
471 |
15.5 |
3.0 |
BELGIAN SHEEPDOG |
155 |
3999 |
32.8 |
2.9 |
EURASIER |
156 |
102 |
33.3 |
2.9 |
COLLIE |
157 |
2909 |
30.4 |
2.8 |
PHARAOH HOUND |
158 |
464 |
15.3 |
2.8 |
IBIZAN HOUND |
159 |
346 |
35.3 |
2.6 |
CANAAN |
160 |
438 |
17.1 |
2.3 |
AUSTRALIAN TERRIER |
161 |
183 |
6.0 |
2.2 |
GREYHOUND |
162 |
346 |
35.8 |
2.0 |
SIBERIAN HUSKY |
163 |
17293 |
33.8 |
2.0 |
GERMAN PINSCHER |
164 |
371 |
21.3 |
1.9 |
BORZOI |
165 |
858 |
31.1 |
1.9 |
SALUKI |
166 |
261 |
42.5 |
1.5 |
WHIPPET |
167 |
161 |
37.9 |
1.2 |
ITALIAN GREYHOUND |
168 |
222 |
59.0 |
.0 |