Hip Dysplasia is a painful and debilitating condition, especially in large breed dogs.
And of course the older the dog the worse the condition.
Many things can cause H D.
Genetics play the biggest roll along with diet exercise as well as breed type and on rare occasions an injury can lead to the problem or make an existing condition worse.
Hip Dysplasia is a condition in which there is an abnormality in the joint structure and a looseness of the muscles and tendons.
The looseness causes the two bones of the joint to loose contact with each other which changes the size and surface of the bones.
Symptoms of Hip Dysplasia vary from a slight limp to an inability to climb stairs.
In some cases it can cause a dog to have trouble getting in to a lying down position or to get up after lying down.
As the condition gets worse there will be a loss of muscle tone and the dog will be less interactive with daily activity.
Treatment for Hip Dysplasia varies depending on the severity.
In mild cases it can be treated through weight loss, proper diet and exercise.
An anti inflammatory medication can also be given for pain relief.
You can also give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin, which is used in humans to relieve arthritis.
Glucosamine helps in maintenance for the joint cartilage and chondroitin inhibits damaging enzymes in the joint.
Continued care should involve a soft and warm sleeping area and massage and physical therapy.
Also making life easier on the dog by using ramps on stairs and to get your dog in and out of the car.
Surgery is also an option but it is very expensive and not feasible for many people.
While there is no way to totally prevent this disease its progression can be slowed by proper diet and exercise starting at the puppy stage.