Posts Tagged ‘Canine Hip Dysplasia’
Canine Hip Dysplasia – Signs, Symptoms, and Tips To Prevent It
Canine hip dysplasia is a genetic issue that starts to appear from the ages of 4 to 12 months. Not all puppies in a litter will develop it, though if your dog has canine hip dysplasia, she should not be bred.
Larger breed dogs have a higher risk of developing hip dysplasia, due to the greater weight these joints will have to bear. But it’s important to realize that small dogs can be affected also. Large breed dogs at risk include rottweilers, german shephards, golden retrievers, dalmations, and blood hounds.
Canine hip dysplasia affects the ball and socket joint of the hip. The head of the large bone in the dog’s leg doesn’t fit snugly into the hip socket. The problem is that the socket itself is not well developed, and it creates a lot of stress on the joint. The muscles don’t develop as quickly as the bone grows, and a situation is created where the weight the joint has to bear is greater than the capacity of the ligaments, tendons, and muscles around the joint. Thus joint instability develops. This in turn leads to a greater wear and tear than the joint would normally experience. More »
Arthritis In Dogs – What You Can Do To Help Your Dog
Canine Arthritis is a common ailment as dog’s age. It is similar to humans as calcification and inflammation cause joint pain and reduced activity. Some forms of arthritis like Canine Hip Dysplasia can develop early in life due to genetics and diet. Fortunately, arthritis in dogs can be treated.
Treatments for canine arthritis range from natural supplements using chondroitin and glucosamine, to veterinary prescribed drugs such as Rimadyl and Deramaxx. Studies and actual results have shown that natural supplements can be extremely effective in fighting the effects of arthritis in dogs without the potentially dangerous side effects of Rimadyl and Deramaxx. Before deciding which treatment option is best for your dog, you should observe the signs of dog arthritis.
Signs of Dog Arthritis
1. Limping and general reduced activity.
2. Favoring one or both of the front or back limbs.
3. Morning activity or cold weather makes the dog less active.
4. Difficulty rising from a resting position, especially in the morning.
5. Pain to the touch.
6. Reluctance to jump. More »
An Introduction to Canine Hip Dysplasia
What is Hip Dysplasia?
The hip joint consists of a “ball” on the femoral bone, and a “socket” on the hip bone.
Canine hip dysplasia simply defined is when a dog’s hips do not develop normally and the ball does not fit snugly into the socket.
What Causes Hip Dysplasia?
While there is no “conclusive proof” of the cause of hip dysplasia, there are 2 general schools of thought about its cause – 1) genetic or 2) environmental
These two differing viewpoints often place the dog breeders at odds with the dog owners, causing each to blame the other for the problem.
Genetic: The puppy is born with the problem More »