Surely in your neighborhood there is a dog neighbor who suffers from it, and dysplasia in dogs is an unfortunately very common disease. In this post we explain what it consists of, how to prevent it and what treatment exists. What is hip dysplasia in dogs? The first thing you should know is what exactly dysplasia is. This disease is based on a deformity of the hip joint of your dog. This joint joins the dog's femur with the pelvis and in the middle is the head of the femur, responsible for moving in the hollow of its pelvis. It is a hereditary disease and usually develops around the dog's first 5 months of age. At this age of puppy growth, his small hip does not adapt to the correct shape and tends to move towards one of the sides. However, its symptoms usually do not appear until the pet is an adult. And unfortunately, it is a very painful degenerative disease for dogs that worsens with age as their joints wear out. What are the symptoms of canine hip dysplasia? If the disease is in its initial stages, the symptoms are practically imperceptible, however, little by little they will manifest.
The symptoms are: -You will notice that your dog does not feel like playing, running, jumping or going up and down stairs. -He may limp or show difficulty moving his hind legs normally. -Show signs of pain or hear clicking sounds. You should keep in mind that these symptoms do not always occur and may be intermittent. Therefore, when you see any of these symptoms, even if it is only for a day or two, do not Phone Lead hesitate to go to your veterinarian to check your dog and diagnose it. Is it possible to prevent dysplasia in dogs? As we have told you, it is a hereditary disease but it is true that there are some “tricks” to avoid it: -Feed your puppy only with quality food, limiting the doses administered, mainly between 3 and 8 months of life of the dog. And avoiding excess weight in these months of development will help your hip development to be correct. -Avoid sudden exercises while he is a puppy. Opt for moderate exercise, it will promote muscle development that will stabilize your joints without overloading them. In addition, with regular visits to the vet you will check the condition of their joints and how they are developing. Remember that with our veterinary insurance for dogs , you can take your pet to the specialist you want, to avoid scares and to always be healthy and strong.
What is the treatment for this disease? There are many ways to help a dog with hip dysplasia beyond medical treatments or operations. First of all, it is highly recommended to reduce the load on the hip, either by reducing your pet's weight or by helping yourself with a wheelchair, this will help the animal perform moderate and pain-free exercise. In fact, this exercise will be your great ally when it comes to improving muscle mass, making it better able to withstand poor joint development. In this sense, physiotherapy and massages are also great allies, which will allow you to always have your pet in a correct muscular state. You can help your dog with dysplasia if you protect the joint from the cold with thermal blankets in addition to using a memory foam bed for rest. By avoiding humidity and cold you will make the dog feel more comfortable and restful, so it will then have more energy to move and exercise. A special harness can help your dog with dysplasia a lot When you go out for a walk to do that daily moderate exercise, it is highly recommended that you use a lifting harness to help you in case of a trip or fall. And, in addition to the development of pain medications, there are a large number of specific supports and harnesses for dogs with dysplasia. All of them will help stabilize your dog's hip by offering support to the joint, so the muscle group will be stimulated, preventing it from atrophying. So remember, a timely diagnosis and good prevention from puppies can save your dog many problems with his hip.