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What is hip dysplasia?

Hip dysplasia (HD) is a very common orthopedic abnormality in our popular large-breed dogs. It also occurs, though less frequently, in some medium- and small-breed dogs and in some breeds of cats. Dys means bad; plasia means formation. Thus, hip dysplasia means badly formed hip(s).


A dysplastic hip joint is too shallow. The cup-like socket in the pelvis normally has the width and depth of a half-sphere. The round head of the femur (thigh bone) fits snugly into this socket. In a dysplastic hip joint the pelvic socket is shallow, and so the head of the femur rides in and out of the socket.


The constant movement of the femoral head in and out of the hip joint wears down the cartilage that normally overlies the bony surfaces of the joint, sooner or later causing bone to rub on bone. This excess movement also causes inflammation within the joint, and this as well as other factors lead to a decrease in joint fluid and a drier joint, further interfering with smooth and pain-free movement of the hip joint.


The body reacts to the excessive joint movement and wear-and-tear by altering the contours of the femoral head and neck, thickening the neck and flattening the head. Extra bone is laid down around the edges of the pelvic socket in an attempt to keep the femoral head in place. Even though the “intent” of these bony changes is to stabilize the joint, the changes further interfere with smooth movement. An animal with these changes would be said to have degenerative joint disease (DJD), or osteoarthritis (OA), in the hips.


What causes hip dysplasia?

We don’t yet have all the answers to this question. We do know there is an inherited tendency (genetic predisposition) in certain breeds of dogs and cats and in certain lines within these breeds. The exact way hip dysplasia is transmitted genetically is still being investigated.


Very roughly speaking, if both parents of a puppy or kitten have HD, the pup/kitten will almost certainly have it as well. Even in only one parent has HD the puppy/kitten probably will have it. However, a pup/kitten from two parents without HD can still develop it; this is because the parents, even though free of the symptoms themselves, still can transmit the tendency or predisposition for HD to that offspring.


Among the breeds currently most likely to have HD are the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, and Rottweiler in dogs and Maine Coons and Persians in cats. The first two dog breeds are among the most popular breeds in this country today, so it’s not surprising that wesee so much of this condition in those dogs. Other large breeds of dogs, and some not-so-large, also have tendencies toward HD.


Other theories, such as nutritional deficiencies and/or imbalances, muscular abnormalities, spinal problems, etc, also have been put forth to explain how HD comes about. I personally believe that HD is probably caused by multiple factors, of which genetic inheritance is just a part. However, since we know the most about the latter, I will concentrate on that cause in this article.


How do I know if my dog or cat has hip dysplasia?

You might suspect HD in your animal if he/she is a member of one of the above-mentioned breeds, and/or if you notice him/her being slow in getting up or down, being reluctant to jump or climb stairs or run long distances, bunny-hopping (moving both hind legs together rather than separately) or if he/she has a pronounced sway, or wide swing from side to side, in the hindquarters when seen from behind. If the condition has gone on long enough, there also will be shinkage or atrophy of the muscles surrounding the hip(s).


Since dysplastic dogs are usually much bigger and heavier than dysplastic cats, their symptoms usually show up earlier and are more severe as a general rule.


At this point, the most widely-used way of diagnosing HD is with radiographs (X-rays) of the hips. Sometimes sedation or anesthesia is needed to take the radiographs, for positioning needs to be fairly exact to get accurate results.


Radiographs can be taken as early as a few months of age, for, unfortunately, in some puppies HD shows up this early. However, it also can show up later in life. Therefore, if early radiographs are negative your dog may still need to be re-radiographed when older. Some dogs don’t show signs until 2 years or even older.

There is a foundation called the Orthopedic Foundation of America (OFA). OFA experts will evaluate radiographs sent to them by veterinarians and determine if they show that a dog has HD. If they decide HD is present, they will grade it according to severity. They are invaluable to anyone who wants to breed a dog from a breed prone to HD.


Ideally, no dog or cat with any signs of HD should be bred, but since this would leave many, many animals out of the breeding picture in some of our popular breeds, at least only those with mild HD should be used. Of course, as we mentioned above, even animals with no signs of HD can still pass it on to their offspring, so this is a relatively crude method.


As we become more knowledgeable about the inheritance of HD we’ll be better equipped to work toward eliminating it.


A crucial factor in eliminating HD is the courage and far-sighted integrity of those breeders who must remove from their breeding program otherwise excellent dogs or cats who could pass on HD.

Next month I’ll write about the treatment of HD.

Dr. Kathleen Carson, DVM
Veterinarian & Author

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