ROTTWEILER HEALTH PROBLEMS - HIP DYSPLACIA

Hip dysplasia is a major problem in the large breeds of dogs. In dysplastic dogs, the “ball and socket” of the hip joint fit poorly together, causing abnormal movement of the involved legs resulting in pain. It is the result of birth defects and growing deformities of the pelvis and hip joints. It is an inherited disorder, although nutritional factors may play a role in the development of hip dysplasia in your pet as well.

Symptoms:
Early signs of hip dysplasia include:
- lameness in one or both of the rear legs,
- reluctance or difficulty in getting up after lying down,
- reluctance to run and/or jump,
- and sometimes a swaying appearance to the rear legs when viewed from behind.
Signs vary considerably.
Your pet may show no signs, even though severe hip lesions are present, or may be totally crippled and disabled by the condition. Signs usually are not detected in the newborn puppy, but often appear during the period of rapid growth between 6 months and 18 months of age. Signs may also be present in more elderly dogs, as degenerative changes in the joint start to cause pain.

Treatment:
Treatment may be medical or surgical.
1. Medical approaches to treatment generally involve relieving pain and improving joint health. Your pet's veterinarian will advise you which medications are most appropriate to relieve the discomfort your pet is feeling.
- Commonly used medications include the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as Rimadyl, Etogesic, Deramaxx, and others.
- Another commonly recommended medication to ease the pain of hip dysplasia are the nutriceutical medications containing glucosamine and/or chondroitin. These medications act to improve joint health by stimulating lubrication within the joint.

2. Maintenance of the proper weight is important in managing hip dysplasia as well. Overweight dogs tend to be more painful than those maintained at an ideal body weight.

3. Proper diets are necessary to ensure adequate bone development for puppies.

4. Adequate exercise can also help combat the appearance of hip dysplasia in growing puppies. In mature dogs, moderate exercise can help defer symptoms of hip dysplasia and help maintain the proper weight.

5. Surgical procedures available vary depending on the situation.
= Surgical options range from:
- total hip replacements, in which an artificial hip is transplanted into your pet's hip joint, to
- surgical removal of the "ball" part of the "ball and socket" hip joint (femoral head and neck ostectomy), allowing a "false" joint to form.
= Another surgery offered for hip dysplasia is the DARthoplasty, in which the hip joint is actually rebuilt using bone grafts to make the joint socket deeper.

= Other surgical procedures include:
- the triple pelvic osteotomy, which is generally reserved for young dogs with evidence of dysplasia but no degenerative changes and
- the juvenile pubic symphysiodesis, which is done as a preventive measure on puppies even before hip dysplasia can be accurately diagnosed.

= Your pet's veterinarian will advise which surgery, if any, is indicated for your pet, based on your pet's symptoms, severity, age, and physical condition.
At the present time, there is no known cure for hip dysplasia!