Hip Dysplasia Relief for Lab
Finding out that your Labrador Retriever or large breed pup has Hip Dysplasia is one of the most devastating diagnoses that any dog owner hears.
We are conditioned to think this is one of the worst large breed dog problems and that there is no hope for the pup after such a condition has been confirmed. Unfortunately, Canine Hip Dysplasia is not curable and can be quite painful if the Lab is not diagnosed early and necessary precautions made to increase the quality of life for the pup.
That is why it is important to become knowledgeable in how to lessen the chance for such a diagnosis, how to know when your pup needs to be seen by a veterinarian, and what treatment options are available.
The disease can occur in Labs that are just a few months old or it can strike later in the dogs life. I suppose it is this unpredictability that frightens most Lab owners.
Like most large, heavy breeds, the Labrador has a problem with Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD). Canine hip dysplasia has puzzled researchers for the past 50 years. Although certain aspects of this degenerative, sometimes painful condition are now understood
(or at least agree upon in theory), much must still be learned about helping afflicted dogs and preventing the increasing incidence of the disease. Originally, the only means at the breeder’s disposal was to look at the dog’s movement in order to judge whether the hips seemed sound.
But many dogs with wretched movement never develop hip problems, and dogs with excellent movement can develop degenerative joint disease (DJD) of the hip joint.
Hip dysplasia is one of the most over-diagnosed and misdiagnosed conditions.
Hip dysplasia is defined as a deformity of the coxofemoral (hip) joint that occurs during the growth period. Hip dysplasia is caused by a variety of factors including genetic, obesity in the young puppy and excessive exercise, all of which contribute to a poorly
fitting hip joint. As the dog walks on this joint, arthritis eventually develops, causing pain in the joint. The degree of lameness that occurs is usually dependent upon the extent of arthritic changes in the hip joint.
It’s true that Labrador Retrievers are more likely to have hip dysplasia than some other breeds. But hip dysplasia, which is a fancy term for a poorly formed hip joint, isn’t only hereditary. It’s also influenced by nutrition and exercise.
Difficult to prevent and treat, canine hip dysplasia is among the most studied and the most frustrating diseases in veterinary medicine.
Hip dysplasia is the most common orthopedic problem in Labs (and in many larger dogs). Although not congenital (it isn’t present at birth), hip dysplasia is probably due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. If your dog develops hip dysplasia (the condition can be seen on an x-ray), she may suffer no symptoms at all. Or she may eventually experience severe pain and even lameness. Some Labs require no treatment, but if your Lab develops hip dysplasia and does require treatment, many excellent management strategies, treatments, and surgical options exist.
Veterinarians see more dogs for hip dysplasia than any other orthopedic condition.
Veterinarians recommend some of the remedies we review here.
