Each case of hip dysplasia is different and range from mild to very severe, in many cases the condition is most noticeable in the dogs middle to later years of life. Dogs may show pain at different stages of hip dysplasia, in young dogs stretching of the joint capsule and micro fractures in the cartilage will cause pain. While in mature dogs overuse of the joint will show signs of arthritis, these signs include pain when getting up, decreased range of motion and worsening after rest following heavy exercise (Hazewinkel & Mott, 2008). Pain is the dominant clinical sign during the first phase of hip dysplasia accompanied with the reluctance to walk around, run, jump and play (Delaney et al.2012). When viewing a dog with hip dysplasia said dog might exhibit a swaying gait, narrow stance in the back legs and loss of thigh muscle. Overtime the lethargy of the dog and reluctance to move around and play may worsen with age and severity of the condition, it is important to stay conscious and aware of the dog’s health …show more content…
Selective breeding is the number one way to help lessen the incidences of hip dysplasia, this means breeding dogs with proven negative hip dysplasia parents. Prevention and treatment go somewhat hand in hand since prevention is only really possible through selective breeding and even then does not always work which is why treatment for the disease is the best option. On the bright side there are a lot of treatment options and some preventative measures one can take to control this disease. For treatment of young dogs adapt life style and body weight, NSAIDs, chondroprotective agents, triple pelvic osteotomy or myectomy are all treatment options. For adult dog treatment also adapt life style and body weight, NSAIDs, chondroprotective agents, myectomy, hip prosthesis, and excision arthroplasty. NSAIDs are non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs these can be prescribed for hip dysplasia in both adult and young dogs (Hazewinkel & Mott, 2008). Chondroprotectors are widely used for conservative treatment of canine osteoarthritis and hip dysplasia, moderate pain relief can be achieved with this treatment (Souza & Matera,