Among all the pets in the world, dogs are the most faithful ones. Anyone who has this pet at home won’t disagree with me when I say that dogs love and care for you more than themselves. Living with these furry companions bless you with the feeling of being loved but seeing them in pain is very agitating and keeps you agonised. When you see your beloved pet fighting a medical condition, you try to find out the root cause and then try to cure it as soon as possible. Some common medical problems that dogs face include hip dysplasia. Once, your dog is diagnosed with this skeletal condition; the first requirement is to determine the causes and treatment of hip dysplasia in dogs. It is an inherited skeletal problem that may affect the quality of your pet’s life.
What Are The Main Causes Of Hip Dysplasia In Dogs?
Hip dysplasia is one of the most common medical problems found in the dogs. Giant breeds of dogs are most susceptible to this medical condition, but the fact is that any size or breed of dogs can face this painful condition. The most common causes of the development of this disease include:
- Genetics of a dog is the most common cause. If the parent dogs suffer from the disease, the puppies are most likely to face the same anytime in their life.
- The disease threats larger breeds more. The excessive growth rate may cause skeletal disorders, including hip dysplasia.
- Just like improper nutrition may lead to various health problems, it may also increase a dog’s likelihood of developing this skeletal condition.
- Weight management is as crucial for our pets as for us. Obesity may put the joints under excessive pressure that may cause or worsen pre-existing hip dysplasia in dogs.
- Lack or excess of exercise also adds up to the factors that trigger skeletal problems in dogs, including hip dysplasia.
Treatment of Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
If you have a faithful and loving dog at home who is suffering from hip dysplasia, you will have to face the harsh reality that medical science has failed to find any cure for this painful disease. But hope is the angel of God, and the good news is that many treatments can help relieve the symptoms of hip dysplasia. Some of these treatments are proven to be effective for the relief of pain in older dogs, and some are effective in preventing the development of disease in puppies.
Let’s talk about some most effective treatments for hip dysplasia in dogs.
Regular Exercise
Maintaining healthy body weight is very important for your dog to avoid excessive pressure on the hip joints. Regular exercising is crucial in three different ways:
- It strengthens the muscles.
- It helps to avoid further degeneration.
- It helps to maintain a healthy body weight.
However, you need to remember that over-exercising may put the muscles and joints under pressure, which can worsen the condition. Therefore, you should consult a veterinarian before scheduling the daily exercising routine of your dog.
Orthopaedic Braces
One of the most effective non-invasive conservative management options is the use of orthopaedic braces for hip dysplasia patient dogs. These braces are effective in providing support and stabilizing hip joints. Moreover, they are also used for post-surgery healing and help avoid any pain and strain during regular exercise. Different sizes of braces are available in the market, and they can also be custom made according to the size of your dog. Hence, you can easily find a suitable size for your dog. If you have a young puppy suffering from hip dysplasia, the best time to get his orthopaedic braces designed is as soon as possible for a better outcome.
Dog Physical Therapy or Physical Rehabilitation
Some centres provide the services of physiotherapy under the name of physical rehabilitation for dogs. They use various techniques to reduce pain in different skeletal and muscular conditions in dogs. For example, arthritis, hip dysplasia, post-surgery healing, etc. The most commonly used techniques include:
- Water treadmill therapy
- Animal chiropractic
- Laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Exercises
- Manual massage therapy
Surgery
I can understand letting your beloved pet go under knives and scissors is the worse you expect. But in extreme cases, you may need to try the invasive method for treating the continuous pain of your darling pup suffering from hip dysplasia. Hip surgery may cost you anywhere between $1000 to $3000 per hip joint. Your dog’s veterinarian will guide you about all the information regarding when surgery is the only option left.
Medication and Supplementation
Pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medicines can help reduce the painful symptoms of hip dysplasia. Furthermore, supplements can also help to maintain good skeletal and muscular health condition. Make sure you use veterinarian-approved and recommended medicines and supplements.