Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. It can be found in many animals and, rarely, humans, but is common in many dog breeds, particularly the larger breeds.

Symptoms

Dogs might exhibit signs of pain, lameness, reluctance to exercise, and wasting away of the muscle mass in the hip area. Most dogs do not show symptoms--and x-rays do not reveal the presence--of hip dysplasia until at least a year of age, although some dogs manifest the problem early and others do not show it until as old as two years.

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