Will stairs cause hip dysplasia in my Cane Corso puppy as she ages?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! In general, I'm not concerned about an otherwise healthy puppy doing stairs and small jumps. If the couch is particularly high, try to discourage this but otherwise I'm not terribly worried. That being said, I do occasionally see puppies who land too hard from a jump and are now limping with an apparent strain or sprain. Usually, a few days of rest and pain medication is all that is needed but it can still be scary. Of course, if there is an underlying problem, Coco would need to be more careful. Hope this sets your mind at ease. Best of luck to you and Coco!

I don't see any reason why she can't go up and down the stairs. As long as she is not falling when she's doing it. I am not worried about her hips. She should be just fine. IF the stairs are slippery and don't have good traction and the fact she is a puppy, I would just watch and make sure she's not being too crazy going as fast as she can. Then I would worry she could slip and hurt herself but not necessarily her hips. have fun with your new little girl!!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is severe hip dysplasia present in both hips, I am afraid. The left hip id also subluxated and I suspect it is causing more discomfort than the right hip. Hip dysplasia is a disease that dogs are born with. Arya must have had it sine a puppy but most likely it was not as severe as now. Spondylosis in the lumbar spine is usually a result of infection of intervertebral disc. Typically, it is an accidental finding in dogs that do not cause mobility problems. However, CT scan of the spine would give more detailed information about the severity of spondylosis.

Yes, this can be a sign of poor hip conformation or hip dysplasia. Usually dogs with hip joint laxity run with both rear legs together or bunny hop. As Coco is still growing the pain also could be due to panosteitis which is pain in the bones from growing too fast. I recommend switching her to adult large breed dog food so she will grow slower. She will still reach her full size, it just may take a little longer. Adult food is fine for all ages so you do not need to be worried, she will still get the nutrition she needs. Your veterinarian can feel her hip joints for laxity, but X-rays are not conclusive until she is six months or older. It is best to exercise Coco on a leash and prevent running and jumping. Your veterinarian may also prescribe pain medication to make her. more comfortable. While hip dysplasia can cause arthritis later in life, many dogs go through short painful episodes, then they are pain free for long periods of time. If she has poor hip conformation she shouldn't have puppies as they may have bad hips also. Keeping Coco active, thin and well muscled in addition to joint supplements and pain medication when needed will give Coco the best chance to live a normal active life. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Coco.

The biggest concern we have with puppies is repetitive pounding on concrete, so I don't recommend any running on concrete until their growth plates are closed (around 12-18 monhts). Walks are fine on any surface, so you can walk Pharah for as long as she is able to walk as she is growing without any concerns. And running on soft grassy areas is fine. I have not seen any studies on stairs with growing puppies, but it certainly can't hurt to train her to go down the stairs slowly to minimize the repetitive pounding on her joints as she goes down the stairs. I wouldn't worry about going up the stairs, or jumping off the couch or out of the car. We don't know if any of these things affect hips, but we do know that keeping a dog lean is very protective of hip problems, so keep Pharah thin. Congrats on your new baby! I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Roscoe. These could be signs of hip dysplasia. The first thing to do is have him seen by a vet for x-rays. This will confirm if he has hip dysplasia. If he does, the vet can discuss treatment options for him such as pain medication and joint supplements. I'd take him into the vet this weekend or Monday. I hope this helps!

For such a young dog, I recommend to have Boogie examined by the veterinarian. Dysplasia is something that tends to get worse over time and if you take appropriate action now, you may be able to avoid or slow this down. He will need an exam and radiographs to begin figuring out your options. At home you can put Boogie on an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for pets. A joint supplement would also help. Lastly, a prescription diet for joint health will also be beneficial but they cannot fix the dysplasia. Here is a link with further information: https://www.petcoach.co/article/hip-dysplasia-in-dogs-diagnosis-treatment-and-prevention/ I hope this helps.