My dog had discospondylitis. Can he still get hip dysplasia?

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.

Legally, I am not allowed to give you a diagnosis, but based on the x-rays you posted, I suspect that your vet told you that Sly has significant hip dysplasia and arthritis in both hips. I'm sure that came as a surprise to you since Sly is only showing some limping after resting. Dogs are very stoic and do not show us pain as we would expect. Since you have just started Sly on a glucosamine and chondoitin sulfate supplement, you certainly could wait and see how he does on that, but I suspect you will need to add some additional supplements or medications to resolve his limping, so don't be afraid to talk to your vet about those. We frequently use fish oil, MSM, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and many other drug combinations for arthritis. I also highly recommend physical rehabilitation and acupuncture. Although we expect our dogs to cry in pain, most dogs with arthritis pain act exactly like Sly and only limp after getting up. Our goal with treatment is to get them to the point that their pain is so well controlled that we don't notice them limp at all. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Sunshine has significant hip dysplasia & also evidence of arthritis in her lower back & hips. This is very sad for such a young dog. She will need pain management, weight control management, careful exercise & possibly some additional therapies to keep her comfortable for the rest of her life. STEM cell or PRP therapy may be of use ( ask your vet about these ), but often surgery is necessary ( removal of the femoral heads ). Acupuncture, laser therapy & rehabilitative medical intervention are all possibilities, too. Please make sure you spay Sunshine. These are traits & conditions you do not want to pass on to future litters. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hip dysplasia means that Chuck's hips have poor conformation resulting in hip joint laxity. Over time this will result in arthritis and pain. Keeping Chuck thin and providing steady exercise such as walking will maintain the muscles that support the hips. This will reduce the development of arthritis. If he is already showing signs of pain please put him on medication so he can continue to be active and maintain his muscle mass. I like to give omega3 supplement in addition to a joint supplement. You may also want to discuss Adequan injections with your veterinarian. They help reduce the damage to the joint cartilage. It's best not to have Chuck do any jumping as this may make the discomfort worse. Absolutely work on getting him to a normal weight if he's heavy as the extra weight is hard on the joints. Many dogs live long active lives with hip dysplasia when their owners are proactive with their care. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Chuck.

Hello. It can actually be rather difficult to diagnose hip dysplasia in a puppy this young with x-rays. Often we need to be able to diagnose laxity in the joint under anesthesia or see pain when the hips are manipulated, Lameness when walking or bunny hopping when running are classic signs, too. I am not sure I would be doing the Osnate - d ( Vitamin D ) or the Xobix ( anti-inflammatory medication ) as the Vit. D can cause imbalances & if there is no pain or lameness, the anti-inflammatory is not going to do any good. I think you need another opinion, perhaps with a veterinary neurologist, to make sure there are no spinal cord lesions affecting his gait. If this is hip dysplasia, unnecessary supplementation with the Vit. D may make things worse as most dogs seem to get much better on their own by the time they are 12-18 months of age. If you can have Ghost reevaluated, that would be the best thing to do. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach..

I would recommend referral to an orthopedic or neurology specialist in order to correctly determine the underlying cause and to establish a management program going forward to maintain her mobility in the future; the longer this goes untreated the greater chance of permanent changes that may not respond to treatment. Weight management, antiinflammatory medications and diets specifically formulated for joint health and mobility (royal canin mobility / hills joint care) are recommended and acupuncture or chiropractic care may also help with the symptoms

Hello, sorry to hear about Shiro. He does indeed have hip dysplasia as is evident in his x-rays. This diseases does indeed require surgical correction, but only if Shiro seems to be in discomfort. Hip Dysplasia results in secondary osteoarthritis which in the long term can impact your pets ability to walk and overall comfort. There are two different procedures with regards to surgery, an FHNO were we remove the femoral head and neck or a total hip replacement were we replace the ball and joint with metal implants as they do in humans. Ultimately, the best contributor to decreasing osteoarthritis in dogs is by maintaining an overall low weight and lean body condition score. Obese pets with hip dysplasia tend to do worse. Now, with regards to surgery, it does not need to occur now, typically with either surgery, we want pets to be fully developed so that their bones are fully grown and they have developed all of the musculature. I would recommend asking your veterinarian to refer you to an orthopedic surgeon who may be able to better assist you with Shiro's hips dysplasia. Hope this helps and best of luck.