My dog has hip dysplasia. Can he recover or will he need meds forever?

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.

I would consider at his age a referral to a veterinary surgeon to discuss any surgical options particularly for his hips. This might delay the onset of arthritis in the future. Depending on what's causing his elbow dysplasia surgery may be an option there as well. You could also get the advice of a surgeon as to which is more likely to cause issues the elbows are the hips. I would also recommend starting him on a joint supplement now and potentially omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. All supplements and physical therapy are great surgery might be your best bet at long-term comfort.

This X-ray shows she has poor hip conformation or hip dysplasia and hip arthritis. Unfortunately this is a common orthopedic problem in German Shepard dogs and othe large breeds. Most dogs respond well to weight loss if needed and dog arthritis medication prescribed by your veterinarian. By keeping her active and moving she will maintain her muscle mass which will support her hips so there is less bone rubbing, which will result in less pain. Giving joint supplements like Dasuquin or Cosequin can help in addition to Omega 3 or fish oil which will reduce some of the inflammation. Physical therapy with a rehab veterinarian is effective in maintaining her muscles and help reduce the limping. Hip dysplasia can’t be cured but it can be managed so Bella can continue to live an active life. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bella.

It can happen but it is not likely if you continue treating him as you should, he will probably need anti inflammatories for most of his life and at some point might even need to have a surgery done if his condition deteriorates.

Poor Rocco! There are many treatment options for managing hip dysplasia in dogs. I'm not sure what kind of medication he's currently taking, but many dogs with this problem benefit from a combination of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like Rimadyl or Previcox along with a pain medication like tramadol and/or gabapentin. Glucosamine/chondroitin and omega-3 fatty acid supplements have also been shown to be helpful in many cases, and can safely be given with all of the above medications. Finally, adjunct treatment options like laser therapy and acupuncture can also be very helpful for some dogs with hip dysplasia. I would recommend talking with your vet about these options to see what they would suggest as the next step for Rocco.

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.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. So sorry that Baxter has this issue. The right hip has severe dysplasia (the x-ray is not marked so I am assuming it is the right one). The other hip looks OK. The only way to fix this is with surgery - either a FHO procedure or a total hip replacement. You need to speak to your vet about options. There is no medication to reverse, cure or stop the progression of this disease. Surgery will definitely be needed.