Does my young dog's hip X-ray look normal despite appearing uneven?

From what I can see his hips look pretty good, there is good coverage of the femoral head by the hip socket, the femoral heads seem to be pretty smooth and rounded, but if you want a second opinion, you can ask your vet for copies of the x-rays or ask them to send them to a veterinary radiologist for an expert eye.

I agree with the doctor who said the x-rays were not positioned properly. In order to obtain really diagnostic quality hip x-rays, the patience should be fully sedated. Without being able to bend the hips all the way downward, you simply can not obtain completely accurate results. Depending on the current clinical picture, I might possible recommend starting medication. Joint supplementation definitely can't hurt, but starting an NSAID at this early of an age is not advisable unless there is clear and obvious discomfort / inflammatory pain. Hope this helps!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. The hips are not fully grown or developed at this age however the subluxation that is seen in both hips is definitely abnormal and is likely to cause problems with walking and jumping. I am afraid the dysplasia looks serious and Normal may need surgery in the future to maintain normal mobility.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Leo. The pictures came through a little fuzzy, his femoral heads appear to sit well within the pelvis on both sides. This is giving him adequate coverage. Typically x-rays are repeated at 2 years of age to be sure the hips are still good. I hope this information helps!

That is unusual that Dirt's left hip bone looks larger than normal. It's good that she isn't limping and is not showing any signs of pain when you manipulate her leg. It's a good idea that she sees a vet for this problem, and it's fine to wait a week for it since she seem otherwise normal. I would recommend getting x-rays done on the hip to help diagnose what is causing it to look larger than normal. To be safe, I would rest her until her appointment. No running, jumping, or playing. Take her out to toilet on a lead only, and bring her right back in when she's done. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! For arthritis yes it would be shown on radiographs. With hip dysphasia, radiographs can help diagnose it but it should be interpreted with the physical examination findings as well. Have a good night!

Looks like mild hip dysplasia of the left hip. There also seems to be narrowing if the medial joint space in the right knee but this could be due to positioning. It would be easier to give you advice if you could give us more information about Milo’s clinical signs and what diagnosis your vet gave.