Hip Dysplasia in Dogs

Category: Bone & Joint
Inheritance: Multifactorial
Breeds documented: 175
Published sources: 62

Overview

The hip is a ball-and-socket joint that can develop with too much looseness as a puppy grows. In hip dysplasia, this instability damages the joint over time and can lead to arthritis, which causes pain and stiffness. Inherited risk plays a major role, while factors such as rapid growth can affect how the problem develops. Some dogs show few outward signs, even when their hips are affected.

Signs to watch for

Stiffness or a limp in the rear legs
Struggling to get up
Moving both back legs together in a hopping run
Less interest in activity or jumping
Hips that sway during walking
Thinner muscles around the back legs

Signs can appear from a few months of age or only later in life.

When to get help See a vet within 24 hours if limping lasts over a day, or immediately for sudden severe limping or constant pain.

Diagnosis and tests

Veterinarians combine a physical examination, including checks for looseness in the hips, with carefully positioned X-rays. Sedation or anesthesia helps the dog stay relaxed for these images. Screening methods include PennHIP, which measures hip looseness, and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) system, which grades hip appearance on X-rays.

Breeds with documented risk

175 breeds

By breed size

4 Toy
32 Small
76 Medium
47 Large
16 Giant

All 175 breeds, A to Z

Hamiltonstovare Source skk.se
Hanoverian Scenthound Source skk.se

Jagdterrier

Malshi Source petmd.com
Mastiff
Medium Australian Labradoodle Source petmd.com
Medium Goldendoodle Source petmd.com
Mini Bernedoodle Source petmd.com
Mini Cockapoo Source petmd.com
Mini Goldendoodle Source petmd.com
Mini Pomsky Source petmd.com
Miniature American Shepherd
Miniature Aussiedoodle Source petmd.com
Miniature Australian Labradoodle Source petmd.com
Miniature Labradoodle Source ofa.org
Miniature Schnoodle Source petmd.com
Mountain Cur

Newfoundland
Norfolk Terrier
Norrbottenspets Source spj.fi
Norwegian Buhund Source buhundyhdistys.net
Norwegian Elkhound

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
Petite Mini Goldendoodle Source petmd.com
Polish Lowland Sheepdog
Polish Tatra Sheepdog Source zkwp-lodz.pl
Pomeranian
Portuguese Pointer Source perdigueiroportugues.com
Portuguese Sheepdog Source drive.google.com
Portuguese Water Dog
Presa Canario
Pudelpointer
Puggle Source petmd.com
Puli
Pumi
Pyrenean Shepherd Source pyreneansheepdogclub.com

Saint Bernard
Saluki
Samoyed
Sarplaninac Source hrcak.srce.hr
Sheepadoodle Source petmd.com
Shepadoodle Source petmd.com
Sheprador Source petmd.com
Shetland Sheepdog
Shichon Source petmd.com
Shih Tzu
Shih-Poo Source petmd.com
Shikoku Ken
Siberian Husky
Slovak Cuvac Source bin.yhdistysavain.fi
Slovensky Kopov Source skk.se
South Russian Ovcharka Source skk.se
Spanish Mastiff
Spanish Water Dog
Spinone Italiano Source spinone-italiano.it
Stabyhoun Source nvsw.nl
Standard Aussiedoodle Source petmd.com
Standard Australian Labradoodle Source petmd.com
Standard Bernedoodle Source petmd.com
Standard Cockapoo Source petmd.com
Standard Goldendoodle Source petmd.com
Standard Labradoodle Source petmd.com
Standard Pomsky Source petmd.com
Standard Poodle
Standard Schnauzer
Standard Schnoodle Source petmd.com
Swedish Elkhound (jämthund) Source skk.se
Swedish Lapphund Source lappalaiskoirat.fi
Swedish Vallhund

Vizsla

Yakutian Laika Source jakutianlaika.fi

Inheritance

Multifactorial
Several genes and the environment together set the risk. Diet, growth rate, weight and exercise can all play a part. There is no single DNA test. Screening the parents (for example hip or elbow scores) and choosing from lines with good results lowers the risk, but does not remove it.
As stated by OMIA

We've gathered what published sources say about this condition, so you can talk it through with your vet. It isn't veterinary advice: you and your vet know your dog best.