Treatment for hip dysplasia varies on the case at hand. Some dogs will never need surgery, but may require anti-inflammatory medications like Rimadyl, Etogesic or Deramaxx later in their later years while others will require surgery depending on the age and severity of the case. Varying impacts and severity of hip dysplasia makes it hard to determine what proper steps to take for your dog, especially if symptoms are mild and many options can be taken to either reduce the pain or surgically prevent the issue from developing. Some dogs can live relatively happy lives just by taking anti-inflammatory drugs and introducing supplemental regimens of important vitamins and minerals your dog needs. The expense of surgery also usually plays an influence in the viable options that can be performed on a dog.

Medications

There are a variety medications given to dogs with hip dysplasia. Much like humans, anti-inflammatory medication is the primary drug given to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with the joints. Pills and shots are the two main methods for medicating dogs with hip dysplasia. Rimadyl, Etogesic, and Rimadyl, Etogesic, Deramaxx are some of the most common anti-inflammatory medications given to dogs. It is never ok to give a dog human pain reducers like ibuprofen or aspirin.

Surgically

There are several different methods of surgery depending on your dogs age, health and over all severity of the issue. The types of surgery operations are broken into two groups. The Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) and Canine Pubic Symphysiodesis (CPS) are both surgeries typically used very early in a dogs life when hip dysplasia has been diagnosed but no damage to the hip joints are present. For dogs already diagnosed with hip dysplasia, there are two types of surgeries available to relieve most, if not all of your dogs pain. The total hip replacement has been the primary surgery used for dogs over 50 pounds with mild to severe signs of hip dysplasia. If the total hip replacement surgery is not viable, the Femoral Head Osteotomy is primarily used. However, results vary on dogs over 50 pounds. Typically, dogs that under go this surgery are primarily fit, well muscled dogs due to the intensive healing process.

Juvenile Public Symphysiodesis (JPS) is the surgery used for puppies between 2 and 4 months of age that have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia but have no physical signs of degeneration yet. Advancements in medicine and surgery procedures in the last years to defend against hip dysplasia has proved to benefit the success rate of this surgery. JPS is now a relatively simple, but costly procedure. However, the puppies must be refrained from running and jumping for at least four weeks after surgery which can be quite a task. Re-evaluation usually occurs around three months after surgery by another radio-graphic test. During a JPS surgery, two pelvic bones are fused together, allowing the rest of the hip and resulting in a tighter, more accurate hip ball-in-socket. Early diagnosis is crucial for this surgery to be viable, usually between 16-20 weeks of age before any damage to the joints has occurred.

For young dogs, a Triple Pelvic Osteotomy (TPO) is used. The procedures involve surgically breaking and realigning much of the hips ball-and-socket joint structure. Note, this is an intensive surgery with high expenses but has proven successful for many puppies. During a TPO surgery, three bone cuts are made to free the actebular component (socket) from the pelvis. The actebulum is then rotated and a bone plate is applied to maintain the new position of the ball-in-socket. This surgery allows for correct joint congruity and stops friction and grinding of the ball-in-socket.

In older dogs, a Total Hip Replacement is typically used as a very promising option to getting your dog back to a healthy condition. The surgery replaces the deformed joints with a prosthetic hip joint. Most dogs that go under this type of surgery recover well, however it is relatively costly and requires extended periods of rest and recuperation but add on years of healthy, active life for your dog. Total hip replacement is the primary surgical operation for dogs over 50 pounds and has a remarkable 95% success rate in dogs and is the only surgery that returns complete normal hip-joint function after severe arthritis has set in. This surgery is very intensive, and highly trained surgeons are required to perform that operation — making it relatively expensive.

Typically, for dogs under 50 pounds, a Femoral Head Excision/Ostectomy is the surgery of choice, however it has been performed on dogs over 50 pounds with varying results. During a femoral head excision, the femoral head (or the ball of the ball-in-socket) is removed, allowing the femur to freely float. As scar tissue forms from the moving femur, it hardens and creates a false-joint (a pseudoarthrosis). This is a last resort procedure, due to intense post-op recovery. Dogs to under-go this surgery are typically well muscled, fit dogs that can handle the recovery period without further injuring themselves. Best results have been seen in dogs 50 pounds or less, and results vary in dogs which weigh more or are out of shape.

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Medications for Canine Hip Dysplasia vary, and none of them will fix the shape or degeneration of your dogs hips. However, they will successfully reduce the amount pain and inflammation your dog is going through. Non-steroidal and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are widely and most commonly used to help reduce the pain of a dog diagnosed with hip dysplasia showing moderate symptoms.

Tetracyclines
Other drugs like Tetracyclines (specifically doxycycline) have significantly slowed the destruction of collagen which is much of the joint structure in dogs and humans. Tetracyclines have very little negative effects and is often used as a first attempt to reducing the pain of canine hip dysplasia.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

Rimadyl, Etogesic, Deramaxx, Previcox, Zubrin and Metucam are both widely used anti-inflammatory prescription medicines. They both work the same by introducing prostaglandins, which reduces inflammation. These medications are particularly useful prior to large activity and strenuous exercise for a dog with hip dysplasia. There has, however been negative effects on the liver in dogs so medication should be monitored and the dog should be given on a full, healthy diet. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most commonly used option for treating the inflammation and pain in arthritis, particularly because of the cost efficiency compared to surgery. Anti-inflammatory drugs release prostaglandin which naturally decreases inflammation — there for reducing pain.

Buffered Aspirin is also used to fight the inflammation and pain of arthritis. There is a risk of intestinal upset in dogs so check-ups and heavy monitoring is necessary when your dog is prescribed buffered aspirin.

Corticosteroids have been used for many years but are controversial due to the negative short and long term effects it has on dogs. Newer drugs have been replacing the use of corticosteroids but is still used on occasion for old dogs not showing any signs of improvement from other medications.

PSGAGs – Disease Modifying Osteoarthritis Agents

PSGAGs stands for Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan, which are natural materials found in the joint. PSGAGs are agents used to enhance synthesis of glycosaminoglycan and hyaluronate in the joints that dogs with degenerative arthritis lack. These agents help to create proteoglycan, an important part of the hyaline cartilage that lines the joint and also promotes fluid (lubrication) of the ball-in-socket. Controlled studies on people with osteoarthritis has seen positive results using these agents. Typically, a PSGAG regimen will begin showing positive results one month afterward and have very little negative affects.

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Supplemental regimens for dogs is a surefire way to help prevent the development of canine hip dysplasia. Vitamin C has been long discussed to have very positive effects for decreasing symptoms of dogs experiencing pain and discomfort from hip dysplasia. A study in 1996 on two German Shepherds with a history of diagnosed hip dysplasia. During pregnancy, the mother was given vitamin C supplements and the babies where given vitamin C from birth through full maturity and growth of the puppies. None of the puppies developed CHD.

Although this is a definitive case that there are techniques to preventing canine hip dysplasia, responsiveness to supplements varies from dog to dog. A method of increased doses of Vitamin C supplementation until the dog shows signs bowel issues (diarrhea, constipation, vomit). Typically, in humans too, dogs lack proper levels of vitamin C — which is known for curing a wide variety of joint ailments and illnesses throughout the entirety of their life. As a puppy, vitamin C is important in the correct development of bone structure.

VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS

• Antioxidants (Vitamin C, A, Zinc)
• Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan (Adequan)
• Hyaluronic Acid
• Glucosamine and Chondrotin
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Vitamins for hip dysplasia range depending on the severity of the case at hand. Some dysplastic dogs can live happy lives with proper amounts of medication and supplements and not see worsening issues until the dog has reached an older age. Antioxidants and supplements are widely used by veterinarians and have been proven to significantly reduce pain in some cases.

Polysulfated Glycosaminoglycan (Adequan) is a series of shots that supports and promotes cartilage growth and lubricating fluids in joints. Many owners are satisfied with the improvement of their dog after the shots, but the option is expensive so cost reduced oral versions of the shot have been created, but don’t have the full effect as the shots do. These shots have proven to significantly reduce the progression of hip dysplasia in dogs.

Hyaluronic Acid is another component of the fluid made for joint lubrication, giving supplemental doses of this can improve movement of the hips but is usually used in addition to stronger pain-relieving and tissue regenerating drugs. Another supplment, Glucosaime is widely used in addition to chondrotin products which form together to create glycosaminoglycan, which also lubricates joints and helps to form cartilage.

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA fatty acids) mainly found in cold-water sea life have been studied to reduce inflammation and is a risky free method for possibly reducing the pain of arthritis and dysplasia.

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