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Help! My dog has hip dysplasia, New Farm Vet. Part 2.

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Help! My dog has hip dysplasia, New Farm Vet.


What are the treatment available if my pet has hip dysplasia, New Farm Vet?

Treatment options are influenced by a number of factors including severity of the disease, age and size of your pet, activity level, owner preferences, cost and whether referral to a specialist surgeon is needed. Often a combination of treatments may need needed to help manage this problem.


1) Weight loss - Just like us, humans, reduction in body weight will place less stress on the hips. Often weight loss is the only treatment your pet need to manage this problem. Hip dysplasia is commonly seen in overweight pets.


2) Moderate exercise -  Maintaining strong pelvic and hind limb muscles helps strengthen the hip joint and reduces wear and tear. Many hip dysplasia affected pets stop exercising as they are in pain. However, this may set off a vicious cycle where less exercise results in weak pelvis and hind limb muscles that further destabilise the joints, making them more painful. Try using a hydrothread (underwater treadmills), swimming, or walking uphill.


3) Natural oral supplements - We are familiar with the anti-inflammatory properties of omega 3 in Fish oils. Less inflammatory response results in less pain perception. It is recommended to take 1000mg pill per 5kg to help decrease pain. Glucosamine and chondriotin sulfate stimulate synthesis of synovial fluid and inhibit degradation and improve healing of articular cartilage. 250mg of glucosamine and 200mg of chondroitin per 5kg is recommended. It may take up to 6 weeks before any improvement is noticed.

4) Anti-inflammatory medicine - Pentosan polysulfate has been touted as a "natural" anti-inflammatory medicine with minimal side effects. It aids in normal remodeling of the cartilage to improve the contour of the hip joint. However, it can take up to 4 weeks before any signs of improvements are detected. Non-steriodal anti-inflammatory drugs are the go-to medicine if you desire quicker pain relief for your pet. It is crucial that your pet does not have any kidney problems before starting long term NSAIDs as this type of drugs may damage the kidneys if not used correctly.

5) Surgical treatment - The above options do not halt or reverse the progression of destructive changes in the joint. Many animals will need surgical corrects some point in their life. There are several surgical procedures that can help treat pets with debilitating hip pain and lameness. However the procedure selected is dependant on several factors such as age, size of your pet and activity level. Operations include rearranging the bones of the pelvis (Triple pelvic osteotomy), removal of the femoral head (femoral head ostectomy), or total hip replacement.


If you are looking for a trusted New Farm Vet, call (07) 3216 0045 to make an appointment to see Dr Nic at Fortitude Valley Vet.