Hip dysplasia, or abnormal hip growth, can affect dogs of any size but is most commonly seen in large breeds. The condition starts while a puppy's bones are growing. Genetic and nutritional factors, such as overfeeding large breed puppies, can result in a misalignment of the ball and socket pelvic joint. Hip dysplasia can become debilitating when degenerative arthritis sets in, but surgery to treat or correct abnormal hips can be performed to improve your dog's condition.
Triple Pelvic Osteotomy
Triple pelvic osteotomy benefits dogs between eight and 18 months old that haven't suffered damage from arthritis. This corrective surgery removes and realigns the pelvis socket, or acetabulum, with the femoral head to provide a tighter fit. Once the acetabulum has been reoriented, it is fixed in place. In many cases, surgery only needs to be performed on one hip. The other hip can usually improve without surgical correction. Surgery on both sides can be done if damage is severe and needs to be performed by a board certified surgeon or a qualified orthopedic surgeon. Care after surgery involves restricted exercise for three to four months, including no walks except to eliminate during the first two months.
Femoral Head/Neck Ostectomy
Femoral head/neck ostectomy provides the best results for dogs weighing less than 50 lbs. and highly active dogs. This procedure involves removing the femoral head and letting a "false joint" develop after healing. The false joint serves as a capsule connecting the femur and hip socket, but no contact between the bones occurs. These joints develop quickly in active dogs and can support dogs that are light enough. It could take two to six weeks after surgery for dogs to start using the leg again. Normal use generally resumes within two months. This type of surgery does not usually require a specialist.
Total Hip Replacement
Dogs with considerable degenerative changes in the hips might need total hip replacement. This surgery involves replacing the entire hip with a prosthetic one. Surgeons take extra care to prevent infection and provide the most sterile environment possible since this procedure is very invasive. If skin disease is present in the hip area, surgery is postponed until the condition heals. Complications during or after surgery resulting from infection can be severe or fatal. Most hip replacements involve only one side at a time. Some dogs might not require surgery on the other hip if their condition improves after the first replacement. Exercise must be severely limited for three months following replacement.
DARthroplasty
Dogs over 18 months old or dogs in the initial stages of arthritis might benefit from DARthroplasty. This procedure, which requires a specialist, creates a deeper socket for the femoral head by using bone grafts from the pelvis to lengthen the dorsal acetabulum rim. According to the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center, information on long-term success is not yet available as of 2009 since this type of surgery has only recently been introduced as a treatment for hip dysplasia.
Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis
Juvenile pubic symphysiodesis can be performed as a preventive measure in puppies younger than five months old that could be at risk of developing hip dysplasia. This procedure encourages the hip sockets to rotate into a normal hip alignment by prematurely sealing the pubic symphysis---the cartilage that connects both sides of the pelvis. In natural development, the cartilage becomes bone and fuses the pelvis together. Since this surgery is performed on puppies before they can develop dysplasia, success at actually preventing the condition is difficult to determine. Not all puppies at risk for dysplasia end up developing abnormal hips.
