When you get a dog, you’re also getting a huge responsibility. You need to feed, nurture, play, have fun, and clean up after it. It’s not an easy job, but the benefits and happy moments outweigh the part where you get scratches on your couch or a surprise on the floor. These animals are a source of eternal and unconditional love, and nothing in the world can come close to it.
Playing with them might be what gets you through the day. That hour of walking or playing before and after work makes your days better, and they make you happier. Just like us, dogs could get injured, which could reduce their quality of life. Hip dysplasia is something that sparks fear in many dog owners. It’s something that happens often, and it’s quite common. Click here to read more.
This skeletal condition could happen to any size of the dog. It’s painful for your furry friend, and it’s hurtful for you to see. One way to become a better owner is to know more about the things that could happen. This will keep you on the lookout, and in case anything happens, you could be ready for it. Regarding hip dysplasia, you need to know the symptoms, treatments, and preventions.
What is it?
When you look at a one-month-old puppy, and a six-month-old one, the difference is staggering. That’s especially true for large breed dogs. They have a genetic code that helps them grow super-fast. But that’s not always a good thing. If they grow too fast, they might still be undeveloped in some bodily area, and their entire weight could fall on a single joint.
That’s why some breeds need special diets that help them grow gradually to avoid this problem. If a pup grows too fast, it’s possible to develop problems with the hips. The bones and joints there function as a ball and socket. In the case of dysplasia, these two parts don’t fit together perfectly. This causes the bones to grind together. View this link for more info https://pethempcompany.com/blogs/pet-health-care/hemp-oil-for-dogs-with-hip-dysplasia
As time goes by, this causes more and more pain. Not only that, but the entire bone structure deteriorates, until the joint is no longer functional. Another factor that can cause this problem is obesity. People love posting pictures of their obese pets online, and they get a lot of positive reactions from other people saying that’s cute.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. Obesity in pets is dangerous. Having a lazy pet is not an excuse for you not to take them on walks or play with them. If they have a preexisting condition, the excess weight could only make it worse. That’s especially true about joint problems. It would be best if you didn’t worsen the health of your pets in order to get more likes online.
What are the symptoms?
The earliest you could diagnose this problem is at around four months. Puppies that are earlier than that may be playing around more, or they might be going through a phase. There are a few concrete behaviors that you should look out for. The first thing is the decreased activity and movement overall. If your dog has a problem, it doesn’t have a way to tell you directly.
They show it through their behavior. Being lazy and sedentary usually means they are in pain. Another symptom is refusing to jump, run, or climb on stairs. These activities require a full range of motion from their joints. If the bones inside their body are grinding together, they will definitely want to evade them.
Other signs include loss of muscle in their back leg muscles and increased mass gain in their shoulders. This is because they modify their walk and compensate for the weakness in the hip. If you notice any of these signs, you need to take them to the vet.
The veterinarian will try to move their legs in a full range of motion. Just to be sure, ask them to perform an x-ray or a radiograph. That will show the degree of damage and what kind of treatment you need to use. This condition is easy to solve, and therapy doesn’t last that long. Almost every one of them recovers fully, and they live long happy lives.