Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and is predominantly found in larger dog breeds.

To understand the problem, it is necessary to explain the anatomy of the hip joints. The bone called the femur joins the hip in the hip joint, specifically the caput ossis femoris, an almost spherical process of the femur, articulates with the acetabulum of the hip bones, a mould into which the caput neatly fits, partly cartilaginous. It is important that the weight of the body lies more on the bonal part of the acetabulum, not on the cartilage part, because otherwise the caput can glide out of the acetabulum, which is very painful for the dog, and may also lead to maladaptation of the respective bones.