Hip Dysplasia is a painful and debilitating condition which can affect many breeds of dog. The main breeds found with this problem are Labradors, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and some other heavily built dogs.

Dog’s hips are subject to a lot of powerful forces as they run, jump and twist and the hip joint has evolved to be an almost perfect anatomical structure which can transfer forces very efficiently. It features large well-lubricated surfaces surrounded by tough fibrous attachments to allow efficient pain-free action.

Poor development and subsequent poor conformation of the hips results in abnormal hip action leading to damage to cartilage and increased wear and tear. This causes inflammation of the joint and its surrounding fibrous tissues which in turn leads to arthritis.

The British Veterinary Association has been running a hip dysplasia scoring scheme for over 30 years. This scheme attempts to quantify the degree of severity of the condition in each dog. Thus only dogs with good hip conformation are used for breeding and the incidence of the disease should be gradually reduced.

Hip scoring is done by taking a carefully positioned x-ray of your dog’s hips which allows certain standard measurements to be made. From the measurements the Hip Scoring panel is able to arrive at an overall score for the dog. This should be as low as possible, however if it is at or below the breed average then it is acceptable to breed from the dog.

To do this your dog will need to be admitted for the day and will have a general anesthetic. The procedure is relatively straightforward and is totally non-invasive and your dog will go home the same day. The X-rays are sent to the BVA and results take a few weeks to come back. The BVA charge a separate fee for the scoring which must be sent with the x-ray. We can advise you of this fee if you choose to have your dog hip scored.

For further information or to discuss Hip Scoring with a vet please call us during normal working hours.

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