What is Hip Dysplasia?

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It is generally believed Hip Dysplasia is a congenital condition which specific breeds can be genetically predisposed to at a young age but it can actually affect dogs of any sized breed.

While it primarily affects older dogs environmental factors can also play a role in the development of Hip Dysplasia such as diet, over-exercise (particularly in young growing puppies), poor hind muscle development, repetitive strain injuries and weight gain.

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Hip Dysplasia is a degenerative condition affecting the ball and socket join of the hip.

The ball at the end of the Femur (thigh bone) should fit snugly into the hip socket on the pelvis, in the case of Hip Dysplasia the hip socket has not formed correctly and instead formed more of a shallow hollow into which the ball of the thigh loosely fits, creating painful friction when the dog moves its hind leg.

The muscles and tendons that hold the joint in place are also poorly developed causing the ball to move around in the joint as it bares the bodies weight, thus causing abnormal wear and tear on the hip joint until the joint no longer functions properly.

Arthritic changes can appear causing lameness, which means your dog will want to alter the way its body would normally carry weigh to avoid stress on these joints, often increasing weight in other areas (compensating).

This quite often leads to dogs forward placing their weight adding additional stress on shoulders and front limbs while also increasing tension in the hind limbs.

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How can Massage Therapy help?

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*  Releases endorphins which assist in pain relief

*  Relieves tension build up and soreness

*  Reduces inflammation around the joint by increasing blood flow to the affected area

*  Reduces tension in compensatory limbs and corrects muscle balance

*  Assists in mobility and enables dogs to enjoy normal day to day life and exercise

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NB: Canine Massage Therapy is not a substitute for Veterinary Medical Care but can be used in combination to help alleviate discomfort.