Hip dysphasia (improper growth of the hip) is both polygenetic (some researchers speculate that there may be as many as 13 genes involved) and multifactorial (influenced by many non-genetic factors) so it is understandably very difficult to reliably breed away from. Efforts to control this condition date back to the 1960’s.
It is more common in large breeds and results in a hip socket (acetabulum) which is too shallow to properly seat the femoral ball (at the top of the leg where it joins to the hip) or in a femoral ball or femoral neck which is deformed or small causing excessive movement at the hip joint. This condition causes gradual loss of cartilage, bone spurs and the joint to eventually become inflamed and weakened. Dogs with hip dysphasia appear to be born with normal hips and then to develop the disease later. The hip joint is not the only area of the dog which can be affected. Knee, shoulder and spinal joints can also show evidence of changes.
The degree to which the dog exhibits symptoms depends upon many factors such as the strength of the muscle and ligament which help hold the joint in place. It can vary in severity from mild to completely debilitating. Other factors include rapid growth and weight gain which can stress the young joint.
Studies have proven that dysplastic puppies whose diet is controlled in order to slow growth and weight gain may display no outward sign of the condition and may remain functional despite severe dysphasia. This approach allows the muscles and ligaments to develop enough to compensate for bone failure. Some people believe that they can cause dysplasia in their dog by too much exercise however, most vets agree that this is not the case. In other words, how you raise your puppy won't determine whether or not your puppy is dysplastic, but it can affect when and, perhaps whether, he begins to develop symptoms as well as their severity. Some factors which may hasten or worsen symptoms include rough play, jumping, climbing stairs, slick floors, excess weight gain or rapid growth and calcium supplementation which may increase bone remodeling.
If the condition is identified early and is mild, good food and exercise can help the dog remain relatively pain-free. For more moderate cases, surgery can correct the abnormality. Surgery provides more comfort than medications although it is an expensive option. For very severe cases, in many instances, it may be more humane to have the dog put down.
Several surgical procedures exist to treat hip dysplasia. Each procedure has its pros and cons and different surgeons may have differing levels of experience with each procedure.
Before advanced remodeling of the joint has taken place, the most often recommended surgical treatment for dysplasia is the triple pelvic osteotomy. This procedure must be done before the acetabulum has been worn down and is therefore usually recommended for young dogs under 9 months of age who have clinically diagnosed subluxations. It involves cutting the pelvis in 3 places and then tilting the bone to a more favorable angle to keep the femoral head in place. A somewhat similar option is the inter-trochanteric osteotomy which changes the length and angle of the femoral head. Approximate costs for the procedures are around $800-$1000 per hip.
If there is already extensive damage to the joint, other options include the shelf arthroplasty procedure, femoral head and neck excision or a total hip replacement:
The shelf procedure seeks to extend the rim of the joint thus improving stability. It is somewhat controversial because it does not halt the progress of arthritic changes so the animal may continue to have worsening pain.
The femoral head and neck excision involves removing both the head and neck of the femur. A "sling" of muscles are then used to support and cushion the femoral shaft. This procedure has the best chance of success in dogs weighing less than 50 pounds. Because the bone is shortened, the dog's gait will be affected and so this procedure should be considered and end-stage salvage procedure. Costs are usually much lower then other types of surgery.
Total hip replacement involves replacing the head and neck of the femur and the acetabulum with prosthetics. This procedure should be reserved for dogs who have reached full adulthood thus negating the possibility of further bone growth which will affect the replacement. It is quite costly (averaging around $1500 per hip) but the prosthesis can be expected to last for life and the dog can bear weight soon after the surgery.
Testing for Hip Dysplasia:
OFA X-ray testing can be done at 2 years of age and the dog's x-rays can be sent to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for subjective analysis by three veterinary radiologists and to have their results (excellent, good or fair) registered on that site (OFFA.org). Recent work has indicated that the standard “hip extended” view used by OFA may mask hip looseness. It can probably accurately detect dysplasia once secondary changes occur, but is also probably less accurate in detecting only joint laxity which is a reliable predictor of dysplasia. Still, it remains the customary standard by which dogs are graded.
The Penn-Hip method of evaluation requires 3 x-rays with the hip in different positions. Each hip is then measured mathematically to determine how loose or tight it is using a technique called "compression/distraction". In this procedure, the hips are compressed to determine where the center of the femoral head and the acetabulum coincide. The hips are then distracted using a special device and the distance the head can be moved away from the center is measured. This measurement is called the distraction index (or DI). The DI will range from 0 to 1. Through research, it is postulated that a DI of .03 or lower indicates that the dog is negative for hip dysplasia. Between .03 and .07 is somewhat inconclusive. A DI of .07 or above is associated with a greater incidence of degenerative hip disease.
While more expensive at approximately $150, its advantages are that it produces objective results (actual measurement) rather than the subjective results (observation and estimation) obtained by OFA certification and its ability to be fairly accurate on puppies as young as young as 16 weeks. OFA is valuable too, but Penn-Hip gives more accurate information and likely will be “state of the art” until genetic markers are identified and DNA testing becomes available.
No one truly knows how widespread hip dysplasia is in the Doberman population but it seems to be much less prevalent than in many other purebreds. It is rare in the very top quality dobermans but somewhat more common in the rest. Fortunately, hip dysplasia in Dobermans has been on the decline in recent years thanks to the diligent efforts of reputable breeders to avoid breeding animals with poor OFA ratings.
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