Knowing the potential for hip dysplasia in certain breeds can help you make informed veterinary pet insurance decisions and guide you to the right questions to ask as you review available plans. Hip dysplasia is a hereditary developmental disease resulting from the hip joint not developing as it should. Genetics aside, excessive weight gain during puppyhood and other environmental factors such as excessive strain on the hip joints can result in hip dysplasia. 

Hip dysplasia is particularly common in large and giant dog breeds such as German shepherds and Newfoundlands but you should know that any breed of dog can develop the condition. And it isn’t limited to dogs. Cats and humans are also susceptible to the condition. 

Breeders are keenly conscious of the potential for this condition to such an extent that dogs are often sold with dysplasia certifications ensuring they have been examined and cleared with a low potential for its occurrence due to genetic factors. 

Signs and Symptoms: Hip dysplasia is most often noted by dog owners due to lameness, difficulty standing, refusal to weight one leg or reluctance to play or exercise. Your vet can confirm or rule out the condition with an X-ray of the hips and pelvis. 

Is Your Pet at Risk: If purchasing a pet from a breeder, ask to see a medical history or veterinary certification giving your potential puppy, its mother and sire a clean bill of health. If you are acquiring your dog from a previous owner or shelter where no history is available, you will be taking your chances. As already mentioned, larger dogs carry a notably greater risk. If you are willing to spend the money you can pay for an X-ray in advance of assuming ownership to rule out an existing condition. 

Important Action: In dogs with no hereditary history of hip dysplasia, monitoring weight is key. Overweight dogs run a higher risk of developing hip dysplasia. The risk can be compounded by overweight but active dog breeds. An overweight border collie, for example, isn’t body conscious enough to realize that the extra weight it is carrying puts it at higher risk for injury and hip damage. It will continue leaping after Frisbees and tennis balls despite the spare tire it is carrying. 

Even absent excessive weight, highly active dogs should be conditioned rather than thrown full speed into action. Frisbee dogs, for example, should be slowly conditioned before expecting them to make awe-inspiring leaps for the disk so that the supporting muscles in their hindquarters have time to develop to offset any potential damage that might be caused by repeated hard landings. 

Treatment: Maintain healthy weight. Keeping your dog’s weight where it should be is the absolute best thing you can do for it and will help stave off any number of ailments or, at the very least, mitigate their affect on your dog. Consult with your veterinarian and don’t ignore her advice when she tells you it is time to put Fido on a diet. 

For mild cases of hip dysplasia, neutraceuticals and pain medication may be sufficient to let your pet lead a happy life. Combine this approach with light, low-impact exercise and a healthy feeding plan to keep your pet’s weight where it should be.

For severe cases of hip dysplasia, surgery may be a requirement. This may mean total hip replacement - an expensive and painful solution, but sometimes the only option. 

There are some exciting advancements in canine medicine gaining popularity. Two in particular come to mind; juvenile pubic symphysiodesis and Vet Stem Regenerative Cell (VSRC) therapy. The former is only viable for young pups under 5 months. It involves fusing the area between the two halves of the pelvis which forces the hip socket to rotate into normal alignment as the dog develops. 

VSRC is an advancement in stem cell therapy using fat cells from the dog with the condition (no babies are harmed). The harvested cells are sent to a laboratory where they are purified into the desired stem cells which are then used for any of a number of treatments involving tendons and ligaments or for age-related arthritis. Very promising results have been noted in the treatment of canine osteoarthritis of the hip, elbow and knee and possible uses for treatment of hip dysplasia are being investigated. 

How can pet health insurance help with hip dysplasia: In severe conditions, hip replacement surgery is a very expensive but necessary solution. Veterinary pet insurance can go a long way to offset some of the financial burden. A good pet health plan can also help take the sting out of the cost for pain medication and other medicines which may be used in treating your dog’s condition. As always, check with the insurance provider to learn what is and isn’t covered. This is particularly important in dogs with a hereditary condition.