01 Canine Hip Dysplasia: Introduction
Description
This article is from the Canine Hip Dysplasia FAQ, by rpd-info@zmall.com (Cindy Tittle Moore) with numerous contributions by others.
01 Canine Hip Dysplasia: Introduction
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is the most common, heritable orthopedic
problem seen in dogs. It affects virtually all breeds of dogs but is
especially problematic in large and giant breeds. Clinically, the
disease manifests itself in one of two ways:
1. a severe form that typically afflicts the younger animal and is
usually characterized by marked pain and lameness, or
2. a more chronic form with more gradual onset of clinical signs such
as mild intermittent pain, stiffness and restricted range of
motion in the hips as the dog ages. In many cases, the chronic
form may be clinically silent.
Breeders and veterinarians have long sought a reliable method to
determine the likelihood of a dog developing CHD and passing that
genetic trait to any offspring. It was generally recognized that the
current diagnostic methods of hip evaluation were associated with
disappointing progress in reducing the frequency of CHD. In 1983, Dr.
Gail Smith, a veterinary orthopedic surgeon and bioengineer from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, began to
actively research and develop a new scientific method for the early
diagnosis of Canine Hip Dysplasia. Research in his laboratory resulted
in a diagnostic method capable of estimating the susceptibility for
CHD in populations of dogs as young as sixteen weeks. The method has
shown distinct advantages over the standard CHD diagnostic method that
evaluates dogs at two years or older. The university of Pennsylvania
Hip Improvement Program (PennHIP) was founded as an extension of Dr.
Smith's laboratory research. Below are answers to some commonly asked
questions about the PennHIP method.
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