Hip dysplasia in dogs – review

Abstract

Hip dysplasia is an orthopedic disease that leads to incongruity and degenerative joint disease. It is more frequent in large and giant dogs. It has high morbidity and causes lameness, pain and reduced activity. In the worst cases, the patient loses mobility. It is a multifactorial polygenic disease, resulting from genetic and environmental factors. Joint laxity is the most searched feature for early diagnosis of hip dysplasia, and radiography is the most used diagnostic method. CT images are used to reach better diagnosis and disease control. There are conservative and surgical treatments described for controlling the disease in affected animals. This article highlights the importance of the different imaging modalities for the selection of breeders and for disease control in the most affected breeds.