PLEASE HELP??? HIP-DYSPLASIA??? Prevention?!?

Question

Is there ANY WAY to sorta "prevent" Hip-Dysplasia in a GSD? Pills, medicine, anything!!! ( But not TOO much $)

Ya see, I hope to adopt an adult GSD mix from my local shelter. ( Or get one for Christmas. But don't worry, I am totally responsible, as see in my other question below. )

I was wondering if there is a way to prevent it? What pills / food do you use? Has there ever been a GSD without Hip-Dysplasia? Is a GSD *MIX* better off not getting it than an all GSD dog? Please help me!!! Thanks. :)

Oh, and NO, THIS IS NOT FROM A BREEDER SO I CAN NOT CHECK THE PARENTS!!! I AM "ADOPTING".

Thank You SOOOO Much Everyone!!! :):):)

MY OTHER DOG QUESTION, PLEASE ANSWER!!! : http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArbWyLXiWAo7WpaVpKc5Kh_sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071213114322AAnX9i8

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

( I am asking this because I know GSD's are very likely to get it, and so I was wondering how to prevent it. Ya see, my neighbors had a GSD that was hurt

very bad from Hip-Dysplacia, and died by an accident by falling down the stairs, and so I am a tad worried. )

* LET THE POOR GSD WHO FELL REST IN PEACE *

Thanks. :(

Answer 1

Vets are not entirely sure what actually CAUSES hip dysplasia (HD), so it is pretty much impossible to accurately prevent it. There is strong evidence that HD is hereditary, so having a parent or sibling with HD means that a dog is at higher risk, but there is also obviously some environmental factors involved in this disease as well. Plenty of GSDs don't have HD. In fact, of the 89919 GSDs evaluated by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) between 1974 and 2006 only 19% (17084 dogs) were dysplastic and 3.5% (3147 dogs) had excellent hips. GSD mixes are generally about as prone to HD as purebred GSDs.

To help reduce the impact or likelyhood of HD, keep your dog lean. This is most important. Dogs with mild or even moderate HD can lead perfectly normal, pain free lives if they are kept at ideal body weight. Extra weight means extra strain on all of the joints and will expidate arthritic changes associated with HD.

Any high quality dog food is fine for dogs that have or are prone to HD. I already discussed what I look for in a high quality food in your other question.

Glucosamine is the most common supplement used for treating HD. It helps support joint and bone health and is relatively inexpensive. You can buy it at any pet store, most vets, or any human health food/drug store. It doesn't work for all dogs, although some dogs do so well on this supplement that they don't even need pain medication. If your dog seems to have pain, a glucosamine supplement that includes MSM can help reduce pain and inflammation.

Vitamin C (especially ester C) also seems to work miracles for some (but not all) dogs with HD. It seems to have anti-inflammatory properties and seems to help rebuild soft tissue damaged by HD.

Vitamin E and omega fatty acids are also supplements that seem to help with the anti-inflammatory response plus they are good for healthy skin and coat too.

Answer 2

don't freak. you can't 'prevent it' but you can help hold it off, or make it less painful. a lot of exercise helps. if you let them lay around too much it lets their joints deteriorate. so a good walk at least every other day will help. breeding helps too. if it's not a show quality dog, and doesn't have the low back end, then they're less likely to develop it. that's how my GSD is. she's not much better than a junk yard dog despite being pure bred but she hasn't developed the dysplasia until way late in life. she's 8 and is only just now showing the first signs. so, squatty back legs makes it more likely. also, if mixed breed, well, doesn't do much good unless mixed with a smaller dog. it's not just GSD's that are prone to it, it's all large breed dogs. GSD's are also prone to have spinal myelopathy. this is what my dog has, more than the dysplasia. rather than the hips deteriorating, it's the spine. my dog is slowly losing control of her back legs. this is more common in GSDs than other large breed dogs but it's not like a 50/50 chance. it's not amazingly common. lol, yes there are GSDs without the dysplasia. there are actually breeders you can buy from who have dogs that are 'hip certified' basically, the gene that makes them prone to having dysplasia is bred out of them, so you're much likely to have a dog that develops it. obviously yours won't have the papers so you won't know but that's not a big deal. the best you can do is have a healthy, active lifestyle, with decent food. science diet isn't the best, but it's better than most dry foods and it's not way amazing like the lab dog foods. if the dog does develop problems, just be sure to talk to your vet because there are surgeries that can be done, and medications available that slow it once it's started, and that knock out any pain. when the dog gets to be about 5 years old, just be sure to actually look at it and how it walks. and check to see if the back toe nails are worn down. these are signs of dysplasia and spinal myelopathy, and the sooner it's caught the sooner it can be treated. best of luck to you!

Answer 3

Oh yes...Let him enjoy being a dog. Hip dysplasia probably wont even be an issue until your dog is much older. 8 years or so. There are supplements like Glucosamine (spelling?) for hip and joint health that you can give your dog to help him stay in good shape. How you take care of him will also play a big role in his health in his later years. Not going up and down stairs a lot will play a role too. Feed him good food. I use Iams. No human food at all. Exercise him daily and make sure he always gets his shots. 30-45 minutes isn't long at all. He is getting good exercise and is enjoying being a dog. You could even let him play longer if you want. I walk my dog 2 miles per day. I've done that since he was a puppy and he is now 14. His back is starting to hurt him a little so I carry him up the stairs now. I also taught him 8 tricks when he was little but I stopped having him roll over to avoid hurting his back now that he is older. Your dog will be fine. If you take good care of him now, the problems with his hips wont show until he is much much older. As he ages, you can change his activities to cater to his needs. Have fun with your doggie.

Answer 4

Okay I saw your other questions and will try to answer those first. Crate training is good and will give your new friend a secure, safe haven of his own. I would probably always use a crate even if he has been tested with cats, when you are not there to supervise. We think dry food is best and you want to stay away from "by-products" and corn. Lamb & Rice and Chicken & Rice are both good and there are several brands formulated for large breeds depending on how big he is. You might want to get your vet's opinion on the hip dysplasia element before doing too much agility training. We have found over the years that mixes do tend to have less of it and be healthier overall but that it is not a definite. There are several good joint/vitamin supplements on the market you can add to his food to lessen the likelihood and strengthen his joints & bones from the beginning. The excercise and grooming times you mention should be good and always add more play when you can even if it is inside (chase the ball and running through the house is still excercise). Thank you for rescuing this angel and I can tell by your questions that you will be a caring, resonsible owner. In return you will receive years of love and faithful companionship from this Christmas angel. Best of Luck!

Answer 5

Hip dsyplasia is a hereditary issue in GSDs. Good breeders test their dogs hips before breeding them and will not breed a dog with bad hips. As you are getting a dog from a shelter there is no way to tell what their parents hips were like so there's no way to say if the dog is at a high risk for Hip Dysplasia. Not all GSDs get hip dysplasia. Being a mix, it is less likely to get hip dysplasia unless it is mixed with another breed that also has a history of hip dysplasia.

As a side note, I would like to thank you for adopting your future friend. I volunteer at a animal shelter and it is wonderful you are going to help a furry friend find a furever home : )

Answer 6

It's not something you can prevent in an individual, it's something dogs are born with. For the advancement of the breed, german shepherds with hip scores above a certain level should not bred from. There are differing degrees of hip dysplasia - most, but not all GSDs and labs have it to a degree but if it's only a tiny bit it's not a problem.

If you have a dog with hip dysplasia all you can do is manage the problems if and when they occur. It can be surgically corrected but this is invasive and expensive of course, most people go for management I would say. This includes keeping weight down and providing anti-inflammatory pain relief where necessary. There are also prescription diets and supplements available for joint problems.

Do you know what her hip score is i.e which vet did the scoring/judging? Do you have a prognosis for her? You need to work with a vet for advice on your dog's specific situation.

Chalice

Answer 7

As far as I know, you can't prevent it, but only work with it. I know a senior dog with hip and joint problems that takes a glucosamine supplement twice daily, and so far it works out decently.

Unfortunately, when you are a mutt lover (like you and me) there isn't too much you can do but save up the money and expect that your dog will need the surgery when it hits about 5 years old. (I think having the money for the surgery plus an extra $2000 is always a good slush fund for a dog. Think of setting aside $100 a month or so. If you do that, by the time the dog is 5 you should have $6000 saved up specifically for your dog).

Answer 8

There are plenty of GSDs and mixes that DON'T have hip dysplasia.

There is no way to prevent it, the dog is born with it. You can minimize the effects by keeping the dog fit and well-muscled.

If you are really worried about HD, why not have the dog x-rayed before finalizing the adoption? It will cost a bit, but save you heartache.

Answer 9

I don't really think there is a way to prevent it. The only thing I can think of is to look for a GSD mixed with something smaller, as the smaller the dog, the less likely to have hip problems (in most cases). They are great dogs--I want to get a solid white GSD one of these years! LOL.

Good luck!

Answer 10

I adopted a GSD about 3 yrs ago.He was 4 when i got him. I started him on glucosamine and fish oil pills. Glucosamine lubricates the joints and aids in slowing the disease. He recently got to where he couldn't get up the steps anymore. Deramaxx is a pain med that I use for him. In one dose he ran up the steps. It was amazing. HD can be a pain in the butt, but it can also be managed. Please don't allow it to deter you from this breed. Almost all big dogs have HD to a certain point.