Joint problems in young dogs

Puppies continue to grow and develop for months or years after birth. Giant breeds may not reach full adult size for 18 months or 2 years. During this growth period they are at particular risk from bone and joint disorders. Some of these are inherited such as hip and elbow dysplasia. Damage can also result from traumatic injury.

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Inherited diseases are genetic conditions passed from parents to their offspring. Sometimes the puppy inherits the tendency to develop a disease and the severity may be influenced by factors in its upbringing such as feeding and exercise. Inherited diseases are much more common in pedigree dogs than in cross breeds and some conditions are more common in some breeds than others.

Various other conditions affect individual dogs of pure or cross breed. In general, inherited or partly inherited problems can only be prevented by careful breeding programs that stop affected animals from producing puppies. Such schemes have been adopted by a number of specific breed societies. Before being allowed to breed, dogs are examined to assess the health of their joints. Individuals who are badly affected should not be allowed to breed. The three most important inherited conditions are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and luxating patella. Other conditions that may be seen in certain dog breeds are osteochondrosis and aseptic necrosis of the femoral head.

Hip dysplasia is a common disorder typically affecting the hip joint of medium and large breed dogs. Hip dysplasia occurs when the ball-and-socket joint of the hip does not ‘fit together’ properly. This results in rubbing, which damages the surfaces of the joint, leading to pain and eventually arthritis.

Hip dysplasia is partly inherited but other factors can affect the severity of the condition including diet, growth rate and the level of exercise given to young growing dogs of larger breeds. Most pedigree dogs (of breeds where hip dysplasia is likely) will have their hips checked by X-ray and a ‘hip score’ assigned to them. Those dogs with low scores are most desirable, as their offspring are less likely to suffer from the effects of hip dysplasia.

Animals with hip dysplasia will go on to develop arthritis in the hip joints later in life.

Arthritis causes pain and stiffness but can be managed in most animals to provide a reasonable quality of life. Weight control is important and affected animals may need a restricted exercise program and pain relief. In animals where the condition is very severe surgery may be the only option.

Elbow dysplasia is a similar condition to hip dysplasia. In this condition the elbow joint is abnormal causing lameness and pain. There are schemes which allow for screening of young dogs to detect the presence of this condition. Surgery may be recommended to remove bony fragments and limit the development of arthritis in later life. You should contact your veterinarian for more information on this condition if you are worried about your pet.

Luxating patella affects the stifle (knee) joint. In the normal knee the patella (kneecap) slides up and down along a special groove in front of the leg. In this condition the groove is too shallow, and the patella slips in and out, causing lameness and discomfort. Dogs with luxating patella typically hop on one hind leg for a few strides before putting the leg to the ground again and running normally on it.

In many moderately and severely affected dogs, surgery can improve signs and stabilize the loose patella. In most cases the outlook is better when this surgery is performed in young dogs.

The early months of a puppy’s life are important for its later development. A healthy diet and regular exercise are essential to development. If you are getting a puppy for the first time discuss your concerns with your veterinarian and they will be able to give you advice on all aspects of your puppy’s care.

Dogs with osteochondrosis have abnormal development of the cartilage that lines the surface of the bones within the joint. As the skeleton starts to mature the cartilage layer in affected animals starts to thicken and this makes it difficult for a blood supply to reach all the layers of the cartilage and small areas may start to die off. The cartilage is not converted to bone and in some cases a flap of cartilage may separate from the underlying layers. This flap can break off entirely and cause irritation within the joint. Osteochondrosis typically affects fast growing, large breed dogs, such as Bernese Mountain dogs, Rottweilers, St. Bernards and Newfoundlands but also German Shepherds, Retrievers and Labradors. Signs generally develop around 4-10 months of age with lameness in one or more joints.

Diagnosis can be made with radiographs/ CT or arthroscopy to visualize the changes in the joint. Removal of the damaged cartilage can be performed under arthroscopy, but many cases are treated with pain relief and anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the lameness. Dogs that were affected as puppies will usually develop arthritis in the affected joints later in life.

The inheritance of this condition is not fully understood, and development of the disease is probably also affected by rapid growth. It is more common in male than female dogs. Care should be taken to feed a diet specifically formulated for large breed puppies.

Aseptic femoral head and neck necrosis is an uncommon disease of immature or young adult toy breed dogs. It is caused by a poor blood supply to the bones around the hip results in collapse of the joint. It is most often seen in terrier breeds, miniature poodles and miniature pinschers. Affected dogs develop hind leg lameness from around 5 months of age. The condition usually occurs on only one side.

Surgery is usually required to make the joint more comfortable, and dogs generally live a normal life after surgery. Responsible breeders should avoid breeding from dogs which are known to have the condition in their family history.