A young dog who has an abnormal development of the hip joint will suffer eventually from hip dysplasia, this does not necessarily mean that it will be bilateral, affect both the left and right side. It happens because of the laxity of the muscles, connective tissue and ligaments that would normally support the joint.
The majority of dysplastic dogs are born with normal hips, although in some due to genetic and other factors, the tissues surrounding the joint can develop abnormally as the puppy starts to grow. The changes that this causes are that the bones actually move instead of being held in place.
This will cause the joint capsule and ligament between the two bones to stretch; this adds further instability to the joint. Once this happens the surface of the two bones will lose contact with each other. The separation of these two bones within the joint is known as subluxation, the results of these problems, are what are associated with this disease.
A lot of dogs who suffer from this disease are primarily the large and giant breeds, although it can be found in medium sized breeds and very rarely in the smaller breeds. The breeds who have a higher incidence of hip dysplasia are, Golden Retrievers, Labrador, German shepherd, Saint Bernards, Great Danes and Rottweillers.
Treatment for hip dysplasia can vary between several surgical procedures, although this also depends on the age and severity of joint degeneration. A lot also depends on the dog's age and health before any surgery.
Triple Pelvic Osteotomy; (TPO) is normally a procedure that is used for young dogs under 10 months of age, these will have had radiographs which shows severe hip laxity, at this young age they will not have developed damage to the joints. This is major surgery and expensive but is very successful.
A total replacement of the hip is often advised for a dog that has degenerative joint disease due to chronic hip dysplasia. This type of surgery involves removing the existing joint and replacing it with prosthesis. The dog must be skeletally mature and weighing at least 20 pounds, there is no maximum size limit, if both hips have to be replaced then usually a three month rest period is advised between the surgeries.
Medically hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis has been improved over the years with the introduction of new supplements and drugs. Hip dysplasia is primarily an inherited disease therefore no products on the market can prevent the development. If you start by giving your dog a proper diet, exercise, supplements and pain relief, this may help to decrease the progression of the joint disease.
Weight management and exercise for your dog from an early age can help to prevent many diseases, although sometimes as mentioned hip dysplasia can be genetic. Those of you who are thinking of acquiring a puppy can always ask the breeder about hip dysplasia of the chosen breed.
Before you buy or obtain your Pug puppy or dog, it is recommended that you go to a breeder of good repute because you will then at least be assured that your Pug won't be as prone to suffer from common Pug health problems, as would be the case if you bought or obtained your Pug from an unreliable source. What's more, though any Pug could well be affected with common breed related health conditions, obtaining a pup from a reliable source will at least help to minimize the risks.
Also, when you are considering what the better Pug care steps are, you need to ensure that his nails are cut short and you also should ensure that his ears are kept clean and are regularly washed and also have them checked for redness, odor, heavy discharge and even headshaking. Pugs also have numerous teeth enclosed in a small space and thus these can become crooked as well as crowded and thus they may contain excess of tartar, though by feeding them proper and special foods this common Pug health problem can be easily overcome.
Pugs, because they have a short and pushed-in face can often suffer from a common Pug health problem and that is its inability to breathe freely on account of such facial structure, and the problem is often compounded during weather that is hot and also humid. Thus, proper Pug care requires that you keep the Pug in cool comfort, though of course it should not be so cold that he suffers on this account as well. No doubt, the Pug has a very cute face though these very features can also contribute to certain Pug health problems.
Sometimes, even in spite of giving proper Pug care it may, when it is less than one year in age or greater than five years, suffer from seizures that are persistent and thus requires having him evaluated for neurological problems.
Pugs often suffer from common Pug health problems that has to do with his ears that can get infected and also inflamed, both signs that your Pug has an ear infection. An ear infection can be inferred when you see him scratching his infected ear or even the skin adjacent to the affected ear, or he begins to rub his head on the ground.
Other serious Pug health problems include severe ear infections. Excessive scratching and head shaking are symptoms of an ear infection. Checking the ears periodically for excess moisture, redness or swelling can help you to find problems early and make treatment easy and quick.
Tracheal collapse will cause your Pug's windpipe (trachea) to narrow and its symptoms are coughing, noisy breathing as well as gagging. Portosystemic shunt alludes to an abnormal vessel that causes blood to not go to the liver and in fact bypasses it.
It is important that you are aware of possible health problems so that you can then take adequate steps to ensure that he is given the best Pug care and thus minimize the chances of non-breed specific health problems affecting the quality of his life.
Both Kelly Marshall & Jenny Donaldson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kelly Marshall has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Lose Weight and Bodybuilding Supplements. This article was written by Kelly Marshall of - the #1 place for quality. Kelly Marshall's top article generates over 301000 views. to your Favourites.
Jenny Donaldson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Puppies Dogs, Rottweiler Dogs and Puppies Dogs. Jenny Donaldson is a passionate lover of the Pug and owns a popular website where you'll discover how to have a happy, healthy and well behaved . Among ot. Jenny Donaldson's top article generates over 90500 views. to your Favourites.