Protect your puppy's hips

Healthy Hips

How you can give your pup the best chance of healthy hips

Despite the development of hip scoring schemes in many countries, canine hip dysplasia is still a very real problem in many breeds of dog. You can read some background information on hip dysplasia here

Although you cannot alter the limits of the potential, for developing good hips, inherited by your pup, you can help your puppy to grow the very best hips he can, within the limits of those genetic boundaries.

Not so long ago, a roly-poly plump puppy was considered ideal. The extra fat was there to sustain him if he ever fell ill, and this 'puppy fat' was considered cute and harmless. Extra weight on a puppy, especially large breed puppies, is now considered to be a real risk factor for hip dysplasia. Whilst it is true that a puppy who has not inherited any hip dysplasia genes will probably come to no harm from being plump for a few months, there is no way of knowing for sure what genes your own puppy has inherited. To be on the safe side therefore, it is a good idea not to let your puppy get fat, or to grow at too fast a rate. If you are unsure how much to feed your puppy, or whether or not he is too fat or too thin - consult your veterinary surgeon for advice.

It is also likely that excessive exercise or frequent impact of small puppy legs onto hard surfaces like concrete, or as a result of jumping, may reduce the chances of the puppy growing the healthiest hips possible. Lifting your puppy on an off high surfaces, and restricted his exercise to short informal romps as opposed to long marches is definitely to a good idea. If you are unsure how much exercise to give your puppy, or worried about his hips or any other aspect of his health, please consult your veterinary surgeon for advice.