Hip dysplasia in dogs is a genetic disorder that is not preventable if you own a dog predisposed to the disease. However, there are several things you can do, such as proper nutrition and exercise, that will reduce the early onset and intensity of hip dysplasia in your dog.

Hip dysplasia is a genetic disorder occurring more often in certain breeds. It is caused by a partial dislocation of bones in the dog’s hip joints, leaving them misaligned but still in contact with each other, which causes erosion of the tissues that keep the joint moving smoothly.

What can you do about hip dysplasia if your dog is predisposed to the disease?

Proper Breeding

Some breeders are irresponsible and will breed a dog knowing it is susceptible to hip dysplasia, or will breed a dog too young to be properly tested, and the result is an increased occurrence of the disease. Every breeder who breeds dogs genetically prone to hip dysplasia should have their dogs checked before breeding.

If you intend to purchase a dog from a breeder, research the genetic diseases of the breed you want and ask the breeder if they test for those diseases. If they can’t (or won’t) give you a health certificate from a licensed veterinarian, you will be much better off looking elsewhere. You will end up saving yourself a lot of money and heartbreak in the future if you’re careful in selecting your new canine companion.

Proper Nutrition

A study done on Labrador retrievers showed that obesity increases the onset of hip dysplasia. Overweight adolescent dogs are more likely to suffer from hip dysplasia as are dogs that don’t receive sufficient amounts of calcium and other nutrients during their adolescent stage.

When your dog is young, feed it a high-quality diet. Don’t buy pet foods that have cheap fillers like corn and wheat or ones that contain meat byproducts, all of which have very little nutritional value. Choose foods for your young dog that have high-quality proteins listed as the first three ingredients and that don’t have preservatives added.

Proper Exercise

Exercise and mental stimulation are an important part of development of puppies but over-exercising at a young age can prevent the proper growth of bones, muscles and joints, leading to joint problems like as hip dysplasia and arthritis.

Running and swimming are excellent ways to exercise a young dog, but avoid activities that involve a lot of jumping, like Frisbee, until your puppy is a few years old.

One of the least expensive things you can do to ease hip dysplasia in a dog, you might want to use a ramp for getting in and out of your car or off of high furniture until it reaches 18 to 24 months of age.

Supplements

If your dog already suffers from hip dysplasia or arthritis, a safe and proven supplement for treating your pet is Winston’s Joint System, a combination of three, totally-natural whole food supplements developed by a Naturopathic Doctor for his own dog. It contains no drugs and there are no side-effects because it’s just good whole food. And there are no dosage problems because your dog’s body uses only what it needs.

Winston’s provides many of the raw materials essential for the synthesis of the joint-lubricating synovial fluid as well as the repair of articular cartilage and connective tissue. It also includes a natural anti-inflammatory compound, long used to relieve the pain of arthritis.

Hip dysplasia is a genetic disease that often can’t be prevented; but that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do about hip dysplasia in your dog. By selecting a dog from a responsible, professional breeder, feeding your puppy and adult dog a healthy diet, and reducing high-impact exercise, occurrences of the disease can be reduced. Hip dysplasia is a progressively degenerative disease, so any amount of help you can give your dog, will begin to stop things from getting worse.

Since 1990, Winston’s Joint System and Winston’s Pain Formula have helped heal over twenty thousand dogs from all over the world. Our staff specializes in hip dysplasia, arthritis and all joint, pain and mobility issues.

There is an excellent chance we can help your dog, so please contact us at: www.dogshealth.com or call our toll free number at 888-901-5557.