Could my dog have hip dysplasia?
Asked: Could my dog have hip dysplasia?
I've been worried about my dog recently. He's a nine-year-old Chinese Crested and prior to a few weeks ago, he was energetic and would alternate his daily schedule between sleeping and playing outside and begging, mostly in hourly intervals, sometimes two.
However, around the time that we went camping with him (we hadn't taken him in a few years) and returning, he started sleeping almost all the time and when we urged him to get up, one of his hind legs would stick out a bit, and he would slowly pull up his back half after sitting up- maybe it might take a few tries. Walking seemed to be a bit of a struggle for about thirty seconds, especially with his hind right leg, but he would eventually straighten out. But he shows a reluctance to even stand up, he'll collapse on us if we stand him up completely if we're in a rush to get him outside in the morning before work and school and wait until he sees need to get up to try.
Finally, he now hops down all stairs. He'll place his front feet first and then quickly hop his back feet down and make a little leap with his front paws. We have twenty steps for him to go down, and then another three when he gets outside. Going up the stairs isn't much different.
My mom thinks he might have pulled a muscle when he jumped up onto a taller bed, but these symptoms didn'tcatch on until after camping. But she also mentioned that it could be hip dysplasia. My mom never mentioned any sort of complications in his lineage when we got him and he's a purebred dog from a decent line of show dogs.
Chinese Cresteds are known for Patellar Luxation- or "slipping of the knee caps", multiple eye problems, and are notorious for losing their teeth. But what is brought to my attention is the Legg-Calve-Perthess Disease, which concerns the hip joint.
I'd appreciate any notes or experiences you have on the subject, soothing or not. I'm starting to become worried, and with school starting soon I fear that he may be unable to go outside or climb the stairs- or worse may hurt himself in the process while we're all gone.
Answers:
I don't have any direct experience with hip dysplasia, but as a degenerative condition, I would assume it would come on gradually. Since you didn't see any problems until your trip, it seems more likely that it is an injury of some sort.
Regardless of why he hurts, you know he hurts, so get him to a vet! They can tell you what's going on and how to fix it, or at the very least, make your dog more comfortable.
Some dogs are born without knee caps my dog was she always had trouble walking and only walked on her front paws. take the dog to the vet
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