As you’ll know from your own dog’s experience with dysplasia, it’s a disease that affects the elbow and hip joints in young pets, mostly those under 18 months old. It happens when the hip or elbow joints fail to develop normally. Many owners are surprised that their dog can develop arthritis when he’s barely out of puppyhood as we often link this with old age in people.
Larger breeds, like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds and Rottweilers as well as giant breeds like the Great Dane and St Bernard, are more prone to it, but medium breeds can also develop it.
Your vet will, no doubt, have offered you lots of advice on your options. The main thing to remember is that dogs with dysplasia can lead happy lives. Here are our top tips on spotting signs that the condition might be progressing: