Elbow dysplasia is a leading cause of forelimb lameness in large breed dogs, encompassing several developmental conditions that cause chronic joint pain requiring surgical and long-term medical management.
Puppies with elbow dysplasia begin experiencing pain during the period of rapid growth — months when they should be exploring the world freely and joyfully. The lameness is often intermittent initially, leading to delayed diagnosis and months of unrecognized pain. Surgical intervention reduces symptoms but the arthritic change that follows means affected dogs live with chronic, progressive joint pain for their entire lives. Pain management must evolve as the disease progresses — what controls pain at age 2 may be insufficient at age 8. The preventability of ED through breeding selection means that every new litter from unscreened parents of at-risk breeds continues a cycle of predictable suffering. Breeding registries that require ED screening before registration make a direct welfare contribution.