Canine hip dysplasia is one of the most common developmental orthopaedic conditions, causing pain and mobility impairment that affects millions of dogs worldwide. Prevention through selective breeding and management through multimodal treatment are both essential for welfare improvement.
Hip dysplasia creates a lifelong welfare challenge that evolves from developmental joint laxity in puppyhood to progressive osteoarthritis in adulthood. During the developmental phase, pain from joint laxity and subluxation may occur during rapid growth periods. As osteoarthritis develops, dogs experience chronic daily pain that impairs exercise capacity, quality of rest, and social interaction. The stoic nature of dogs means that owners often underestimate the degree of pain experienced — a dog that "still manages to go for short walks" may be experiencing significant chronic discomfort that well-directed pain management could substantially reduce. Multimodal pain management — NSAIDs, omega-3 supplementation, physiotherapy, appropriate weight management, and in severe cases surgery — can maintain good quality of life for most affected dogs. The preventive welfare case is strongest: reducing breeding of dogs with poor hip scores and maintaining lean body weight throughout life are the most impactful welfare interventions at the population and individual level respectively.