Dog Hip Dysplasia Breeding: Screening and Prevention

Hip dysplasia is a highly heritable condition causing chronic pain in large breed dogs. Breeding screening programmes reduce incidence but require industry-wide participation to be effective.

Key Facts

Hip dysplasia heritability is estimated at 25-80% depending on breed, making genetic selection highly effective
The BVA/KC hip scoring scheme has been running in the UK since 1984, rating hips from 0-106 per dog
Breed median scores vary considerably — selecting breeding animals below the breed median reduces incidence progressively
Outcrossing to less-affected breeds and genomic selection offer additional tools for accelerating improvement
Over 25 years of UK hip scoring has demonstrably reduced hip dysplasia prevalence in participating breeds
Without mandatory participation, voluntary schemes improve the quality of responsible breeders' stock but not the overall breed population

Welfare Considerations

Hip dysplasia causes lifelong chronic pain in affected dogs — pain that begins in puppyhood and progressively worsens as osteoarthritis develops. The genetic basis of the disease means that breeding decisions made today determine how much suffering dogs born in 5-10 years will experience. Each generation of carefully selected breeding reduces the proportion of dogs born to suffer this preventable condition. The welfare case for participation in hip scoring programmes is direct and strong.

What You Can Do

Only breed from dogs with hip scores at or below the breed median
Request hip score certificates for both parents when purchasing a puppy of a predisposed breed
Participate in BVA/KC or equivalent hip scoring even for dogs not intended for breeding — data improves reference standards
Support breed societies that make hip scoring compulsory for Kennel Club registration
Advocate for mandatory hip scoring requirements in breed registration standards
Donate to canine genetics research improving understanding of hip dysplasia heritability and genomic selection