Companion Dog: Hip Dysplasia Screening and Breeding Welfare

Canine hip dysplasia causes chronic pain in millions of dogs globally, and pre-breeding screening programmes that reduce its inheritance represent the most impactful welfare intervention available.

Key Facts

Hip dysplasia affects an estimated 10-20% of large breed dogs, with significant breed variation
The condition is caused by abnormal hip joint development leading to progressive osteoarthritis
Pain from hip dysplasia typically develops in middle age and progresses through the dog's life
The BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme in the UK scores hip radiographs to guide breeding decisions
Breeding from dogs with low hip scores has demonstrably reduced hip dysplasia prevalence in screened breeds
Surgical interventions including triple pelvic osteotomy can improve young dogs' outcomes if performed early

Welfare Considerations

Hip dysplasia represents a preventable inheritance of chronic pain that affects millions of dogs. Each generation of affected dogs lives with progressive joint pain that limits movement, disrupts sleep, and reduces quality of life over years. Breeding from unscreened parents or parents with poor hip scores perpetuates this suffering unnecessarily. The Hip Dysplasia Scheme provides the tools to break this cycle - breed selection based on hip scores has reduced dysplasia rates in breeds where it is consistently applied. Welfare-conscious breeding that prioritises health over conformation extremes is the single most impactful long-term welfare intervention for affected breeds.

What You Can Do

Only acquire dogs from breeders who health test both parents with verified low hip scores
Screen all breeding dogs in predisposed breeds through the BVA/KC Hip Dysplasia Scheme
Advocate for mandatory health testing requirements before breed registration
Report breeders selling puppies without health-tested parents to breed clubs
Support research into genetic markers for hip dysplasia to improve selective breeding