Elbow dysplasia is a common, painful developmental condition in large breed dogs requiring early diagnosis, appropriate management and honest conversations about long-term prognosis.
Elbow dysplasia causes chronic joint pain from early age - dogs with untreated or late-diagnosed elbow dysplasia live with progressive pain that significantly reduces quality of life during what should be their most active years. Early diagnosis enables surgical intervention that reduces joint damage, but many dogs are not diagnosed until lameness is obvious - often after significant irreversible joint changes have occurred. Multimodal pain management (NSAIDs, joint supplements, physiotherapy, weight management) improves quality of life in medically managed dogs. Breed health screening programmes aim to reduce prevalence through breeding selection, but implementation by breeders is inconsistent. Choosing puppies from parents with elbow health scores is the most important preventive step.