Hip dysplasia is a developmental condition causing chronic pain and reduced mobility in dogs, with breed health screening programmes and multimodal management providing welfare improvements.
Hip dysplasia welfare management must begin before purchase - breeding from screened, low-scoring parents significantly reduces puppy prevalence. Once a dog is affected, ongoing welfare management combines pain control, physical rehabilitation, environmental adaptation and honest monitoring of quality of life as disease progresses. Dogs with well-managed hip dysplasia can have good quality of life, but this requires regular veterinary monitoring and owner vigilance about pain signs. The economic cost of hip dysplasia management (including surgical options) should be considered when acquiring breeds with high prevalence - pet insurance covering orthopaedic conditions from puppyhood provides the financial foundation for welfare-positive management.