Companion Animal Welfare

Companion Dog Canine Hip Dysplasia Genetic

Hip dysplasia is a heritable developmental condition causing chronic hip pain in dogs. Genetic selection through screening programmes is the most effective long-term welfare intervention.

Key Facts

Hip dysplasia prevalence in susceptible breeds can exceed 50% in unscreened populations
BVA/KC hip scoring provides a numeric assessment of hip joint quality for breeding decisions
Breeding only from low-scored parents significantly reduces offspring prevalence over generations
Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, and Golden Retrievers are highest-risk breeds
Total hip replacement is effective for severe dysplasia but costs 5,000 pounds or more per hip

Welfare Considerations

Hip dysplasia causes progressive pain and reduced mobility that significantly compromises quality of life across the entire lifespan of affected dogs. Genetic selection through screening is the only intervention that reduces population-level welfare burden. Each generation of breeding from screened, low-scored parents reduces the prevalence of this painful condition in subsequent generations.

What You Can Do

Only acquire dogs from breeders using BVA/KC hip scoring
Advocate for mandatory hip screening in breeds with high prevalence
Support research into genomic selection tools that improve hip screening efficiency