Hip dysplasia: epidemiologic considerations based on the analysis of 9738 radiographs

A study based on 9738 standard radiographic evaluations for hip dysplasia of dogs belonging to several breeds showed that most of the dogs were radiographed later than the official age for evaluation. The percentage of unilateral dysplasia in the dysplastic dog group is 42 %, the significance of this high percentage being attributed by the authors to an imperfect diagnosis of bilateral core-femoral joint hyperlaxity. Obvious arthrotic changes were found in only 31.4 % of the dysplastic dogs aged from 12 to 24 months, 55 % of the dogs aged from 24 to 48 months, and 63 % of the dogs over 60 months of age.