Hip subluxation is painful for your dog.
Subluxation of the hip is a partial dislocation, mostly affecting large breeds of dogs. The common cause of this separation in young dogs is hip dysplasia and can be diagnosed as early as three to four months. Watch your dog for signs of discomfort through decreased activity and trouble getting up, climbing stairs or lying down. Subluxation affects the swivel of the hip, which causes your dog to hop around due to intense pain. If your dog exhibits any of these signs, consult your vet for an exam, which will include measuring a possible subluxation.
Instructions
1. Request a test called Ortolani's Sign to measure hip laxity and subluxation. Hip laxity and subluxation are confirmed by a radiograph.
2. Ask your vet to place your dog in a weight-bearing position (your dog will be standing, putting weight on the affected area) while undergoing extensive radiography and computed tomography (medical imaging) techniques that determine the estimated degree of subluxation for each hip joint and the femoral head or ball joint of the hip.
3. Request a new test called the PennHip method for measuring the laxity and subluxation of the hip to determine the distraction index (DI). This test serves as a measurement of passive hip laxity and the degree of looseness of the hip joint when your dog's hips are completely relaxed.
4. Question your vet if he is hesitant to get radiographic images, which can pinpoint the presence of changes in the subluxation of your dog's hip, which is crucial and often camouflaged in commonly used X-rays.
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