25/07/2026
🦴 Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
You’ve probably heard the term… but do you actually know what it means?
🤔 What is hip dysplasia?
Hip dysplasia is a developmental orthopaedic condition where the ball (head of the femur) and socket (acetabulum of the pelvis) do not fit together as they should.
Instead of forming a stable, smooth-moving joint, the hip is loose or unstable. With every step, abnormal movement occurs within the joint, causing:
🦴 Increased wear and tear
🔥 Inflammation within the joint
🦴 Damage to cartilage
🦴 Progressive osteoarthritis
🫥 Hip dysplasia isn’t simply arthritis… it is the abnormal development of the hip joint that commonly leads to arthritis over time.
🤔 What does it look like?
Signs vary between dogs but may include:
🐾 Stiffness after resting
🐾 “Bunny hopping” when running
🐾 Difficulty getting up after lying down
🐾 Reluctance to jump into the car or onto furniture
🐾 Difficulty climbing stairs
🐾 Sitting or lying down during walks
🐾 Reduced stamina during exercise
🐾 A swaying gait
🐾 Muscle loss over the hindquarters
🐾 Shifting weight onto the front legs
🐾 Sitting with one leg out to the side (“lazy sit”)
⚠️ Importantly, many dogs do not limp, especially in the early stages. Dogs are masters at compensating and often hide pain remarkably well.
🤔 What does it feel like?
Hip dysplasia isn’t just “a sore hip.”
It may cause:
💙 A constant deep ache
💙 Sharp pain during certain movements
💙 Muscle fatigue from constantly compensating
💙 Joint inflammation after activity
💙 Increasing discomfort as arthritis progresses
Imagine walking every day with a joint that doesn’t fit together properly. Every step creates tiny amounts of abnormal movement. Over months and years, that repetitive strain gradually damages the joint.
🧠 Behavioural signs you might notice
Pain changes behaviour. 🚨🚨🚨🚨
Many owners expect pain to look like limping, but behavioural changes are often the first clues that something isn’t right.
Your dog may:
⚠️ Become less enthusiastic about walks
⚠️ Sleep more than usual
⚠️ Be slower to get up after resting
⚠️ Avoid jumping, climbing stairs or getting into the car
⚠️ Stop playing as much
⚠️ Tire more quickly during exercise
⚠️ Become more irritable or less tolerant of handling
⚠️ Withdraw from family interaction
⚠️ Lick or chew around the hips or hind legs
⚠️ Seek softer places to lie down
⚠️ Hesitate before sitting or standing
⚠️ Become anxious when asked to perform movements that hurt
⚠️ Show changes in appetite or enthusiasm because living with chronic pain is exhausting
These are not “bad behaviours.”
They are your dog’s way of communicating discomfort.
🤔 Why early recognition matters
The earlier hip dysplasia is recognised, the more options there are to improve your dog’s comfort and slow progression.
Management may include:
✔️ Maintaining a healthy body weight
✔️ Appropriate, controlled exercise
✔️ Physiotherapy and rehabilitation
✔️ Strengthening the muscles supporting the hips
✔️ Pain relief where appropriate
✔️ Joint-supportive management under veterinary guidance
✔️ Surgical intervention in suitable cases
❤️ The takeaway
Hip dysplasia is not just about the hips - it affects your dog’s entire quality of life.
Dogs often continue wagging their tails, playing and wanting to be with us despite living with chronic pain.
That’s why waiting for an obvious limp can mean missing months, or even years, of subtle signs.
Sometimes, a change in behaviour is your dog’s first way of saying:
“Something doesn’t feel right.”
Recognising those changes early, seeking veterinary assessment, and providing appropriate long term management can make a profound difference to your dog’s comfort, mobility, and overall welfare.
