# Looks like HD (Hip Dysplasia) doesn't it?



## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

So, I adopted Nigredo about 10 days ago. I began to notice strange things. He "frog sits" all the time and always "leans" to the same side. He also sometimes "bunny hops" up the stairs and he runs with his back legs stuck together. His back feet point outwards a LOT as well. He gets around fine and has tons of energy... but still. It's only going to get worse if it's HD. The vet examined him when I first got him and gave us the all clear, but I'm almost sure he has HD. 

How he often sits...



How he often lays...



How he runs...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yojBQylWsII

Looks like HD... right? He's going to the vet on the 26th for a follow up and I'll let the vet know what's going on of course.. but just asking here for the time being.


----------



## SydTheSpaniel (Feb 12, 2011)

My dog sits and lays like that all the time... when she lays down sometimes both legs are backwards, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't have hip dysplasia. I see a lot of dogs sitting/laying like that all the time. The GSD we had growing up never sat or laid like that, and she was diagnosed with HD. She just had a hard time walking some days, or acted very stiff.


----------



## Shell (Oct 19, 2009)

Neither photo looks all that much different than how my dog sits or how my fosters sometimes sit or lie down. I haven't had my dog's hips x-rayed or anything, but at 6 years old he has zero mobility problems, hikes on hilly terrain for several hours with ease and shows no signs of being stiff or sore afterwards or upon getting up in the a.m.

Puppies seem to flop around in all kinds of silly positions anyway.


----------



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Don't buy trouble. Puppies OFTEN bunny hop up stairs because they're hard for them and my ofa'd (good or excellent, I can't remember) rat terrier sits and lies down just like that. Often with both legs stretched out behind him instead of just one.


----------



## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

I'm going to have him OFA tested when he is old enough... but I want to get this right in case he does have it right now. I know it's not common in mutt puppies but he's a lab mix so it's certainly possible. As he grows up... I'm sure I'll be able to tell whether he has it or not... Thanks everyone.


----------



## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

My mother's 6 (almost 7) year old that definitely does not have joint problems sits and lays in even more extreme versions of that. Dogs can be just weird sometimes. The best way to check is a x-ray and best way to prevent is gentleness as a puppy and a good diet with maybe some supplements. But the vet would hopefully know best so take none of my advice until discussed with a vet.


----------



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

mjfromga said:


> I'm going to have him OFA tested when he is old enough... but I want to get this right in case he does have it right now. I know it's not common in mutt puppies but he's a lab mix so it's certainly possible. As he grows up... I'm sure I'll be able to tell whether he has it or not... Thanks everyone.


OFA is a registry of results of hip x-rays used for breeding dogs. You don't need that, you just need hip x-rays.

Meanwhile, all you can really do (even if he does have it) is keep him in good shape, avoid high impact and repetitive exercise, and make sure he stays on the lean side. Swimming is excellent, you want muscle tone in the rear, but you absolutely do not want high impact exercise until he's done growing. Basically the same stuff you should be doing for any large breed puppy. Don't restrict him too much, don't let him go jogging on pavement, DO encourage him to run around, don't let him get fat. Take xrays when he's about 2 and take it from there.



Flaming said:


> My mother's 6 (almost 7) year old that definitely does not have joint problems sits and lays in even more extreme versions of that..



The really funny thing is, a lot of people think dogs who lie or sit in a 'frog' position have hip problems. The reverse is actually true. Dogs who splay out like frogs usually have EXCELLENT hips.


----------



## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

You're worrying over nothing. Puppies sit funny. They bunny hop. They stand in awkward positions.



> I know it's not common in mutt puppies


Says who? There's no basis, because people don't OFA their mutts



> I'm sure I'll be able to tell whether he has it or not


You can't tell just by looking. I have a 3 year old bitch with moderate HD....you'd never know it. Runs, jumps, and plays like a fool. Never been lame a day in her life.


----------



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

Xeph said:


> Says who? There's no basis, because people don't OFA their mutts


Agreed that there's no basis for saying that, and people don't keep records, but I'll almost certainly x-ray Thud's hips when he hits about 18-24 months old, because if I'm going to end up paying for surgery I want to know sooner rather than later. But that's not because he sits or lays down funny, it's because I want to know if I'm going to have to deal with it and have the money on hand, and to make an informed decision about higher impact dog sports. Also to check his growth plates.


----------



## CptJack (Jun 3, 2012)

I went digging through Jack pictures, whose OFA status I checked (it's excellent) and found this for you: 

This is him as a puppy:










You can see the OFA results yourself, here.

Not saying not to be conservative if it will make you feel better, but don't worry yourself sick about this. what you're seeing right now is just... puppiness (and dogness. Jack still sits and lays with his legs splayed out, rolled over onto one hip or whatever.)


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

Looks to me like a typical larger breed puppy. You should see some of the positions by 15 week old Doberman puppy sits and lies in, it really does not mean she has or hasn't got HD. If they do have HD there is not much you can do about it at this point so why worry about it. Just enjoy your puppy, don't let him get too fat and lots of free running exercise where he can stop when he feels like it.


----------



## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

Thanks everyone. I'm going to keep a close eye on him and I have (NEVER) let any of my dogs get fat... I'll have his hips X-rayed when he's old enough. Also, I read that hip dysplasia isn't as common in mutt puppies... but of course it could be wrong.


----------



## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

mjfromga said:


> Thanks everyone. I'm going to keep a close eye on him and I have (NEVER) let any of my dogs get fat... I'll have his hips X-rayed when he's old enough. Also, I read that hip dysplasia isn't as common in mutt puppies... but of course it could be wrong.


It might be that mutts tend to be mixes of a lot of different breeds, some who are prone to HD and some who are not, lessening the odds of HD.


----------



## mjfromga (May 24, 2011)

Amaryllis said:


> It might be that mutts tend to be mixes of a lot of different breeds, some who are prone to HD and some who are not, lessening the odds of HD.


Probably.. but since he's suspected as Black lab/BC/great pyrenees... his chances would not be that low...


----------



## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

mjfromga said:


> Probably.. but since he's suspected as Black lab/BC/great pyrenees... his chances would not be that low...


That's the problem with discussions of mutts. My border collie/beagle/??? mix is different from your dog, but they get lumped into the same category.


----------

