Hip dysplasia in dogs is a painful condition that can result in loss of movement, weight gain, muscle atrophy and arthritis. And while there are steps you can take to alleviate your pet's pain and prolong the use of the hip, surgery is often the best—and most expensive—solution. Here's what you need to know about the cost of hip dysplasia in dogs.
What is hip dysplasia in dogs?
Canine hip dysplasia is a painful condition that develops in dogs with improperly functioning hip joints.
“Basically, hip dysplasia starts when a dog is young," explains Dr. Chris Roth, resident veterinarian and pet health writer at Pets Best Insurance. “The hip is made up of a ball-and-socket joint, and in healthy hips, the ball and socket smoothly fit together. But with dogs with hip dysplasia, the ball and socket do not fit properly because they're not tight."
Because of this laxity, says Dr. Roth, the ball can wobble around in the socket. Eventually, that causes rubbing and grinding. The cartilage wears away, leading to osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease.
If left untreated, the progressive loss of cartilage from hip dysplasia can lead to painful bone spurs around the ball and socket and a loss of movement that can grow more severe and uncomfortable as the dog ages. The condition is not only painful, but also has a negative impact on your dog's lifestyle and quality of life, as they can no longer enjoy playing or walking.
“Hip dysplasia in dogs leads to a whole cascade of negative effects," explains Dr. Roth. “As with any disease that causes pain, the pet won't use their legs as much. They start to lie around more so their muscles get weak and they gain weight, and the extra weight puts even more stress on their joints. So hip dysplasia can lead to a combination of serious health issues."
What causes hip dysplasia in dogs?
Hip dysplasia is a hereditary condition that generally starts during the puppy stage as the dog's skeleton grows. The condition can worsen with age, and environmental factors—like overuse and weight gain—can cause further stress to the joint.
“Even though hip dysplasia is genetic, it also has an environmental component," explains Dr. Roth. “A dog may have bad genetics, which causes the hips to not work properly. Then the owner might be overactive with the dog, which causes strain. Or they may not exercise their dog enough and so the dog gains weight and loses muscle strength, which makes the condition worse."
Dog breeds most at risk for hip dysplasia
While hip dysplasia can happen to any dog, it occurs predominantly in large canines.
“The condition is most commonly seen in big breeds like labs, golden retrievers, German shepherds and rottweilers," says Dr. Roth. “These dogs are at risk because of their genetics, but also their size and because they love to run and play, which puts more pressure on the hip joints."
Treatment options for hip dysplasia in dogs1
While hip dysplasia can be a serious condition, the good news is that there are several promising treatment options.
Preventative/nonsurgical treatments
Dr. Roth notes that if the condition is not too severe or if you simply can't afford surgery, there are some preventative approaches that may help ease your dog's pain and help slow the loss of hip mobility.
- Ensure your dog gets enough (but not too much) exercise. “It's the muscles and the ligaments that actually hold the joints together, so you want to do what you can to keep the muscles strong," says Dr. Roth.
- Maintain a good weight. Extra weight puts more stress on the hip joint.
- Use physiotherapy to help retain hip mobility.
- Consider taking glucosamine, a supplement that can prolong joint health.
- Try other anti-inflammatory medications to help with pain, and injectable medications to help keep the joint lubricated.
Surgical options for hip dysplasia in dogs
There are several surgical options for treating hip dysplasia in dogs, with varying recovery times, success rates and costs.
Femoral head ostectomy
A femoral head ostectomy (FHO) is what Dr. Roth refers to as a “salvage procedure." While the surgery is effective at treating the pain associated with the condition, the dog won't ever regain full use of its hip.
In this procedure, the femoral head is removed, which results in the dog's body creating a false joint and some scar tissue. This way, the bones in the joint are no longer rubbing against one another and causing pain. Though the procedure can be done on both young and older dogs, Dr. Roth emphasizes that it's typically reserved for smaller, lighter dogs. And while the operation can be done on larger dogs, there can be more complications than with smaller dogs.
Double or triple pelvic osteotomy
Double or triple pelvic osteotomy (DPO/TPO) is usually performed in young dogs before there are any signs of arthritis. In this procedure, the pelvic bone is cut in either two or three places, and the socket is rotated so it can better fit the ball portion of the joint. A bone plate is then put in place to ensure the hip joint is stabilized.
Total hip replacement surgery
The most successful surgical option for dealing with hip dysplasia in dogs is total hip replacement surgery. In this procedure, the entire hip joint is replaced with titanium and plastic implants.
“It's pretty much the exact same procedure that they do when giving humans a complete hip replacement," says Dr. Roth.
With total hip replacement surgery, a dog has the best chance of regaining a full range of motion over time.
Cost of hip dysplasia surgery for dogs
The cost of hip dysplasia surgery for dogs varies enormously and depends mainly on two factors:
- The specific surgery you choose
- Your location
The size of your dog doesn't tend to affect the overall cost significantly, says Dr. Roth, because the surgical procedure and materials are the same. The only difference could be the costs of the anesthetic and after-care medications.
Femoral head ostectomy cost
The most affordable surgical option, femoral head ostectomy surgery, can range from $1,000 to $2,500 per hip, says Dr. Roth.
Double or triple pelvic osteotomy cost
According to Dr. Roth, on average, double or triple pelvic osteotomy surgery can range from approximately $3,000 to $6,000 per hip.
Total hip replacement surgery cost
Though total hip replacement surgery is the option with the highest rate of success, it's also the costliest solution.
“The cost of hip replacement surgery varies widely," says Dr. Roth. “The price is really different depending on where you live in the country, but it can range anywhere from $4,000 up to as much as $10,000 per hip. Hip replacement surgery is the most expensive but generally the best option."
According to Dr. Roth, quotes for hip dysplasia surgery often (but not always) include things like blood work, X-rays, antibiotics and several post-surgical visits. However, it's important to talk to your vet to get a complete breakdown of costs to find out what's included in the cost of your dog's surgery.
It's also worth noting that if your dog needs additional post-surgery care (like physiotherapy), you could be looking at approximately $100 for each visit, depending on where you live and what kind of physiotherapy your dog needs.
Paying for hip dysplasia surgery in dogs
Clearly, treating hip dysplasia in dogs can be a costly undertaking. Some pet owners set up an emergency fund and deposit money in it monthly to go toward any unforeseen vet costs. However, setting up and maintaining a pet emergency fund takes a lot of planning and discipline when doing it on your own. It's also hard to predict how much you might need to save.
A better approach to dealing with the cost of pet care is pet insurance. Pets Best Pet Health Insurance, for example, has plans for dogs that can cover a range of costs, including routine care, accidents, illnesses, surgeries and much more. Hip dysplasia surgery—even costly hip replacement surgery—would also be covered under a Pets Best plan.
“As long as the dog does not show any signs or symptoms of hip dysplasia prior to purchasing the insurance policy, hip dysplasia surgery would absolutely be covered," says Dr. Roth.
Unlike some insurance companies that won't cover hip dysplasia in older pets, Pets Best insurance even provides coverage for older dogs.
“You could buy insurance when the dog is 8 years old, and if they start to show signs of hip dysplasia when they're 10, it would be covered," says Dr. Roth.
He also points out that you can reduce your insurance premiums by choosing a larger deductible and by taking advantage of Pets Best multi-pet discount for households with more than one pet.
To learn more about pricing and coverage details, visit the Pets Best Pet Health Insurance website.
Sources
1C. Roth, personal communication, July 6, 2022
2Fixing Your Dog's Hip - Dysplasia Surgery Cost, New England Veterinary Center and Cancer Care. Accessed June 12 to 15, 2022. https://www.nevccc.com/site/blog/2021/09/15/hip-dysplasia-surgery-dog.
3Surgery for Hip Dysplasia in Dogs, Berkeley Dog & Cat Hospital. Accessed June 12 to 15, 2022. https://www.berkeleydogandcat.com/site/blog/2021/09/15/surgery-hip-dysplasia-dogs.