Lately, when you take your dog to play in the yard or at the dog park or for a run, you may notice a slight limp later. It might not slow her down much, but you wonder if maybe you need to take it easier. What is Dysplasia “Off-and-on lameness is a common sign of degenerative joint disease,” says Dr. Ann Johnson, veterinary orthopedic specialist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. “Dogs show evidence of pain from degenerative joint disease by limping. Lameness can occur suddenly, or gradually increase over time. It can be persistent or intermittent.”

Canine hip dysplasia is an inherited condition where the bones don’t fit well, especially the thigh bone (femur) into the hip socket. This mismatch fit strains the cartilege that acts as a cushion between th bones. This strain leads to this progressive degenerative joint disease.

There are several ways a vet may deal with dysplasia including anti-inflammatory drugs, supplements, surgical procedures such as a total hip replacement, joint arthroplasty (removal of a portion of the bone), or arthrodesis (fusion of the joint). However, one of the first things vets recommend, especially when the condition is mild, is managing dysplasia with moderate exercise.

Why Should You Exercise A Dog with Dysplasia

Even though the joint is improper, you should still exercise your dog-moderately (we’ll talk more about that in a minute). First, exercise will strengthen the muscles around the joint, which lesses some of the stress on a joint.

Second, exercise helps you dog maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight adds stress to the joints and increases pain.

Exercises for Dysplasia

Moderation is the key for exercise. The key is a little exercise often. Even ten minutes, twice a day can help keep strenghthen your dog.

Good exercises for hip dysplasia

• Walks – casual, short walks
• Hikes – leisurely walks on easy trails
• Swimming – if you don’t have a pool or dog friendly pond nearby, look for canine hydrotherapy or rehab facilities
• Obstacle courses – tunnels/chutes, weaving through objects, balancing are fine–just no jumping
• Indoor chasing games – games like chase or hide-and-seek can provide rainy day fun, and prevent an energetic dog from running full out, which they would be feeling later
• Fetching games – easy, non-jumping games of fetch, chase, or catch

Not so good

• Running/jogging
• Sprints like squirrel chasing
• Jumping games