Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
A retrospective study of canine hip dysplasia in 116 military working dogs. Part II: Clinical signs and performance data.
- Journal:
- Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- Year:
- 1996
- Authors:
- Banfield, C M et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Defense Military Working Dog Veterinary Services · United States
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study looked at 116 military working dogs to understand how hip dysplasia (a condition where the hip joint doesn't fit properly) affects them. The researchers checked the dogs' medical records for any signs of limping in their back legs and took X-rays to see how severe the hip dysplasia or any joint damage was. They also tracked how long each dog worked before they retired or passed away. Interestingly, the study found that there was no significant difference in the total months worked between dogs with normal hips and those with hip dysplasia. This suggests that hip dysplasia may not greatly impact the working life of these dogs.
Abstract
The progression of hip dysplasia was investigated in 116 military working dogs. Medical records were reviewed for any clinical history of hind-limb lameness. Pelvic radiographs were studied for evidence and degree of hip dysplasia, degenerative joint disease, or both. The number of months each dog worked was determined. Each dog's age at termination from service and cause of death (or euthanasia) were recorded. The mean months of work for normal and dysplastic dogs were evaluated using the Student's t-test. No significant difference was found in the total number of months worked between normal and dysplastic dogs (p greater than 0.05).
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875358/