Hip dysplasia can now be diagnosed easily and effectively from 16 weeks of age through PennHIP radiograph. PennHIP radiograph is a distraction radiograph taken with a special distractor. The results or Distraction Index gives the probability of your dog getting hip dysplasia = osteoarthritis of the hip joints.

If diagnosed between 16 & 22 weeks a simple procedure can be done at the time of neutering called Juvenile Pubic Symphsiodesis. This stops part of pelvis growing, and so decreases the “looseness” of the hip joints. This can slow the onset of hip dysplasia.

Other preventative treatments for hip dysplasia include weight control, glycosamine, chrondroitin, green lip muscle and omega 3 fatty acids in fish oil.

Juvenile Pubic Symphysiodesis (JPS) - A Preventative Surgery For Hip Dysplasia

Key Points

• Dogs should be preferably 4 months of age to benefit from the surgery.
• Your pet can be screened to at 4 months of age using PennHip x-rays to determine if he/she is likely going to develop hip dysplasia.
• The JPS surgery has minimal morbidity and is usually done on an outpatient basis.
• There is about a 90% chance that your pet will benefit from having the procedure done.

Identification of candidates for the JPS surgery

• Dogs should be preferably 4 months of age and no older than 5 months of age for this surgery to benefit from the surgery.
• PennHIP radiographs should be made to assess the dog for loose hips..
• I recommend that all breed susceptible dogs such as Labradors, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Golden retrievers and other breeds should be tested at 4 months of age using the PennHIP technique.

JPS surgery

• Your pet will be put under general anaesthesia.
• A small incision is made between the hind limbs to expose the pubic bone of the pelvis.
• The growth plate of the pubis is cauterized to destroy the growing cells of this part of the pelvis.
• Your pet will go home on the next day that the surgery is performed.

Success of the JPS procedure

• If the procedure is done at 4 months of age there is a much greater chance that it will prevent significant development of arthritis of the hips.
• Research has shown that this procedure reduces arthritis development from 25% in JPS operated dogs vs 83% non operated dogs.
• JPS has a similar effect to TPO (Triple Pelvic Osteotomy), which is a far more invasive and expensive operation. Where both sides of the hips need to be operated.

Potential complications

• Failure of the pubic growth centre to be successfully ablated by the cauterization surgery, thus the pelvis grows as it would naturally and the hip dysplasia progresses.
• Infection is uncommon.
• Seroma or fluid accumulation at the surgery site may present as a soft swelling at the surgery site; this fluid build up will resolve in a couple of weeks usually with no treatment.
• Damage to the urethra or tube where urine passes to the outside; this complication is rare in the hands of a surgeon aware of the pertinent anatomy.

Mild narrowing of the pelvic canal will occur follow JPS surgery; this will cause no problems, other than with birthing pups; these dogs should be desexed as hip dysplasia is an inheritable disease.

Related link:
16 week Hip Dysplasia Check – Penn HIP