Dogs with severe dysplasia that are too old, or have severe arthritic changes that would preclude the use of the TPO procedure, may be candidates for a surgery called femoral head and neck excision. This surgery alleviates pain and improves function. Another surgical option for a dog with severe arthritis as a result of hip dysplasia is total hip replacement. In most cases, this surgery returns the patient to normal function. The success rates for these surgeries depend on the dog, the severity of the condition, and on the compliance of care and therapy following the surgery.
Most dogs regain the ability to lead an active and pain-free lifestyle.
Morris Animal Foundation is supporting a study by Dr. Rory Todhunter at Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Todhunter and his colleagues hope to uncover clues about the developmental changes that go wrong when canine hip dysplasia occurs. There is evidence that the bony development of the hip is delayed in many dogs with hip dysplasia, and this may have an underlying biochemical basis. This work has led to a new imaging method to diagnose subluxation of hip joints which lends itself to both radiography and ultrasound to assess the onset of ossification and the amount of subluxation in dogs' hip joints. It is hoped that this method, called the Dorsolateral Subluxation Test, will be used in conjunction with the radiographic views offered by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals and the PennHIP organization.