It occurs when the head of the femur and the socket of the hip fail to develop properly, which can lead to degenerative hip disease and symptoms of arthritis. Hip dysplasia can be treated by either managing it medically, such as through prescribing aspirin or other anti-inflammatories, or by performing surgery. The surgery can range from making minor changes in the shape of the femur or by a hip replacement. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head most often occurs in smaller or toy breeds of dogs, such as poodles, Pomeranians and Pekingese. When this occurs, the dogs lose blood supply to the head of the femur, which can lead to degenerative hip disease as well.
Treatment often involves having the head of the dog's femur removed.
Because of the dog's small size, most often it can still walk normally after surgery. The severity of the problem may also influence the decision of what treatment to use. A mild case will usually be treated with medication and the more severe cases will usually be treated using surgery. One of the most important factors in determining whether a dog will develop hip problems later in life has to do with nutritional factors. According to Hoskinson, keeping a dog on the proper diet and minimizing feeding can reduce the risk of developing hip problems.