Hip dysplasia: epidemiologic considerations based on the analysis of 9738 radiographs

A study based on 9738 standard radiographic evaluations for hip dysplasia o f dogs belonging to several breeds showed that most of the dogs were radiog raphed later than the official age for evaluation. The percentage of unilat eral dysplasia in the dysplastic dog group is 42 %, the significance of thi s high percentage being attributed by the authors to an imperfect diagnosis of bilateral core-femoral joint hyperlaxity. Obvious arthrotic changes wer e found in only 31.4 % of the dysplastic dogs aged from 12 to 24 months, 55 % of the dogs aged from 24 to 48 months, and 63 % of the dogs over 60 mont hs of age.