This is a condition that can affect a lot of dog breeds. Although it usually develops in young dogs with rapid growth, it can affect other breeds too.
One of the first signs is a dog not using the affected leg. That shows up as limping or lameness, as well as a “stiff” walk. Elbow dysplasia is a painful condition that has to be addressed and it needs lifetime treatment.
What Is Elbow Dysplasia?
Quoting the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), “Canine elbow dysplasia (ED) is a condition involving multiple developmental abnormalities of the elbow joint.” So, Elbow dysplasia happens when the elbow joint does not develop properly.
To understand what actually happens, we need to examine the anatomy of a dog’s elbow. The elbow joint consists of three bones called the ulna, radius, and humerus. These three bones, plus the cartilage, make up the elbow joint, and they should fit perfectly for everything to function correctly and without pain.
During development, the bones of the elbow joint do not grow properly or there is abnormal weight distribution during puppy growth. These abnormalities cause mentioned issues – pain, lameness, and arthritis.
The pain and other consequential problems happen because of the “crack” or a “step” on either the ulna or radius.
Elbow Dysplasia is a congenital (inherited) condition, which means if one of the parents has the condition, their offspring will have it, too. This is why test screening should be done on breeding dogs. If the results are positive, the dogs shouldn’t be bred.
Types Of Elbow Dysplasia
Depending on where the abnormality occurs, there are three types of Elbow Dysplasia:
- Fragmented coronoid process (FCP)
- Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
- Osteochondritis of the humerus (OCD)
The first one, the FCP happens on the inside edge of the ulna. The UAP happens because of abnormal bone growth which leads to a fragment of a bone at the top of the ulna becoming “loose”. And, the OCD happens when a part of a loose cartilage develops on the inside of the humerus bone.
Signs Of Elbow Dysplasia
The first signs of elbow dysplasia can be noticed in dogs when they are young, around 4 to 5 months of age, or much later, around 4 to 5 years of age. The noticeable symptoms are:
- Lameness in the front leg
- Pain while walking
- Limited motion
- Lack of eagerness to run, jump, or be physically active
It has to be noted that not all dogs with elbow dysplasia have noticeable symptoms. That’s why some dogs get diagnosed late in their adult life when they are over 5 years of age.
Once you notice something odd about the way your dog moves or gets up from a lying position, the first step is to take your dog to the vet. They can perform clinical examinations as well as X-rays to diagnose elbow dysplasia.
The usual clinical examination consists of a vet testing the flexibility of your dog’s elbow by bending and extending the affected elbow. They will also want to see how your dog walks to see if there is lameness.
Treatment Of Elbow Dysplasia
The treatment option for Canine Elbow dysplasia depends on the severity of the problem. In most cases, surgery is the option. However, the exact treatment will be decided by a veterinarian after the clinical examination and the X-rays.
When diagnosed early, surgery might not be the option because it won’t help much. In this case, the treatment is symptomatic. This means controlling the symptoms, controlling the pain, and preventing the situation from developing any further.
Non-surgical treatment options:
- Controlled exercise
- Diet to lose weight (or control weight)
- Keeping cartilage healthy
- Anti-inflammatory medication
Surgical treatment options:
- Removal of any loose cartilage fragments and bone fragments
- Alteration of the elbow to shift the weight away from the damaged part
- Complete joint replacement in severe cases
Possible Outcome
Elbow dysplasia is a lifelong health issue. Even with surgical treatment, we have to take care of our dogs and use non-surgical treatment options throughout our dog’s life. We will always have to take care of their weight and try to keep it normal, adjust the amount of exercise not to stress the elbow, and use some vet-approved supplements for the cartilage.
The outcome also depends on the severity of the disease. If it is diagnosed early, the outcome is good, and if kept under control, a dog can have a normal life. Unfortunately, if elbow dysplasia develops into arthritis, there is no treatment to stop the progress. Arthritis will develop with or without surgery. We can only try to slow it down.
Breeds Often Affected
Generally speaking, large dog breeds are more affected, but this health issue can affect any dog breed, big and small.
However, breeds with a higher chance of developing Elbow dysplasia are:
Can We Prevent Elbow Dysplasia?
Because it is a genetic disease, it is inherited from parents to puppies. This means we cannot prevent Elbow dysplasia. The only thing that can be done is test screening breeding dogs.
These tests include OFA testing or the BVA/KC Elbow Dysplasia Scheme in the UK.
If there are dogs that test positive for Elbow dysplasia, these dogs shouldn’t be used in breeding programs. Responsible breeders will test their dogs and have a test as proof for you, a potential buyer, to see.
Summary
Elbow Dysplasia is a genetic health condition that affects mostly large dog breeds but can affect other breeds too. The symptoms include lameness, pain in front joints, and lack of desire to participate in any physical activity.
The treatment options depend on the severity of the disease and could be surgical or non-surgical. In the non-surgical treatment option, the point is to keep the symptoms under control and prevent further development.
The non-surgical options include supplements, controlled exercise, special diet to lose weight (if necessary) or keep weight at normal.
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