"I was checking the messages at the Pee-osk, and decided to ask this one.
Can a dog like me with Hip Dysplasia still do Agility?" - Buddy Boy

Dogs that have hip dysplasia can do agility and other dog sports including flyball. I am a veterinarian and I do not discourage owners from doing dogs sports with their dogs, even if the dog has hip dysplasia. Of course if the dog is clinically effected I would not recommend it. Clinical signs and radiographic evidence of hip dysplasia do not correlate. What this means is that dogs that have really bad evidence on hip dysplasia on an X-ray can have no clinical signs at all, where as, a dog that has very mild hip dysplasia can be extremely lame.

First the dog should be seen by a veterinarian who knows something about dog sports to discuss the pros and cons of being involved with a sport. The most important thing is that the owner know the limitations of their dog. The dog needs to have regular exercise so that there is muscle support to the hip joint. Essentially the dog needs to be treated like an athlete with regular exercise prior to a competition (as with any dog involved in a sport). NOT lots of exercise a few days in advance and agility classes are NOT exercise!! The dog needs a constant level of exercise which can include swimming, walking, trotting on a soft surface (grass or soft dirt), some retrieving including Frisbees but at low levels AVOID having the dog vault into the air. Avoid uneven surfaces. Also lower the jump height for a dog with a known orthopedic problem.

WEIGHT CONTROL - excess weight will put more pressure on all joints but if the dog is dysplastic the effects can be greater. SKINNY, THIN are the key words here!!! I think that ALL performance dogs should be thin but for dogs with known orthopedic problems owners MUST be especially careful!!!

Nutritional supplements like chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine and MSM may help. There is no direct evidence in dogs but good evidence in people with hip degenerative joint disease (essentially people hip dysplasia) that supplements can slow or halt further development of arthritis. Glucosamine also has some anti-inflammatory properties and there is no harm done by giving it. There is nothing wrong with using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs after heavy exercise or competition, as long as there is a good discussion between veterinarian and owner . If the dog is known to "over do it" when they get really excited anti-inflammatories can be started prior to the event.

If the dog is high energy and needs something to do, you must weigh the risks against the pros for improving the quality of life for that dog.

Hope this helps

Karen Machin, DVM PhD
New Hope Dog Rescue

MidAmerica Border Collie Rescue is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization