I have a Vet appt. but I wanted to know if anyone has had this problem. At times Dakota(my dog) walks with a slight limp on his back leg. Other times he is fine. Sometimes he lays with his leg oddly other times he is fine. I checked the best I can and he does not display any pain with the leg or hip area.He has just turned two. Any info would be appreciated.

Have you had his OFA done yet? That may tell you how the hips are.

I agree with Bob. The only way to know whether Dakota's hips are correctly formed is to have them x-rayed and then send the film to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Unfortunately, poorly formed hip joints (i.e., hip dysplasia) are a common problem in dogs, including Chessies. If you have more questions, just keep asking!

Claire

Thank both of you for your response. I am afraid of the possibility of hip dysplasia. Where can I find information on where to send the X-rays once I have them done and information on fees.

Tricia,

You vet will be able to tell you where you can have your dogs hips xrayed. Typically, the vet that takes the xray will send the "sheets" to OFA and OFA will send you back a sheet with the results. However, a good vet can read the xray pretty accurately and let you know whether or not your dog has hip issues.

Good Luck.

Bob

Tricia,

There's a boatload of information on the OFA web site - http://www.offa.org/

What you have noticed is reason for concern, but it is not certain to be hip dysplasia - there are other things that can make a dog a bit stiff on one side in the rear. And, if Dakota does turn out to be dysplastic, that is not a death sentence. Plenty of Chessies with mild to moderate hip dysplasia are able to lead normal (even performance) lives. Once you know what the problem is, it will be much easier to decide what to do about it.

For dogs with hip dysplasia, keeping them really lean and in good muscle helps a lot. There are also some safe and proven supplements, as well as medications, that help most dogs. But the first step is the diagnosis.

If your vet does hip x-rays on a regular basis there is no need to go somewhere else for this. However, if your vet seems uncertain, wants you to go looking for the information that's needed, and generally seems to need your help, it is probably worth your while to go to another vet for this. Dog breeders (of any breed) in your area will have vets to recommend for this. Or post a question here giving us an idea of where you live, and ask people to respond to you privately.

What you don't want is a vet who will "make the hips pass". As in every profession, there are some who will do what they can to make their clients happy, whether it is ethical ot not. There are vets who are known to make the hips appear as normal as they can. People will say of these folks that they made their dog's hips "look great" or something similar. But, between those who don't know much about hip x-rays and those who "help out", there is a vast number of vets who know what they are doing and can produce a readable x-ray (one that can be evaluated) in almost every case.

Sorry if I got long-winded, Claire

I wanted to thank everyone who replied to me regarding my questions. We found out this week that Dakota does infact have mild hip dysplasia. We also found out that there is a bone fusion defect around the area where the spine, tail, and pelvis(hips) come together. I really don't understand this defect but tomorrow the Vet will explain the findings to me(he had the x-rays sent to a radiologist) Has anyone heard of this before?

Hi Tricia,

I'm sorry to hear about the mild hip dysplasia, but the bone fusion defect sounds more concerning. I'm glad that a specialist is looking at the X-rays. Once you know the name of the disorder, you can search the online Merck Veterinary Manual for additional information http://www.merckvetmanual.com . Also, I'd be happy to try to locate information for you.


If the diagnosis is spinal stenosis, then I have heard of it occurring in Chesapeakes, though rarely and generally not in young ones.

Claire