Genetics
There's a strong genetic component — some dogs are simply predisposed from birth.
Understanding your dog's health
What is Hip Dysplasia?
A developmental condition where the hip's ball-and-socket doesn't fit together as it should — what causes it, the signs to watch for, and how we can help alongside your vet.
The basics
Hip dysplasia is a developmental joint disease — the joint doesn't form correctly while your dog is growing.
The hip is a ball-and-socket joint. With hip dysplasia, the two don't fit together properly: the socket (acetabulum) is too shallow, or the ball (femoral head) is loose.
Either way the joint becomes unstable — and an unstable joint doesn't move the way it was designed to.
Inside the joint
A ball that no longer fits its socket.
What instability creates
How a loose joint becomes a painful one.
-
Abnormal movement
The ball shifts within the shallow socket instead of rotating smoothly.
-
Wear and tear
That abnormal movement grinds away at the joint surfaces over time.
-
Inflammation
The damaged joint becomes inflamed, and inflammation brings pain.
-
Progressive osteoarthritis
Left unchecked, the joint develops arthritis that worsens with time.
This is why early help matters. Much of what we do is about slowing that chain down — easing pain and inflammation, and keeping the muscle around the joint strong and supportive. Read our guide to osteoarthritis.
What causes it
Part genetics, part growing up.
Several factors contribute — and a few of them are things you can influence early:
Rapid puppy growth
Growing too fast, most often in the large breeds, puts the developing joint under strain.
Overfeeding
Overfed or overweight puppies carry extra load through joints that are still forming.
Exercise while growing
Excessive or inappropriate exercise during a puppy's growth can do lasting harm.
Environment
Slippery floors, repeated jumping and stairs all add avoidable stress to young hips.
Signs to watch for
What hip dysplasia can look like.
Bunny-hopping gait
Stiffness after rest, when rising
Reluctance to jump, climb or use stairs
Not wanting to be touched around the hips or back
Reluctance to play with other dogs
Hind-end weakness
Muscle wastage over the hips
Wobbliness or lameness
How we can help
Gentle support, alongside your vet.
In milder cases, a vet-led plan often combines weight control, controlled exercise, hydrotherapy, anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), joint supplements and lifestyle management. Alongside that, these gentle therapies can help:
Galen Myotherapy
Hands-on work for the muscle wastage and compensatory tension that come with weak, painful hips.
Explore myotherapyClass IV Laser Therapy
Reduces inflammation and pain in the joint and supports tissue repair.
Explore laser therapyMobility Therapy
Controlled exercise to rebuild hind-end strength, balance and confidence.
Read the guideA note on this guide. It's for general education and isn't a diagnosis. Our therapies complement veterinary treatment rather than replacing it, and we can work alongside your vet if required. Hydrotherapy, medication and supplements are part of a vet's plan, not services we provide.
Where this is offered. Dogs with painful hips often struggle most with getting in and out of the car, so I come to you. The service area runs along the coast from Estepona through La Duquesa to Sotogrande, and travel within 15 km of La Duquesa is included.
Common questions
Hip dysplasia, briefly answered.
What is hip dysplasia in dogs?
A developmental joint disease: the hip does not form correctly while a dog is growing. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, and with dysplasia the socket is too shallow or the ball sits loose, so the joint becomes unstable and does not move as designed.
What causes hip dysplasia?
Part genetics, part growing up. Contributing factors include inherited predisposition, rapid puppy growth, overfeeding, exercise while still growing, and environment. It is a developmental condition rather than something a dog acquires later in life.
What does hip dysplasia look like in a dog?
A bunny-hopping gait, stiffness after rest and on rising, reluctance to jump, climb or use stairs, not wanting to be touched around the hips or back, hind-end weakness, muscle wastage over the hips, and wobbliness or lameness.
Can therapy help a dog with hip dysplasia?
It can support comfort and mobility alongside veterinary care. An unstable joint creates abnormal movement and wear, and dogs compensate by loading other parts of the body. Hands-on work addresses that muscular compensation. Diagnosis requires a vet consultation.
Noticed a bunny-hop, or a struggle on the stairs?
If your vet has diagnosed hip dysplasia and you'd like to talk about gentle, choice-led therapy to keep your dog comfortable, I'm here to help.
Book a consultationKeep exploring