General description:

They sturdy dogs and get along well with all ages including other pets. They usually colours cream or golden in colour. these dogs however cannot be kept in small crammed areas like apartments as they require plenty of space to run and exercise. these dogs however shed hair and hence they must be groomed regularly.

golden retriever

Health concerns

• Hip dysplasia
• Skin cancer
• Eye infection
• Heart problems

Canine Hip Dysplasia

Of the above mentioned diseases, hip dysplasia is one of the most common diseases which affect golden retrievers. Normally, the hip joint is a ball and socket joint. the head of the femur fits exactly into the socket in the pelvis. this socket is called acetabulum. the acetabulum and the femoral head are held in position with the help od strong ligaments and connective tissue. moreover, between the joints, there is also a padding of a spongy cartilage which acts as a cushion and a fluid around the articular surfaces so as to minimize friction between the two bones. as the pelvic joint is a ball and socket joint it enables complete rotation. However, in some cases, the ball and the socket joint are malformed, i.e. they do not meet each other properly, hence resulting in the two bones rubbing each other therefore restricting complete motion. This can happen due to both environmental and genetic factors. Canine Hip dysplasia is widely seen to affect larger breeds, more than smaller breeds.

Normal pelvic joint Vs. joint affected with Canine Hip Dysplasia

golden retriever

 

Clinical signs:

 

· Resistance in moving the affected joint

· Pain

· Decreased rising

· Lameness on hind legs, which can get even worse after a strenuous physical exercise

· Enlargement of shoulder, due to more pressure being exerted on the fore limbs than

compared to the hind limbs

· Loss of muscle mass in the thigh

· Reduced walking, running or jumping

· Distance between the hind limbs becomes unusually narrow

 

Treatment:

 

for treatment of hip dysplasia, surgical and non-surgical procedures can be applied. in initial stages, when hip dysplasia is not that prominent hydrotherapy can be a very good option. it facilitates easy movement of the joints, hence fixing the bones perfectly together. it also in the due course reduces pain and inflammation. Surgery on the other hand will depend on many factors like the patients age, size, degree of joint looseness, amount of pain and the financial conditions of the owner. apart from surgery another way of treatment is weight control. the weight of your dog must be controlled when it is suffering from a disease like Canine Hip Dysplasia in order to reduce the amount of pressure applied to the affected joint when the patient is walking. Weight can be controlled by designing special diets for your dog. this will certainly cure the disease faster. however for very young dogs(7 months or less), Juvenile pubic Symphysiodesis surgery is usually performed where a part of the pelvis is fused together in order to provide stability to the hip joint.