Total hip replacement restores mobility for dog with hip dysplasia: full analysis
Version 2
A UC Davis “Case of the Month” is putting a spotlight on total hip replacement as a quality-of-life intervention for canine hip dysplasia, after a young dog named Andy regained mobility following surgery for severe left hip dysplasia with luxation. The case, published by UC Davis in late April and picked up by dvm360, follows a familiar orthopedic arc: early signs in puppyhood, a period of conservative management, then a tipping point where pain and function worsened enough to justify referral and surgery. (vetmed.ucdavis.edu)
The background is important. Canine hip dysplasia is a developmental, multifactorial disease driven in large part by genetics, with joint laxity leading over time to cartilage wear, osteoarthritis, pain, and loss of function. ACVS and Cornell both note that while many dogs can be managed medically for some period, severe cases that fail conservative treatment may need surgical intervention. For younger patients, early-detection pathways such as JPS or DPO/TPO may be options before arthritis becomes established, but once disease is advanced, THR becomes the procedure most associated with restoring near-normal joint function. (acvs.org)
In Andy’s case, UC Davis said his care team initially pursued non-surgical management after discussing options that included continued medical therapy, femoral head osteotomy, and total hip replacement. The plan included a 10% weight loss target, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation, and range-of-motion and aquatherapy exercises. Within 10 months, however, Andy’s left-sided lameness and discomfort worsened. When he returned to UC Davis in June 2025, radiographs showed moderate hip arthritis plus severe left hip dysplasia with luxation. A CT scan in July 2025 was used to refine surgical planning, and he underwent THR in September 2025. UC Davis reported that postoperative imaging showed appropriate implant orientation and positioning, followed by a six-day hospitalization and a tightly controlled recovery period. (vetmed.ucdavis.edu)
That recovery period is a key part of the story, and one that will resonate with general practitioners and surgeons alike. UC Davis reported that Andy was strictly confined except for short leash walks for elimination until his 3-month recheck, with no off-leash activity, running, jumping, or play. A harness was used to reduce slip risk, and the dog’s family closely followed discharge instructions. By 3 months, the hip was stable; by 6 months, the cup and stem remained stable with bone ingrowth. The case underscores that THR success depends not just on implant choice and surgical execution, but also on client selection, home setup, and compliance during rehabilitation. (vetmed.ucdavis.edu)
Outside UC Davis, the broader orthopedic message is consistent. ACVS describes THR as an option for dogs with hip dysplasia that cannot be successfully managed with earlier corrective procedures and says it can provide highly functional, pain-free outcomes in appropriate candidates. Cornell similarly frames THR as the more common salvage option for larger dogs with severe disease, compared with femoral head and neck ostectomy. Additional expert commentary from The Animal Medical Center notes that modern implants are modular and increasingly durable, and that cementless systems rely on bone ingrowth for long-term fixation, a point that aligns with UC Davis’s report of stable implants and osseointegration at follow-up. (acvs.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, this is less about a single success story than about the decision points around referral, staging, and case management. Andy’s course illustrates the value of recognizing when medical management is no longer preserving function, especially in larger dogs predisposed to progressive degeneration. It also highlights how specialty centers are pairing advanced imaging, implant planning, and postoperative protocols to improve outcomes. UC Davis’s orthopedic capacity has expanded with its Advanced Veterinary Surgery Center, which opened in 2024 and supports complex procedures including total joint replacement and custom 3D-printed titanium implants. That kind of infrastructure may increasingly shape where complex dysplasia cases are referred and how quickly they move from medical management to surgery. (vetmed.ucdavis.edu)
What to watch: The next signals to monitor are whether more academic and referral centers publicize THR outcomes, how practices counsel pet parents on the tradeoffs between prolonged medical management and earlier specialty referral, and whether growing access to advanced orthopedic facilities changes expectations for canine hip dysplasia care over the next 12 to 24 months. This last point is an inference based on UC Davis’s facility expansion and the broader trend toward specialized joint replacement services. (vetmed.ucdavis.edu)