• Lethargy

• Weight gain

• Hair loss

• Anemia

• Slow heart rate

• Dry coat

There are blood tests the vet can run to diagnose this condition and once diagnosed the condition is easily treated with a daily dose of synthetic thyroid hormone which will need to be administered for the rest of the dog's life. Canine hip dysplasia is one of the most common inherited diseases in large breed and giant breed dogs. This orthopedic disease may affect smaller breed dogs as well. When obtaining a puppy or dog from a breeder, make sure you ask for and receive hip certification on the parents and ancestors of the puppy or dog. Hip dysplasia results from abnormal hip joint development in a dog. It may or may not affect both right and left sides. The hip joint is a ball and socket joint, the ball (femur) fits into the socket (acetabulum) and rotates freely. Ligaments and tissue hold these bones together and cartilage cushions the movement of the bones. With hip dysplasia the bone slips partially out of socket and the ligaments are loose. As this continues to happen other degenerative changes take place in the joint. Over time your dog will find it painful to stand and walk and will have difficulty climbing stairs.

Making sure your puppy doesn't gain weight too quickly and not letting your older dog carry excess weight reduces the chance of hip dysplasia. If you do suspect your dog may be showing signs of hip dysplasia, get them checked out by the vet and find out what you can do to relieve them of pain.

Osteosarcoma or bone cancer generally affects large and giant breed dogs. This is a very aggressive cancer and is more frequent in older male dogs. Medical research has yet to find the cause of these cancers. Most bone cancers are found to develop below the elbow or near the knee of dog's limbs. Usually a swelling of the area and pain in the joint is a first indication of a medical dilemma. Unfortunately by the time medical treatment is sought, the tumor may have already metastasized to the lungs. Treatment of this cancer is usually amputation and chemo. Even with amputation and chemotherapy, the life expectancy of a dog is approximately one year. There is no preventable treatment for Osteosarcoma.

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