August 01, 2002
Thursday

Several weeks ago we talked about the fundamentals of hip dysplasia, what it is, why it's bad. Two weeks ago we talked about the first two contributing factors to developing hip dysplasia, genetics and exercise. Finally, this week we're going to talk about what started as the whole

--- Lilly Langtry Digital photo by Mary Kauffman ---

point of the column, the role of diet in the development of dysplastic hips.

So let's say you've gotten a Black Lab puppy, and at 16 weeks you had his hips checked at the vet clinic, and his hips showed some laxity. You, good responsible owner that you are, had him neutered, and now you want to know what to do, besides exercising him moderately and consistently ­ no all-out runs, no jumping, no carrying - until he's eighteen months old.

The third factor is diet, and diet is incredibly important here, as well as feeding regimens.

There are three factors clearly identified with DJD. One of the biggest factors was a fast growth rate. Puppies that grew too fast put stresses on their developing joints from which they never could recover, and the biggest factor in that growth rate was fat content of the food. No more than 8% is recommended. The second factor was too much calcium. If they were fed a diet that had more than 2.5% dry matter basis, they developed DJD. Tangentially, if their diet was deficient in Vitamin D, this affected calcium metabolism, and resulted in DJD. The third factor was a chemical equation that will never show up on the label: it was found that if the anion gap ( Sodium + Potassium - Chloride) was greater than 23 meq/100gm of food, DJD almost always happens.

I can hear you groaning from here. What do I do with all of that?

It comes down to a fairly simple regimen. Make sure you invest in a premium puppy food like Science Diet or Iams, and make sure it is the large breed formula. These foods are ones that always have what they say they have in the bag. They also have the right energy level for a puppy to grow, but not to grow too fast. They have the appropriate calcium level, and their anion gap is less than 23. These are the guys who did the research. That's what you're paying for.

If you have to buy a different brand, make sure they meet the above criteria, and have done successful feeding trials. Ask to see the results of those trials.

Your job is to feed your puppy appropriately. You want to feed him twice a day after he's 8 weeks old, and you want to pick the bowl up after 10 minutes. You want him lean, no fat on this boy once he's past the roly-poly stage. If he's getting pudgy, cut him back til you can feel his ribs - without digging for them - , but not see them. And that's going to be the rule of thumb for the rest of his life.

You may have a puppy that has been diagnosed as being at risk for hip dysplasia. That doesn't mean he has to be crippled by DJD. Follow the above recommendations, and you can minimize his chances of showing clinical signs at the same time you maximize his chances for a long, happy, healthy and active life.

E-mail Dr. Good your comments & pet questions.

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