Legg Perthes Disease

What is Legg Perthes Disease?

Legg-Perthes Disease is a condition that affects puppies that are typically around three months of age. In essence, the ball of the hip joint begins to degenerate causing a disfiguration in that area. This may ultimately cause arthritis and lameness.

Symptoms

Unfortunately, this disorder does not begin to show any symptoms until the puppy is 6 to 10 months old. Typically, you will notice that your pup is limping on a specific side of his body. If you notice this happening, it is best to contact your vet in order to verify the problem.

Causes

This disorder is known for being genetically inherited or passed on from the parents. Further research is being conducted in order to better explain this disease.

Treatments and Prevention

Unfortunately, due to the time in which symptoms are realized there is not much in the way of treatment or prevention for this disorder. Surgery can be performed if there is looseness of the hip joint and deformity of the femoral head. As mentioned earlier, be sure to see your vet at the first sign of this disorder.

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Legg Perthes Disease