Texas LGD Association

info@texaslgdassoc.org

Hip and Elbow Dysplasia in
Working Livestock Guardian Dogs

Screening, Management, and Long-Term Working Success

Hip and elbow dysplasia is one of the most significant orthopedic conditions affecting livestock guardian dogs (LGDs), as it directly affects mobility, endurance, and long-term working ability. While hip dysplasia is widely discussed in dogs generally, its implications for working LGDs, who travel long distances, patrol uneven terrain, and work independently, require special consideration.

The Texas LGD Association encourages informed screening, realistic expectations, and management-first approaches to preserve LGD welfare and working longevity.

What Hip Dysplasia Means for Working LGDs

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is a developmental, inherited condition that results from abnormal development and/or stability of the hip joint. Dogs are typically born with normal-appearing hips, but changes occur during growth that may lead to joint instability and, over time, degenerative joint disease (DJD/osteoarthritis).

For LGDs, the concern is not just radiographic appearance; it is functional soundness:

  • Ability to patrol and travel pasture boundaries
  • Willingness to work at night and over long distances
  • Resistance to fatigue, stiffness, and pain

Dogs with painful or unstable hips may continue to “work” until damage becomes advanced, masking problems until working life is shortened.

Genetics and Environment: Both Matter

Hip dysplasia is polygenic, meaning multiple genes contribute to risk. However, environmental factors strongly influence whether and to what extent the condition expresses.

Key environmental influences include:

  • Rapid growth and excessive weight during puppyhood
  • Overfeeding energy-dense diets
  • Excessive forced exercise during skeletal development
  • Slippery surfaces and repetitive impact

Good management cannot eliminate genetic risk, but it can reduce severity and delay onset.

Screening for Hip Dysplasia

Why Screen?

Screening does not guarantee perfect hips, but it:

  • Reduces the likelihood of producing severely affected dogs
  • Allows informed breeding and placement decisions
  • Protects the long-term genetic health of LGD populations

For working dogs, screening helps ensure durability, not cosmetic perfection.

Common Screening Methods

OFA (Orthopedic Foundation–style evaluation)

  • Radiographs taken with the hips extended
  • Final evaluations performed at 24 months or older
  • Results range from Excellent to Severely Dysplastic

OFA results represent a snapshot in time and reflect joint structure and secondary changes.

PennHIP-style Evaluation

  • Measures passive hip laxity using a distraction index
  • Can be performed as early as 16 weeks of age
  • Provides a quantitative risk estimate for future DJD

This method is useful for early risk assessment but does not replace long-term management.

Important Screening Caveats

  • Mild radiographic changes do not always correlate with pain
  • Some dogs with “poor” hips function well for years
  • Some dogs with “good” hips may still develop arthritis

Screening should be interpreted alongside:

  • Work history
  • Gait and movement
  • Body condition
  • Environmental demands

Managing Hip Dysplasia in Working LGDs

Growth and Body Condition

Maintaining lean body condition is one of the most effective management strategies.

Best practices:

  • Avoid overfeeding puppies
  • Feed balanced, growth-appropriate diets
  • Keep puppies and adolescents lean, not heavy

Excess weight increases joint loading and accelerates degeneration.

Exercise and Terrain Management

During growth:

  • Avoid forced running, repeated jumping, or hard surfaces
  • Allow free, self-regulated movement with livestock
  • Increase workload gradually as maturity approaches

For adult dogs:

  • Consistent, moderate activity maintains muscle support
  • Sudden spikes in workload increase injury risk

Muscle Support and Joint Stability

Strong muscles help compensate for joint laxity. LGDs benefit from:

  • Regular movement rather than confinement
  • Gradual conditioning
  • Avoidance of prolonged inactivity

Muscle tone contributes to functional stability, even in the presence of passive laxity.

Pain Recognition and Early Intervention

LGDs often mask pain. Warning signs include:

  • Stiffness after rest
  • Shortened stride
  • Reluctance to patrol
  • Increased irritability or withdrawal

Early veterinary evaluation can prevent minor problems from becoming career-ending conditions.

Treatment Options: Conservative First

Most dogs with hip dysplasia are managed successfully with conservative (non-surgical) approaches, including:

  • Weight control
  • Activity modification
  • Anti-inflammatory or pain-modulating medications as needed
  • Joint supplements where appropriate

Surgical intervention may be considered in select cases, but it is not automatically indicated, especially in working LGDs. Second opinions are strongly recommended before pursuing surgery.

Breeding Implications

Ethical breeding requires:

  • Disclosure of hip screening results
  • Avoiding repeated use of dogs with severe dysplasia
  • Balancing hip quality with working ability and genetic diversity

Breeding decisions should aim to reduce risk, not chase perfection at the expense of function.

When Hip Dysplasia Becomes a Management Issue

A dog with hip dysplasia may still be an effective guardian if:

  • Pain is controlled
  • Mobility supports the required workload
  • Environment is adjusted as needed

Retirement or reassignment may be appropriate when welfare or effectiveness declines.

Key Takeaways

  • Hip dysplasia is common, complex, and manageable
  • Screening improves population-level outcomes
  • Lean condition and proper development matter
  • Functional ability matters more than radiographs alone
  • Early management preserves working longevity

What Elbow Dysplasia Means for Working LGDs

  • Lean body condition, controlled growth, and consistent conditioning are among the highest-impact management tools for preserving working longevity.
  • OFA elbow screening helps reduce population-level risk, but clinical cases may need CT/arthroscopy for definitive lesion detection.
  • ED can be subtle; working LGDs may mask discomfort until workload drops or arthritis is advanced.
  • Elbow dysplasia is a developmental disease that commonly causes lifelong arthritis in large working dogs.

Key Takeaways for Breeders and Producers

  • Balance orthopedic screening with functional selection (temperament, guarding behavior, structural durability, and genetic diversity).
  • Avoid repeatedly breeding dogs with diagnosed elbow dysplasia or substantial elbow OA, even if they “work through it.”
  • Screen breeding candidates and disclose results to buyers (hips and elbows, at minimum, consistent with breed-club/CHIC recommendations where applicable).

Breeding Implications

Surgery is sometimes recommended for specific lesions (particularly for clinically significant MCD/OCD/UAP). However, even with surgical management, many dogs develop progressive osteoarthritis, so early detection and conservative management remain critical for long-term working success.

  • Use veterinary-guided pain control (e.g., NSAIDs when indicated) and consider rehab/strengthening work to support the shoulder/elbow chain
  • Favor steady, low-impact conditioning over weekend spikes in mileage
  • Avoid rapid growth in pups; feed a balanced, age-appropriate diet and do not “push” size
  • Maintain a lean body condition year-round (excess weight is one of the fastest accelerators of elbow OA progression)

Management priorities for ranch dogs are the same as with hips: preserve function and welfare first, while slowing osteoarthritis progression.

Management of ED in Working LGDs

  • Grade III: severe DJD with osteophytes >5 mm and more extensive arthritic remodeling
  • Grade II: moderate osteophytes (2–5 mm) and/or sclerosis consistent with DJD
  • Grade I: minimal osteophyte formation on the anconeal process (<2 mm)

OFA Elbow Grade Reference (Secondary OA-Based)

Important limitations for working-dog decision-making: radiographs can underestimate disease in some dogs, especially when the primary lesion is cartilage-only MCD; dogs with persistent forelimb pain may require advanced imaging (CT) or arthroscopy for definitive diagnosis and treatment planning.

  • The primary radiographic focus is secondary degenerative joint disease (osteophytes/arthritic change), which is then graded as ED I, II, or III based on severity.
  • OFA will issue an elbow certification at 24 months or older; preliminary elbow evaluations can be submitted earlier.

Most population-level screening is done with radiographs submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Key points for breeders:

Texas LGD Association breeder ethics emphasize transparent health testing and strongly encourage elbow screening alongside breed-club hip recommendations.

Screening for Elbow Dysplasia

  • Reduced willingness to jump into a truck, load out, or cover perimeter lines
  • “Toe-out” or outward rotation of the paw, shortened stride, or a head-bob at the trot
  • Stiffness when rising, reduced elbow range of motion, or pain on flexion/extension
  • Forelimb lameness that worsens after exercise and improves with rest

Common signs ranchers and breeders should watch for include:

Clinical signs are most often noticed in young, rapidly growing, medium-to-large dogs (commonly between 4 and 10 months old), but some working LGDs may compensate and remain subtle until arthritis advances.

When ED Typically Shows Up

For LGDs, forelimbs absorb a large share of impact during patrol, trotting, and climbing/descending rough terrain. Even “mild” elbow arthritis can reduce stamina and willingness to travel long distances, often showing up first as shorter patrol loops, reluctance to trot, or stiffness after rest rather than obvious lameness.

Why ED Matters Specifically for LGDs

  • Elbow incongruity (poor joint fit) that increases focal cartilage/bone loading and accelerates arthritis
  • Ununited anconeal process (UAP)
  • Osteochondrosis/osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the medial humeral condyle
  • Medial coronoid disease (MCD), historically called fragmented coronoid process (FCP)

The most common developmental components of ED include:

Canine elbow dysplasia (ED) is a developmental, multifactorial orthopedic disease of the elbow joint that typically emerges during growth and leads to progressive osteoarthritis. “Elbow dysplasia” is an umbrella term; dogs may have one lesion or multiple lesions at the same time, and many dogs are affected in both elbows.

 

Selected References (Research- and University-Based)

  • Texas Livestock Guardian Dog Association (TLGDA) – Code of Ethics (health testing guidance for hips and encouragement for elbows)
  • Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) – Elbow Dysplasia overview and grading
  • Cornell University Riney Canine Health Center – Elbow dysplasia overview (FCP/MCD, OCD, UAP)
  • UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine – Elbow dysplasia overview (developmental lesions and onset during growth)
  • Merck Veterinary Manual – Elbow dysplasia overview (MCD/UAP/OCD/incongruity; typical age of onset and clinical signs)