Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs

Overview

Elbow Dysplasia in Dogs is a genetic condition that primarily affects intermediate and large breed dogs. Elbow dysplasia is characterized by varying degrees of elbow incongruity, bone chips, and ultimately, severe arthritis in the front legs.

Symptoms range from an intermittent lameness in some affected dogs to severe, crippling disease in others.

Treatment Options

Elbow dysplasia is generally treated through a combination of pain management, medications, physical therapy and possibly corrective surgery. The type of treatment your dog receives depends on the severity of the disease and the age and health of your pet.

Cost to Treat: $3,000 to $5,000 for surgery per elbow.

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Incidence Rates by Breed

Each breed of dog is susceptible to elbow dysplasia during their lifetime. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals evaluated thousands of dogs and over 100 breed and came up with the following incidence rates of elbow dysplasia in dogs.

Breed	% Dysplastic	# of Evaluations
Chow	48.0%	1,032
Pug	44.7%	152
Rottweiler	38.9%	16,640
Boerboel	36.6%	131
Bulldog	34.7%	225
Black Russian Terrier	28.8%	545
Bernese Mountain Dog	27.3%	14,065
Chinese Shar-Pei	24.2%	611
Newfoundland	23.2%	6,984
Fila	23.0%	183
Sussex Spaniel	21.2%	113
Dogue De Bordeaux	20.0%	355
American Bulldog	19.1%	430
German Shepherd	18.7%	38,334
Staffordshire Bull Terrier	16.7%	245
Irish Water Spaniel	16.7%	556
American Staffordshire Terrier	16.3%	786
American Pit Bull Terrier	15.6%	275
English Setter	15.6%	3,019
Bullmastiff	14.4%	2,540
St. Bernard	14.4%	285
Mastiff	14.3%	6,366
Tibetan Mastiff	14.3%	530
Bloodhound	14.2%	1,224
Cane Corso	14.0%	414
English Springer Spaniel	13.5%	2,573
Gordon Setter	12.9%	927
Irish Wolfhound	12.6%	783
Golden Retriever	11.0%	36,635
Australian Cattle Dog	10.9%	1,283
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog	10.8%	2,451
Labrador Retriever	10.3%	73,655
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier	9.9%	364
Airedale Terrier	9.7%	380
Belgian Malinois	9.4%	1,787
Bouvier Des Flandres	9.1%	3,338
Giant Schnauzer	8.3%	555
Clumber Spaniel	8.3%	361
Keeshond	7.9%	1,125
Shiloh Shepherd	7.4%	530
Afghan Hound	7.3%	220
Spinone Italiano	6.6%	592
Standard Schnauzer	6.3%	207
Rhodesian Ridgeback	6.2%	6,128
Kuvasz	6.1%	456
Havanese	5.9%	2,024
Anatolian Shepherd	5.8%	587
Berger Picard	5.6%	107
Chesapeake Bay Retriever	5.5%	2,624
Kerry Blue Terrier	5.3%	207
Belgian Sheepdog	5.2%	1,947
Belgian Tervuren	4.8%	3,472
Puli	4.5%	157
Tibetan Terrier	4.5%	177
Pointer	4.4%	271
Leonberger	4.2%	1,622
Shiba Inu	4.1%	461
Australian Shepherd	4.1%	7,890
Beauceron	4.0%	176
Great Dane	3.7%	2,501
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon	3.6%	365
Finnish Lapphund	3.5%	143
Border Terrier	3.4%	467
Cardigan Welsh Corgi	3.3%	418
Old English Sheepdog	3.2%	512
Shetland Sheepdog	3.2%	836
Basenji	3.1%	412
Alaskan Malamute	3.1%	926
Pembroke Welsh Corgi	3.1%	812
Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen	2.9%	223
Irish Setter	2.9%	652
French Bulldog	2.8%	413
Poodle	2.5%	2,444
Duck Tolling Retriever	2.4%	804
Hybrid	2.4%	1,077
German Wirehaired Pointer	2.4%	754
Mini Australian Shepherd	2.2%	655
Samoyed	2.2%	1,477
Dutch Shepherd	2.2%	185
Bearded Collie	2.1%	677
Boykin Spaniel	2.1%	235
Norwich Terrier	2.1%	141
Vizsla	2.1%	2,081
Brittany	2.0%	1,226
Coton De Tulear	1.9%	590
Weimaraner	1.8%	1,667
Welsh Springer Spaniel	1.8%	770
Great Pyrenees	1.7%	908
Portuguese Water Dog	1.6%	3,041
Rat Terrier	1.5%	328
Labradoodle	1.5%	328
Collie	1.4%	490
Border Collie	1.3%	2,874
Akita	1.2%	2,339
Canaan	1.2%	161
Cocker Spaniel	0.9%	452
German Shorthaired Pointer	0.9%	2,200
Boxer	0.9%	701
Doberman Pinscher	0.8%	2,451
Flat-Coated Retriever	0.7%	2,512
American Eskimo Dog	0.7%	140
Cavalier King Charles Spaniel	0.6%	619
Bichon Frise	0.4%	674
Dalmatian	0.4%	446
Curly-Coated Retriever	0.4%	274
Field Spaniel	0.3%	289
Briard	0.2%	634
Finnish Spitz	0.0%	113
English Cocker Spaniel	0.0%	340
Beagle	0.0%	138
Icelandic Sheepdog	0.0%	111
Norwegian Elkhound	0.0%	167
Irish Red & White Setter	0.0%	125
Siberian Husky	0.0%	315