Prevalence of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and humeral head osteochondrosis in dog breeds in Belgium.

Abstract

The official screening results of the Belgian National Committee for Inherited Skeletal Disorders, an affiliate of the Belgian Kennel Club, have been used to estimate the prevalence of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and humeral head osteochondrosis in the dog breeds in Belgium, and these have been compared with reported prevalence data from other countries. In some breeds, the prevalence of hip and elbow dysplasia is very high, both in Belgium and in other countries. Comparisons of the prevalence of hip dysplasia are not always feasible because different systems are used to evaluate the quality of the hips and because there is no strict consensus on what should be considered a diseased hip joint.