Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease or avascular necrosis of the femoral head is a rapid degeneration of the part of the femur that It is lodged in the hip joint. This he alth problem affects young dogs, specifically between 4 and 12 months, and some breeds are very prone to it. This condition generates a very marked lameness of the hind legs and causes a lot of pain to the dogs that suffer from it, even incapacitating them in the most serious cases. Fortunately, if detected and treated early, the treatment for this problem is effective and the dog can lead a completely normal life.
If you think your dog may suffer from this serious he alth problem, keep reading this new article on our site in which we are going to explain everything about Legg-Calvé disease -Perthes in dogs, from its causes and the symptoms that may occur to the current treatment.
Causes of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in dogs
avascular necrosis of the head of the femur occurs when there is ischemia in this part of the thigh bone, that is, when it leaves to get the blood supply. For this reason, since not everything necessary for the bone tissue cells to continue to function properly does not arrive properly, they begin to deteriorate and become necrotic, causing rapid wear of this part of the bone.
If it is not detected and treated in time, the necrosis continues towards the neck of the femur and ends up with complete wear of the part of the femur that is in the hip joint and, for this reason,, in the end the joint is completely immobilized and the dog can no longer walk on its own. In addition, if the necrosis process is not stopped, serious secondary he alth problems will continue to appear.
Although the exact cause of this condition is unclear, there are several possible causes of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease:
- Genetic factors that predispose some races.
- Lack of blood supply during growth and full formation of the hip, just before the cartilage of the head of the femur calcifies. For this reason it usually occurs in puppies between 4 and 12 months old and, above all, between 5 and 8 months old.
- Repeated trauma to this part of the hip causing fissures and impaired blood supply.
Breeds predisposed to Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease
In addition to possible hip injuries and being young dogs, as we have already mentioned, there are certain breeds that are more likely to suffer from this he alth problem, especially those of small size, miniature and toy. So this is an important factor to take into account if you think your dog may have avascular necrosis of the head of the femur. These are some of the breeds that have a genetic predisposition to suffer from this disease:
- Manchester
- Pinscher
- Poodle
- West highland white terrier
- Australian Silky Terrier
- Cairn terrier
- Yorkshire terrier
- Pug or Pug
- Little Lion Dog or Lowchen
- Lakeland terrier
- Fox terrier
In fact, this he alth problem is one of the most common illnesses of Fox Terriers and other of these small and miniature.
Symptoms of avascular necrosis of the femoral head
Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease presents clinical signs and symptoms that are very similar to hip dysplasia, so when it is initially detected there may be doubts about which of the two conditions can be treated. For this reason, it is very important that all the necessary tests are carried out in a veterinary center in order to be able to act as soon as possible in the most appropriate way.
The main symptoms of avascular necrosis of the femoral head are as follows:
- Pain in the hip area and very sensitive to touch
- Lameness of the hind leg affected by necrosis
- Keep the affected leg raised and avoid putting weight on it
- In advanced cases, by correctly supporting the affected leg, it can be seen that it is shorter
- Muscular atrophy in the hip and thigh joint
- In severe cases, the lameness will be very marked and the dog will even refuse to walk due to pain
- Noise when moving the joint due to inadequate rubbing of the femur in it
- There may be only one affected limb or both
- In veterinary tests, for example in an X-ray, bone wear will be clearly visible
It is vital that as soon as we detect any of these symptoms in our faithful friend we quickly take him to the vet, where they will do a general check-up and the necessary tests to detect this he alth problem, among which should be done x-rays and joint motion tests, among others.
Treatment of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in dogs
If detected, diagnosed and treated early in the disease when bone wear is minimal and the head of the femur has not yet changed shape, then treatment may be of avascular necrosis of the head of the femur with analgesics for pain and immobilizing the leg, in addition in some cases anti-inflammatories may be required, in order to ensure that the blood supply improves and the bone once again has sufficient supply to continue growing correctly.
In more advanced cases or when this first treatment does not work in a few days, the only solution to this condition is a surgical treatment of Legg-Calvé disease. Perthes In this way, the necrotic tissue will be eliminated, stopping this process, thus resolving the main problem and the pain suffered by the dog, but the cause must also be treated, that is, the lack of irrigation to this part of the bone.
The prognosis after an intervention of this type depends on how affected the femur and the hip joint are, so it depends directly on what stage the disease was in when it was detected. If prompt action has been taken, the prognosis for recovery is favourable and, in a relatively short period of time and rehabilitation, dogs that have suffered from Legg's disease -Calvé-Perthes and have undergone surgery can continue with a totally normal and full life.
