Arthritis or dysplasia in dogs: what are the differences?

Is your dog limping, hesitant to jump into the car, or struggling to get up in the morning? Many owners immediately think of osteoarthritis. But there is another common cause of joint pain: dysplasia.

Both conditions cause mobility problems, but their origins and mechanisms are very different. Understanding this distinction is crucial: it helps you obtain a reliable diagnosis, take appropriate preventive measures, and put the right care in place.

Dysplasia in dogs: a joint construction defect

Dysplasia is a joint malformation that occurs during puppy growth. It mainly affects the hip and elbow, but other joints can be involved.

In an affected dog, the femoral head does not fit properly into the pelvic socket, or the elbow bones do not articulate smoothly.

Imagine a poorly fitted door on its hinges. It moves, creaks, and wears out quickly. That is exactly what happens to the joint of a dog with dysplasia.

Clinical mechanisms

• Poor fit: chronic joint instability.
• Uneven distribution of weight and forces: repeated microtrauma with every movement.
• Weakened cartilage: accelerated wear.
• Bone reactions: development of osteophytes (bony outgrowths).
• Inflammation: cartilage debris triggers synovitis, an inflammation of the synovial membrane that lines the joint cavity.

Hazewinkel (2008) notes that dysplasia is multifactorial: genetics, growth rate, diet, and excess weight all influence its development.

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia corresponds to poor fit between the femoral head and the acetabulum (the pelvic socket that normally holds the femoral head). When this socket is too shallow or poorly formed, the joint becomes unstable.

Researchers showed that hip dysplasia could affect up to 50% of dogs in certain bloodlines before screening programmes were introduced.

Swenson et al.

Typical symptoms:

• Intermittent limping from a young age (6–12 months).
• Waddling gait (swaying of the pelvis).
• Difficulty getting up after rest.
• Reluctance to get into the car, run for long periods, or climb stairs.
• Rapid fatigue after exercise.

Elbow dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia encompasses several developmental abnormalities that disrupt the mechanics between the humerus and the two bones of the forearm, the radius and ulna. The main forms are:

• FCP (Fragmented Coronoid Process): bone fragment that detaches.
• UAP (Ununited Anconeal Process): failure of part of the ulna to ossify.
• OCD (Osteochondritis Dissecans): area of cracked cartilage that may detach.
• Joint incongruence: misalignment between the radius, ulna, and humerus.

Typical symptoms:

• Intermittent limping in one or both front legs.
• Visible stiffness after rest or exercise.
• Pain when the elbow is manipulated.
• Reduced weight bearing; the dog shifts weight away from the affected leg.
• In advanced cases: joint swelling or warmth.

A recent study of 17,861 radiographs from dogs across 13 breeds showed that elbow dysplasia affected an average of 11.4% of the population studied.

Roels J et al.

Clinical data in France (2002–2022):

• Prevalence by breed:

  • French Mastiff: 32.2%
  • Rottweiler: 21.3%
  • Bernese Mountain Dog: 19.7%
  • Cane Corso: 15.7%
• Sex difference: males were affected more often than females (17.5% vs 10.5%).
• Most common lesions: joint incongruence and FCP.

To understand this, prevalence is the proportion of affected dogs in a given population. For example, a prevalence of 32.2% in Dogue de Bordeaux means that roughly one in three screened dogs had elbow dysplasia.

Other forms of dysplasia

• Shoulder: rarer, often associated with osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), with symptoms such as front-leg limping, reduced range of shoulder movement, and pain during exercise.
• Polyarticular or combined: some dogs have both hip and elbow dysplasia, which worsens mobility problems.
• Polygenic inheritance: not all dogs carrying predisposing genes necessarily develop symptoms (Mäki et al., Animal Science, 2002).

Arthritis in dogs: a degenerative disease

Osteoarthritis is a chronic and progressive joint disease that leads to cartilage breakdown, joint inflammation, and persistent pain. Unlike dysplasia, which develops during growth, osteoarthritis mainly appears with age or as a result of trauma, malformation, or joint overload.

Imagine a metal hinge rusting over time: it loses flexibility, creaks, and seizes up. That is exactly what happens to a joint affected by osteoarthritis.

Clinical mechanisms

• Articular cartilage thinning: loss of collagen and proteoglycans.
• Cartilage debris in the joint: triggers an inflammatory response.
• Synovial inflammation: release of cytokines, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes that sustain pain.
• Destructive enzymes (MMP, aggrecanases): accelerate cartilage breakdown.
• Bone reactions: thickening of subchondral bone and formation of osteophytes (bony spurs).

de Bakker E, et al. (2017, Vet Rec.) showed that dogs with osteoarthritis have elevated levels of inflammatory biomarkers in synovial fluid, confirming the key role of inflammation.

Typical symptoms

• Morning stiffness that improves after a few minutes of walking.
• Limping more pronounced after exercise or at the end of the day.
• Loss of interest in playing or running.
• Withdrawal, longer sleep, behavioural changes (growling if the joint is touched).
• Chronic pain that worsens over time.

At-risk breeds

All breeds can develop osteoarthritis with age, but large, fast-growing dogs face a higher risk. Several studies also show a difference between sexes, with slightly higher prevalence in males.

Unlike dysplasia, which markedly affects certain bloodlines (Dogue de Bordeaux, Rottweiler, Bernese Mountain Dog), osteoarthritis is far more universal: it affects both predisposed large breeds and overweight small dogs.

Dysplasia and arthritis: two linked conditions

• Dysplasia is a developmental joint abnormality that arises during growth.
• Osteoarthritis is a progressive consequence that may appear later, often as a result of this malformation.

The importance of a veterinary diagnosis

A dog that limps or shows joint stiffness may suffer from many conditions: sprain, cruciate ligament rupture, dislocation, osteoarthritis, or dysplasia. Only a veterinary consultation can provide a reliable diagnosis.

Methods used

• Palpation and clinical examination: the vet looks for pain, crepitus, and reduced joint range of motion.
• Medical imaging:

  • X-rays to visualise osteophytes, laxity, or growth abnormalities.
  • CT or MRI to detect cartilage lesions and joint incongruence more precisely.
• Validated scores: tools such as the Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) or the Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD), which help quantify pain and mobility problems.

Early diagnosis is essential: the sooner you act, the more you can slow progression towards severe osteoarthritis.

Dysplasia

• Breeder selection: radiographic screening programmes to reduce genetic transmission.
• Corrective surgery: triple pelvic osteotomy or hip replacement in severe cases.
• Functional rehabilitation: physiotherapy, targeted exercises, and hydrotherapy.

Arthritis

• Weight management: obesity almost doubles the risk of severe osteoarthritis.
• Gentle, regular activity: walking, swimming, aquatic treadmill.
• Physiotherapy and osteopathy: to improve joint range of motion.
• Joint supplements: Omega-3, green lipped mussel oil, algae oil, etc.
• Complementary approaches: massage, therapeutic laser, acupressure.

The key role of Omega-3s

The EPA and DHA from marine sources (fish oil, green lipped mussel, algae) play a central role in joint health:

• Anti-inflammatory action: modulation of COX and LOX enzymes, responsible for the production of inflammatory mediators.
• Reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1, TNF-α).
• Cartilage protection: limiting destruction of collagen and proteoglycans.
• Validated clinical effect: improved mobility and reduced pain.

Omega-3s are the most effective dietary supplements for reducing joint pain in dogs compared with other supplements such as collagen, cannabinoids (CBD), glucosamine, and chondroitin.

Barbeau-Grégoire M, et al.

Conclusion

Dysplasia and osteoarthritis are two distinct but often related joint conditions.

• Dysplasia is a developmental joint abnormality that arises during growth.
• Osteoarthritis is a progressive degenerative joint disease that occurs with age or as a result of untreated dysplasia.

Early screening, good weight management, appropriate activity, and a diet enriched with protective nutrients such as omega-3s help preserve mobility and improve quality of life for affected dogs.

Scientific references

• Swenson L, Audell L, Hedhammar Å. Prevalence and inheritance of and selection for hip dysplasia in seven breeds of dogs in Sweden and benefit: cost analysis of a screening and control program. JAVMA. 1997;210(2):207–214.
• Mäki K, Groen AF, Liinamo AE, Ojala M. Genetic variances, trends and mode of inheritance for hip and elbow dysplasia in Finnish dog populations. Animal Science. 2002;75(2):197–207. doi:10.1017/S1357729800053001.
• Roels J, Genevois J-P, Fostier-Humbert M, Porsmoguer C, Blondel M, Chanoit G, Fau D, Cachon T. Prevalence of elbow dysplasia in 13 dog breeds in France: a retrospective radiographic study (2002–2022). Am J Vet Res. 2024;85(12). doi:10.2460/ajvr.23.12.0290.
• de Bakker E, Stroobants V, Van Dael F, Van Ryssen B, Meyer E. Canine synovial fluid biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of osteoarthritis. Veterinary Record. 2017;180(13):328–329. doi:10.1136/vr.103982.
• Anderson KL, O'Neill DG, Brodbelt DC, Church DB, Meeson RL, Sargan D, Summers JF, Zulch H, Collins LM. Prevalence, duration and risk factors for appendicular osteoarthritis in a UK dog population under primary veterinary care. Sci Rep. 2018 Apr 4;8(1):5641. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-23940-z. PMID: 29618832; PMCID: PMC5884849.
• Barbeau-Grégoire M, Otis C, Cournoyer A, Moreau M, Lussier B, Troncy E. A 2022 Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Enriched Therapeutic Diets and Nutraceuticals in Canine and Feline Osteoarthritis. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(18):10384. doi:10.3390/ijms231810384.
• Hazewinkel HAW. Elbow dysplasia; definitions and clinical diagnoses. In: Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Meeting of the International Elbow Working Group. 2008:8–12.

This article was written by the R&D team at Laboratoire Sensilia, experts in animal nutrition.