Legg Calve Perthes Disease Screening

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is also known as avascular or aseptic necrosis of the femoral head. This is a condition in which the head of the femur (the ‘ball’ in the ball-and-socket joint that forms the hip) spontaneously begins to degenerate. Over time, this degeneration will cause collapse of the hip and lead to arthritis.

The exact cause of this condition is unknown. Studies suggest that disrupted blood flow to the hip may be involved and this disruption may be due to clots within the blood vessels. The bone begins to weaken and deteriorate, leading to small fractures. Over time, scar tissue may develop to stabilize the bone, however changes in the bone structure will lead to arthritis. A genetic cause for this condition is suspected, though this has not been confirmed.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is most commonly seen in miniature, toy and small breed dogs.

Radiographs of the hips give us an indication of the health of the hip joint. These radiographs require your pet to have a general anaesthetic.

Your dog needs to be over a year old to have x-rays for the screening programme, however if your dog shows any signs of lameness that may be consistent with hip pain, x-rays can be taken earlier for diagnosis.

The hip x-rays are submitted to an independent radiologist and a report is attained.

Testing Requirements:

• The dog must be over one year old
• Your dog must be microchipped
• All registration paperwork must be presented if applicable
• Your dog must have been fasted for 8 hours prior to the general anaesthetic
• Your dog will be required to stay with us for a minimum of 2-3 hours
• You can opt not to have hair clipped on the leg if your dog is in the show ring
• Results will be available within 2 weeks.

For bookings or further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us on 07 888 8197