LEGG-CALVE-PERTHES DISEASE
Anne Jones RN, BSNE
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Legg-Calve-Perthes is a disease that affects the development of the
head of the femur, the bone that fits into the hip socket and the
bone that bears much of the body weight. Needless to say, any
disease affecting this joint is painful, both in humans and in dogs.
LCP is also seen in humans.
In dogs, you can expect signs of this disease to begin about 4
months of age and almost certainly by a year of age. The owner will
observe limping, a failure to bear weight on the affected leg and
indications of pain. Examination by the veterinarian is advised any
time a dog limps for more than 24 hours. Upon examination, the
veterinarian will advise radiographs to differentiate between
possible injury, LCP and a commonly seen condition known as hip
dysplasia. LCP is seen more often in small breeds and hip dysplasia
is seen in large breed dogs but can occur in small dogs.
LCP is caused by poor circulation and inadequate blood supply to the
head of the femur. Without the blood needed to support the bone
cells, these bone cells begin to die off and eventually the entire
area consists of diseased or dead bone. As bone dies, the dog will
not use the joint and surrounding muscles will begin to waste away.
Exercise is counterproductive and will only result in further
damage.
In less affected dogs, the disease may be treated with total rest
and anti-inflammatory medications. This means crating the dog 24
hours a day and absolutely minimal activity. During treatment with
the non-steroidal drugs, it is advisable to also watch for signs of
inflammation of the liver. Many of these canine NSAIDS have
caused elevation of the liver enzyme in Bichons. While some dogs
with a milder form do seem to recover with treatment, they must be
watched closely for indications of pain and further treatment
considered.
In more severe cases of LCP, surgery is the only option. The
surgical procedure is the removal of the head of the femur (femoral
head). The femoral head is the large upper end of the femur which is
rounded and fits snugly within the hip socket. While it seems
extreme to remove a large portion of this bone, it has been proven
to be quite successful and the dogs can live long and healthy lives.
After surgery, there will be a long healing process and the period
of healing will involve physical therapy to help reform the
connection between hip and femur. The end result is a new joint
formation that serves the dog quite well.
Legg-Calve-Perthes is an inherited disease, though the exact
inheritance is not known at this time. There are some indications
that it may have a blood clotting issue but it is definitely created
by poor vascular (blood) supply to bone cells. These dogs are not to
be used for breeding, of course.
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