Prevalence of canine hip dysplasia in 17 breeds in France, a retrospective study of the 1993–2019 radiographic screening period

Abstract

Summary Canine hip dysplasia is a complex developmental disease of the coxo-femoral joint and one of the most common orthopedic conditions in dogs. Due to the genetic contribution, most of the programs fighting against hip dysplasia recommend selective breeding that excludes affected dogs. In France, the phenotypic screening of coxo-femoral joint conformation remains a strategy for breeders to establish selection decisions. We compared the hip dysplasia prevalence in affected breeds over several periods of time to evaluate the effectiveness of the hip dysplasia control program in France. Seventeen breeds were studied, based on the assessment of 8022 dogs, during the 1993–2019 screening period, which was divided into several intervals for analysis. The prevalence varied widely from 8.8% (Hovawart) to 49.2% (American Staffordshire Terrier). It decreased over time in 10 breeds, the decrease being significant in the Picardy shepherd dog. An increase in prevalence was noted in 5 breeds, although the differences were not statistically significant. Our results are in accordance with several recent studies showing that long-term selection policies may help decreasing the hip dysplasia prevalence in some breeds. The complementary use of more recent tools such as estimated breeding values and genomics would probably help breeders achieve more substantive results.