Hip clicking for a seven month old?

Our seven month old has some clicking in his hips. You can't hear it, but if he moves a certain way then you can feel it on his back legs, near where his back and hips connect. I think it's happening on both sides too. I'm wondering if this is something to be concerned about since he is so young. I know that Corgi's are prone to hip dysplasia, but I don't know a whole lot about hip dysplasia and I'm not sure if he's too young to have it or what's going on. Should I take him to the vet to get it looked at? Any advice is greatly appreciated, thanks!

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Permalink Reply by steve smith on January 9, 2012 at 3:39am

Is he having a hard time walking or getting around say up or down steps? Does he sit funny or to one side?

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Permalink Reply by Rachael & Waffle on January 9, 2012 at 9:21am

Dogs usually are evaluated for HD at 2 years, when the bones are done growing. A puppy that is developing HD may not show signs of it as a young puppy, but the problem will become more apparent as it gets older. If his bones are making sounds at 7 months, it's probably not too early to X-ray him if you're concerned that it might be HD. Someone had a clicking dog on here and it turned out to be a patellar luxation (the knee popped out of place regularly), too, so there's that to consider as well. I would take him to the vet for X-rays if I were you, just for peace of mind, and you won't be wondering if every misstep he makes is because his hips hurt him or if every click means he's getting closer to needing a dog cart. (That's how I felt, anyway. Waffle got done in November being evaluated for HD and we found a very non-severe spine issue.) If he does have HD, you can begin pain management and make his life more livable.

In conclusion: Get X-rays. Gait and behavior alone is not enough to diagnose HD--although MANY vets will try to do it that way, much to my chagrin--and it may be something else.

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Permalink Reply by steve smith on January 9, 2012 at 9:25am

Rachael and Waffle know better I do.

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Rogers on January 9, 2012 at 2:36pm

You wouldn't really be able to tell he has the clicking, because he doesn't show any signs of pain or discomfort. He plays, runs around, acts totally normal. So we will schedule an appointment to see his vet and then go from there. Thank you very much!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on January 9, 2012 at 9:28pm

I would take him to the vet and have him x-rayed. The hips should not be popping in and out of socket. If he is showing symptoms such as these, the vet would be able to see it on an x-ray. My old dog was a large breed shepherd mix and they were able to diagnose hip dysplasia at 5 months old and tell us how severe it appeared to be. I know that there are several treatment options if he does have HD, some of which are best started early. If it is a severe case they can perform surgery before the dog turns either 1 year or 2 years (don't remember) and can basically realign the hips so that the femur stays in place better. Its not a hip replacement, cheaper than that, but it is very effective. If it is just a mild case then you can at least start supplements now.

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Permalink Reply by Geri & Sidney on January 10, 2012 at 1:04am

Sidney had HD, but we found out when his leg dislocated. We never heard any popping sound before that. He's had the FHO surgery and he's had a wonderful recovery. You'd never know he had a problem at all. Good luck, please pet us know what happens.