Hip Dysplasia In Dogs, Where Do We Go From Here?

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We have steadfastly preached and at times, argued that hip dysplasia is a malady of improper nutrition and not genetic failures.  The website Natural Canines writes an extensive piece dissecting the origin and continuing cause of  hip dysplasia.
Dr. Ron Hines, DVM, who is not afraid to stick his head into a bee's nest with controversial opinions has written this about the cause of the problem:

"We think that too rapid a growth rate and excessively fast weight gain make a tendency toward hip dysplasia worse. This seems to be particularly true in very large breeds. When pups grow too quickly, the structure of their bones and joints can not keep up with the rapid growth in their muscle mass, weight and strength. Sometimes, this causes the joints to begin to fail. So do not "push" your dogs by over-feeding them or feeding them a diet that is too rich in protein. When you select a puppy, do not select "larger than life" parents that are on the top or exceed normal weight for the breed. When you select a puppy, choose one that is intermediate size in the litter.

As your dog matures, keep it lean. Many dogs become overweight shortly after they have been neutered. The only way to avoid this in non-working dogs is to feed them less or feed them a less caloric diet."

Even more to the point is the combination of excessively high protein levels and the introduction of large volumes of carbohydrates that, in combination, grows dogs extremely too fast.  Years ago when commercial dog foods came into their own, this was considered a great by product of the new technology but, we now are coming to realize that this is key to the problem of hip dysplasia and arthritis.

You can see from the pictures the "bare bones" of the problem and you may have healthy criticism about whether or not this can be fixed.Well it may not be totally repairable but make no mistake about it, chelated mineral therapy(the use of raw mineral molecules bonded with amino acids for increased absorption and utilization) can greatly improve your dogs life by growing stronger sturdier bones, even in senior dogs, and also contribute to incrased enzyme production which brings more elasticity and durability to connective tissue.

How chelated minerals work can better be understood from this. There is really so little to lose by looking further and particularly when you investigate the sometimes unsuccessful and cost prohibitive alternative of surgery.