Just because dogs are sound movers and show no lameness is not an indication that they do not have the condition, unless they are x-rayed you will not know.

Elbow dysplasia is a generic term and means malformation of the elbow joint. The name refers to several conditions that can affect the elbow.

Different types of elbow dysplasia are:

FCP - Fragmented Medial Coronoid Process

OCD - Osteochondritis Dissecans

UAP _ Ununited Anconeal Process

Medial Compartment Disease

Genetics, nutrition and exercise can all play a role in the formation of joints.

It is important not to feed high energy dog foods which contain high protein and fat levels, the calcium intake also needs to be controlled and the calcium phosphorous ratio needs to be looked at, if feeds exceeding appropriate levels are fed whilst growing it can cause bone overgrowth and disruptions in the rate of growth, if there is a precedence for elbow dysplasia in the dog this can exasperate the condition, leading to arthritis later in life.

 If your puppy is lame between 7 and 9 months there may be an elbow problem, for diagnosis you will need to see your vet for an x-ray, males are more susceptible to females, the condition is of polygenic inheritance so the condition is hard to eradicate.

The advice is to operate on hounds when they are young if they have elbow dysplasia, however the lameness should be given time to go away , some people are rather hesitant to operate if the condition is self limiting and the dog is not in any pain, does not require any medication and is leading a full and active life. Seek advice from your vet and breeder.

Conservative methods of treatment can be employed by supplementing with omega oils and glucosamine, keeping the weight under control and the hound well exercised to keep muscle tone but not over doing it.