LCPD or Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is an orthopaedic disease that occurs in both humans and dogs. It is the spontaneous degeneration of the femoral head (the ball segment) at the top of the femur leg bone.
This degeneration causes the bone to die, creating damage to the joint leading to what is generally referred to as arthritis.
What dogs are affected by LCPD?
Typically in dogs, this condition tends to affect smaller dogs and is usually gene related.
Commonly found in small dogs, typically those under 20 lbs this disease affects mostly terrier type breeds and toy breed dogs.
Legg-Calve Disease affects both female and male dogs with equal frequency.
Although lameness is most frequently observed in dogs between five and eight months old, it can appear as late as 18 months or as early as three months.
Often, the limping begins gradually and tends to progress over several weeks.
Eventually, it causes the dog to shift their weight to the unaffected leg. However, lameness and pain are known to develop suddenly in some LCPD cases.
Legg-Calve-Perthes disease should not be confused with Hip Dysplasia, a condition common in larger breeds and older dogs.
Although Terriers breeds are the most affected, LCPD affects at least 26 different breeds
(see the list at the bottom of this post).
Causes of Legg-Calve-Perthes
Also known as LCP or LCPD, Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is an excruciating process that only gets worse and more uncomfortable over time.
Dogs suffering from LCPD tend to limp with the affected leg, and eventually, they will stop using it altogether.
This lack of use can cause muscular atrophy and leads to deformation of the leg due to lack of muscle use.
The exact cause is unknown, but researchers have linked it to blood supply issues.
The lack of an adequate supply of blood to the thigh bone (femur) leads to necrosis of the femoral head.
With necrosis the head breaks down becoming brittle and in turn, causes the gradual disintegration of the hip joint’s bone and cartilage.
Legg-Calve-Perthes is a hereditary disease that typically affects small breed dogs in their early years. In rare cases, trauma can cause the disease.
Has your dog got LCPD?
Symptoms of Calve-Perthes Disease
LCP disease will cause your dog to limp on the affected leg. Often, the limping will begin gradually.
It will progress over several weeks, and eventually, it will cause the dog to avoid placing any weight on the leg.
In some cases, however, the symptoms can develop quite suddenly.
It can be very painful for a dog when the affected leg is manipulated or handled, particularly during the later stages of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease.
As the LCP-induced lameness progresses, and the dog increasingly favours (doesn’t use) the affected leg.
The muscles in the hip and thigh region will begin to shrink as they lose muscle mass due to lack of exercise and non-use, this will lead to atrophy in the affected leg.
Whilst Legg-Perthes Disease tends to primarily affect toy and terrier breeds, every dog owner should know the signs to look for because there are cases where the disease has shown up in other dog breeds and there is also the fact that many of the outward signs bear very similar problems to Hip Dysplasia.
Diagnosing Calves-Perth Disease
Your vet will perform a physical examination, particularly on the affected joint area and leg.
If he suspects a problem then an x-ray or similar may be needed.
In the early stages of LCPD, the bone’s normal density in the femoral head might be diminished.
Besides the decreased bone density, the X-ray might show a widening in the joint space and a thickening of the femoral bone.
Over time, the top surface of the femoral head will become misshapen and flattened as the underlying bone and cartilage collapse and decay.
The Right Hip shows Deterioration of the Ball (Femoral) and Socket Joint)
If your dog has Calve-Perthes Disease, the radiographs will show degenerative changes to the neck of the femur, the femoral head.
In the case of more advanced disease you will also see a collapsed femoral head and the X-ray may also show the formation of unnecessary new bone in the affected area.
Without medical attention, your four-legged friend is likely to suffer from a very painful hip area and possibly arthritis.
Most likely, your vet will recommend an operation called a Femoral Head and Neck Osteotomy (FHNO).
FHNO surgery is also referred to as Femoral Head and Neck Excision (FHNE) and involves the removal and replacement of the affected section of hip-bone.
Femoral head and neck excision involves removing the ball of the ball and socket joint of the hip.
Once the affected hip bone section has been removed, the vet fills the space with fibrous tissue and creates a ‘false’ joint.
The false joint won’t be as flexible as a natural one, but it will at least allow your dog to move without pain.
For a couple of weeks following surgery, physiotherapy will be necessary to help the dog start using the limb again.
Hydrotherapy is great for helping with recovery from this surgery.
Small dogs generally do quite well with Femoral Head and Neck Excision surgery. An alternative treatment method for Calve-Perthes disease is hip replacement.
After surgery, the dog will still need medication and physical therapy to aid their recovery.
Often, dogs receive a regime of pain medication, and vets may recommended they stay on chondroprotective agents like glucosamine supplements as in the long-term this will help in keeping the joint moving.
In Conclusion
Generally, follow-up check-ups are recommended every two weeks. This helps to ensure that the medication, exercise and physiotherapy are working as anticipated.
Patience is required because overall recovery could take between three and six months.
With proper treatment, pain medication and physiotherapy, your dog is likely to respond and recover well enough to perform routine physical activities.
Once the surgical wound has healed, and the false hip formed, the dog should be capable of walking without pain.
Note; some dogs may continue to limp even after recovery because of the artificial hip joint, but not due to pain.
In fact, many dogs make excellent recoveries such that it can be difficult even to tell that they initially had a problem.
Remember that affected dogs are not ideal for breeding.
Breeds affected by Legg-Calve Perthes
Affenpinscher
Australian Terrier
Bichon Frise
Border Terrier
Boston Terrier
Cairn Terrier
Chihuahua
Cocker Spaniel
Dachshund Fox Terrier
Jack Russell Terrier
Lakeland Terrier
Manchester Terrier
Miniature Pinscher
Miniature Schnauzer
Pekingese
Pomeranian
Poodle
Pug
Schipperke
Scottish Terrier
Shetland Sheepdog
Silky Terrier
Welsh Terrier
West Highland White Terrier
Yorkshire Terrier
