Image 1

This is a standard hip extended view of the pelvis of a dog with normal hip joints. The hip joint, also known as the coxofemoral joint, is a ball and socket joint. The ball is made by the head of the femur and the socket is the acetabulum of the pelvis. This shows normal anatomy of the head and neck of the femur which is well seated in a deep acetabulum.

Image 2

This is evidence of early signs of hip dysplasia in the right hip (the side on viewer's left). There is subluxation, or partial separation, of the that hip joint. Since the hip joint doesn't fit together well, this joint will develop progressive arthritic changes known as degenerative joint disease (DJD).

Image 3

This is a dog with more advanced hip dysplasia and degenerative joint disease affecting both hips. This is made apparent by the shallow sockets (acetabulum), mushrooming and flattening of the femoral heads, wide femoral necks, thickened (sclerotic) bone of the femoral heads and acetabulum, and joint spurs (osteophytes) at the rim of the acetabulm.