Legg-Calvé-Perthes in dogs – signs and care
Book a vet visitBook a vet appointment if you think your dog has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a dog condition linked with limping and stiffness in one back leg.
What you can do now
- Contact your vet.
- Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
- Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
- Let your dog rest somewhere calm.
Don't
- Do not give your dog any human medicine.
- Do not wait if it gets worse.
What it is
It can cause limping and stiffness in one back leg, shrinking leg muscles and pain.[1] A vet can examine your dog’s back legs and hips and take an X-ray of the hips when this condition is suspected.[1]
Signs
Causes and risk factors
How a vet finds out
- Physical examination
- Examination of the back legs and hips
- X-rays of the hips
How vets treat it
- Surgery to remove the diseased hip joint
- Anti-inflammatory pain relief
- Other pain relief
- Physiotherapy
- Medication
Breeds prone to this
Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.
poodleWhat the experts say
“Anti-inflammatory pain relief. Anti-inflammatory medicines don’t fix the problem, but will be given throughout treatment to reduce pain and inflammation to help keep your dog comfortable. They may also need other types of pain relief alongside. Surgery.”
Not sure how serious it is?
OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.
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Common questions
What signs can Legg-Calvé-Perthes cause in dogs?
Signs include limping and stiffness in one back leg, shrinking leg muscles and pain.[1]
How will a vet check for it?
The vet will examine your dog’s back legs and hips and may take X-rays of the hips, likely under sedation or general anaesthetic.[1]
How may a vet treat it?
A vet may recommend surgery to remove the diseased hip joint, along with anti-inflammatory pain relief and other types of pain relief.[1]
Sources
How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages
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