SYMPTOM
Hip pain
Hip pain is rarely seen directly. It usually shows as a change in movement: limping on a hind leg, reluctance to rise or jump, weight shifted onto the front legs, a bunny-hopping gait, or loss of muscle over the hind limbs. Some dogs show pain when the hip is extended or handled. Signs are often more marked after exercise or shortly after rest.
Musculoskeletal
Osteoarthritis, hip dysplasia, and soft tissue injuries can produce discomfort in and around the hip joint. Inflammatory or degenerative changes in cartilage, bone, ligaments, or muscle may alter gait or weight-bearing patterns.
Neurological
Nerve compression or inflammation affecting the lumbosacral spine or sciatic nerve can refer discomfort to the hip region. Weakness or altered sensation may accompany changes in how the limb is used.
Inflammatory or immune-mediated
Immune-mediated polyarthritis or localised soft tissue inflammation can affect the hip joint or surrounding structures. These processes often involve systemic factors and may be episodic or persistent.
Developmental
Growth-related changes in young animals, including developmental orthopaedic conditions, can present as hip discomfort. Bone remodelling and joint congruity evolve over months and may shift in character as the skeleton matures.
Trauma or overuse
Strain, contusion, hip dislocation, or fracture of the femoral head, femoral neck or pelvis following activity, a fall or a road accident can manifest as hip pain. The history of recent physical demand or incident often provides context.
Neoplastic
Tumours of bone, joint, or adjacent soft tissue can produce localised discomfort in the hip region. These are less common but may be associated with progressive lameness or swelling.
Why timing matters
Early observation
When hip pain first appears, it may reflect an acute event such as soft tissue strain, minor trauma, or the onset of an inflammatory process. In some cases, early signs are subtle and intermittent, appearing after exercise or first thing in the morning. The first presentation does not reliably indicate severity: a sudden onset after an injury, or one with hind-limb weakness, carries different weight from mild stiffness after exercise.
Later presentation
If discomfort persists or recurs in a predictable pattern, it may suggest an underlying structural or degenerative process. Chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis often evolve gradually, with signs becoming more consistent over time. Recurrent episodes can also point to inflammatory or immune-mediated causes that wax and wane.
Hip pain can follow different trajectories depending on the underlying cause. Some animals show steady improvement with rest or activity modification, whilst others develop compensatory changes in gait that shift load to other limbs. Individual variation in pain tolerance, body condition, and concurrent joint health means that outward signs may not track linearly with the degree of structural change.
Conditions commonly associated
Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease
Bone death and joint deformation cause significant pain, particularly when the hip is manipulated or extended.
Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
Hip dysplasia involves abnormal formation of the hip joint, where the socket is too shallow or the ball of the femur does not fit securely, leading to joint instability and progressive cartilage wear that can manifest as discomfort in the hip region. The pain may be more noticeable during movement or after rest, and often affects one or both hips.
Osteoarthritis in Dogs
Osteoarthritis in the hip joints develops as cartilage breaks down over time, exposing bone surfaces and triggering inflammation within the joint capsule. This process can produce pain that varies with activity level, temperature, and progression of the condition.
Intervertebral Disc Disease in Dogs
Intervertebral disc disease in the lower spine can produce referred pain or altered posture that may be perceived as hip discomfort, particularly when nerve roots supplying the hind limb are compressed. The pain tends to be accompanied by stiffness, reluctance to move, or changes in gait, and wobbliness or weakness in the hind legs points to the spinal cord rather than the hip.
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Coxofemoral Subluxation
Laxity in the hip joint from subluxation makes the hip tender when extended or manipulated.
Hip Luxation
Most hip luxations follow a road accident or fall. The displaced joint surfaces cause marked pain when the hip is touched or moved, and the limb is often held in an unusual position.
Osteosarcoma in Dogs
Osteosarcoma arising, less commonly, in the bones of the pelvis or proximal femur can cause deep hip pain that often worsens progressively over weeks. The tumour disrupts normal bone structure and may cause pathological weakening or fracture in the affected area.
When to explore further
If the change in gait or mobility persists, or if it worsens rather than settles, the picture may warrant closer examination.
If hip discomfort is accompanied by systemic signs such as lethargy, reduced appetite, or fever, broader inflammatory or infectious processes may be involved.
If the animal is young and growing, or belongs to a breed with known predisposition to hip dysplasia, early structural assessment can inform longer-term management options.
If there is visible asymmetry, muscle atrophy over the affected hip, or reluctance to bear weight on the limb, these patterns often reflect more than transient strain.
If pain appears episodic and triggered by specific activities, documenting the context and duration of each episode can help clarify whether the process is static or evolving.
If hip pain starts suddenly after a fall or road accident, with the hind leg held off the ground or in an unusual position, a dislocated hip or a fracture is possible. Closed reduction of a dislocated hip is most successful within 24 to 48 hours of the injury and is often unsuccessful after 4 to 5 days. The force behind a dislocated hip or pelvic fracture can also injure the bladder, lungs, heart or other organs, and these injuries may not be visible from outside.
If the hind legs become wobbly or weak, the hind feet cross or drag, or passing urine becomes difficult, the problem is more likely in the spine than the hip. With disc disease these signs can progress to paralysis and loss of pain sensation, which carries a guarded to poor prognosis, and the stage reached cannot be judged at home.
Hip pain gains meaning when considered alongside the animal's age, breed, activity level, and any other changes in behaviour or physical condition. Observations about when discomfort appears, how it responds to rest, and whether it affects both sides or one can all inform the picture. These details form a useful foundation for conversations with those familiar with the individual animal's history and examination findings.
Last reviewed: 9 October 2026 · Dr Alastair Greenway MRCVS