[Garmie]

It's a recent thing, when he gets up, stretches after waking up or gets too playful there's a clicking sound coming from his hip. He's only 15 months old and his breeder assured me his family tree is free from hip dysplasia.

I moved his legs up and down, side by side and in circles, no clicking or discomfort, and that's as far as i'll go trying to replicate the sound. I guess xrays is the next step, but i'd rather avoid anything related to sedatives and radiation until i'm certain it's a problem, worst case scenario if it is hip dysplasia xrays would only confirm it and do nothing to help his situation, and if it's nothing to worry about then i just had him (and me) go through all that trouble for nothing.

Sorry for rambling, i guess i'm a bit scared, how common is it for healthy dogs to have clicking sounds here and there?

 

[Laco]

The only way you are going to get any answers based on fact, will be for your Vet to check him out and Xray his hips. Radiation risk is close to non-existent, from newer Xray machines.

 

[lzrddr]

If he's very relaxed, you can check for an 'Ortolani sign', a popping of the hip joint in and out of socket while lying completely on his back, both of his legs spread out to the sides (we routinely check for this when we are spaying large dogs to see if they have abnormally lax hip joints). Gently pressing your hand over the hip joint, and moving the leg at the hip, inward, so the knee is pointing up toward the ceiling, and then back out, laterally, back to the floor you should NOT feel a clicking of the joint under your fingers. A + Ortolani sign indicates abnormal hip laxity and likely dysplasia. A - sign does not 100% rule it out, though.

 

[Garmie]

If he's very relaxed, you can check for an 'Ortolani sign', a popping of the hip joint in and out of socket while lying completely on his back, both of his legs spread out to the sides (we routinely check for this when we are spaying large dogs to see if they have abnormally lax hip joints). Gently pressing your hand over the hip joint, and moving the leg at the hip, inward, so the knee is pointing up toward the ceiling, and then back out, laterally, back to the floor you should NOT feel a clicking of the joint under your fingers. A + Ortolani sign indicates abnormal hip laxity and likely dysplasia. A - sign does not 100% rule it out, though.

Thank you, I looked up a couple of youtube videos just to make sure I get it right, did it with two different techniques (on his back and on his side) there was no popping or dislocation.

I need to know exactly where the clicking sound was coming from, it may very well be coming from his back (spine?) and not his hip.

 

[MrsCunningham]

It may not be his hip, it could be a knee joint, I know they make clicking noises too.