* I don't know whether there is a number on the genetic contribution to HD.
* Diet and environment play an important role. I believe that the attention to diet starts with prenatal care for the mother. Obviously you have no control over that if you are buying a puppy. Our vet is a bit paranoid on the subject and has always advised us against unusual stress and strain on young bones and muscles. Limit fast acceleration, fast stops, sharp turns, etc. He might be overly cautious but we've pretty much followed his lead.
* We normally x-ray hips and elbows at age two. However there are many people that will do preliminary studies on puppies that are much younger. So there are indeed preliminary indicators that will show up in younger dogs.
Well, that's my two cents - I'm sure there are many folks on the board that can offer better answers.
* Diet and environment play an important role. I believe that the attention to diet starts with prenatal care for the mother. Obviously you have no control over that if you are buying a puppy. Our vet is a bit paranoid on the subject and has always advised us against unusual stress and strain on young bones and muscles. Limit fast acceleration, fast stops, sharp turns, etc. He might be overly cautious but we've pretty much followed his lead.
* We normally x-ray hips and elbows at age two. However there are many people that will do preliminary studies on puppies that are much younger. So there are indeed preliminary indicators that will show up in younger dogs.
Well, that's my two cents - I'm sure there are many folks on the board that can offer better answers.


