Legg Calvé Perthes disease in the dog

•Legg Calvé Perthes disease is a developmental abnormality that affects almost exclusively small breed dogs whose etiology is still uncertain. The disease is similar to that described in humans.•In some dog breeds, genetic predispositions have been identified but there is no sexual predisposition and the initial lesion is avascular osteonecrosis.•The peculiarities of the vascularization of proximal femoral epiphysis in puppies explain the frequency observed in the young.•The effectiveness of the conservative treatment ranges from 18 to 25%. The treatment of choice in dogs is resection (ostectomy) of the femoral head and neck.