What Dog Arthritis Means For Your Pooch

No one ever said that arthritis was just for humans - arthritis is quite common throughout all dog breeds as they get older. About 1 of every 5 dogs over the age of seven suffers from this disease or between 20-25% of the dog population.

Veterinarians treat dog arthritis, easily defined as inflammation of the joints, more than just about any other ailment. The arthritis can be caused due to aging, excessive exercise, or injury. As a dog jumps, walks, and runs, their bones rub together and if the joints become inflamed, the result is arthritis.

Joints commonly affected with arthritis include the knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow, and most commonly, the hips.

Which Dogs Get Arthritis

The most common form of arthritis in dogs is degenerative joint disease (synonymous with osteoarthritis). Osteoarthritis is a slowly progressing disease that occurs due to the breakdown and destruction of the dog's cartilage. As it gets worse, the bones begin to grind against one another causing pain, reduced flexibility, inflammation, and a reduction in mobility.

Arthritis is almost inevitable with age but dogs that are overweight and put undue stress on their joints can suffer more than others. Pure bred dogs are generally more susceptible to arthritis as well as larger dogs whose size puts weight on their joints such as Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Great Danes, Labrador Retrievers and Mastiffs. Some small dogs like Dachshunds or Beagles are also more likely to have joint problems due to their oddly shaped bodies which put stress on their joints.

Symptoms

Signs that your dog is experiencing arthritis include favoring a limb, having difficulty sitting or standing, acting like his joints are sore or stiff, hesitating to jump or climb stairs, or evidence that his range of motion is decreasing. As arthritis pain affects your dog, his behavior or attitude may start to change; he may sleep more and show less interest in playing with you. Because of their lack of activity, they may also experience some weight gain and may not be as alert as they were previously.

If any of the symptoms persist for two weeks or longer, you should make an appointment with the veterinarian. Your vet will do a full physical exam and possibly run some X-rays to see if there is any other damage that is causing your dog to lose full limb capabilities.

As soon as your dog is diagnosed with arthritis, the vet can recommend the best course of treatment. He may prescribe some anti-inflammatory drugs as well as over the counter treatments that contain Omega fatty acids and glucosamine. Changes in diet may also be recommended.

Treatment

There are a number of choices for treating pets with arthritis. Every pet and every owner presents a unique situation so there is no "one treatment fits all" approach. Some people do not want their pets taking medications so they look for more natural or holistic therapies. Other owners are comfortable with their pet taking corticosteroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

A number of medications are available to reduce pain and to improve range of motion, especially helpful if your dog needs a certain activity level to maintain his optimum weight.

How You Can Help

Weight loss to correct obesity, dietary changes, and carefully managed exercise levels can have huge benefits for pets suffering from arthritis. In fact, the single most important factor in controlling pain associated with arthritis is for your dog to be at his optimum weight.

You may need to change your dog's exercise routine - instead of going with you on your morning jog, he may have to settle for an evening walk. Make sure that he's not trying to be a "weekend warrior" - active during the weekend when your family is home from work and school - but showing obvious signs of pain and stiffness come Monday morning. A good exercise routine of regular, short to medium length walks and/or swimming will help to strengthen his muscles and reduce the effects of arthritis.

Make sure that he has a comfortable bed to sleep on which will keep him from lying on a hard floor surface. If he's older, he may need a soft mattress and blankets. Raise his food and water bowls to relieve pressure on his spine.

Pet stairs can help him get to places he can no longer jump to easily. If he has a dog ramp to get in and out of your car or truck, he won't have to jump from the car onto the concrete driveway which puts a lot of strain on his joints.