Canine Arthritis
Arthritis is a condition where one or more joints become swollen or inflamed. It can affect the hips, elbows, knees, and neck.
There are two types of arthritis:
- Primary - Rheumatoid Arthritis: is a progressive and uncommon disease where the immune system attacks healthy joints.
- Secondary - Osteoarthritis: the cartilage around a joint gets damaged, so new bone forms around the joint. This has no cartilage protecting it and causes stiffness and pain.
CAUSES:
While arthritis normally affects older dogs and worsens with age, dogs of any age can have it.
Primary:
- Old age
- Injury
- Auto-immune diseases (the immune system attacks its own body)
Secondary:
- Old age
- Injury
- Disease: hip dysplasia, ligament rupture, joint infection
- Obesity
SIGNS:
- Painful joints
- Swollen joints
- Joint stiffness
- Lameness, taking longer to get to its feet, unable to jump or climb
- Loss of Appetite
- Depression
DIAGNOSIS:
To properly diagnose your dog with arthritis, your veterinarian will begin with the following:
- Review of medical history
- Physical exam: flexing the joints and listening for abnormal joint sounds, as well as looking for swelling or heat in your dog's limbs
Your veterinarian may also perform the following tests:
- CBC blood test(complete blood count): measures the total amount of red and white blood cells in the body
- X-rays of the affected areas: to determine the type of arthritis
- Joint Tap: draining and studying joint fluid
TREATMENT:
The course of treatment depends mainly on what is causing the disease.
- Infection: antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications
- Obesity: diet change
If treatments are not helping the pain:
- Surgery: fragments of cartilage or bone in the joint can be removed to decrease swelling, and in extremely painful cases, the affected joint may be removed
- Dietary supplements: stimulates new cartilage growth in the joints and can alleviate some discomfort
- Veterinarian-developed exercise routine: too much exercise for an arthritic dog can cause severe pain; however, too little exercise will make your dog's joints even stiffer
- Medications: long-term steroids and anti-inflammatory use may alleviate the symptoms
PREVENTION:
There is no known prevention.
PROGNOSIS:
There is no cure for arthritis, but your veterinarian can give you treatment options so your dog can live a comfortable life. You should pay attention to your dog's movements, as catching arthritis early leaves more options for your dog to live comfortably.
Medically Reviewed by Sara Ochoa, DVM
