Arthritis -- An Age-Old Disease

Arthritis is one of the oldest diseases in history, dating back to the dinosaurs. It strikes animals and humans alike. The joint pain and stiffness it causes can affect your pet as well as yourself, especially if your pet is a dog.

When arthritis strikes, joints become inflamed and mobility is impaired. The signs range from slight stiffness to severe lameness.  Arthritis can be caused by infection in a joint, accidents, immune disorders, age, and physical abnormalities.  It can affect animals of all ages and sizes.  The inflammation is painful to the animal, so it is less likely to move around.  Most owners will notice a dog getting slower as it gets older and attribute this slowdown to “old age.” The pet, though, may really be suffering from arthritis. Your veterinarian can assess your pet and suggest treatments to reduce the pain and inflammation. 

In the meanwhile, be alert to the following symptoms. Your pet may take a long time to lie down or to get up.  After getting up or after exercise, the pet might seem stiff.  Arthritic animals may also have difficulty jumping into a car and climbing stairs. They become reluctant to exercise or unable to go on long walks.  Visible lameness is the most obvious sign of arthritis.  An arthritic dog can even exhibit behavioural changes, such as isolating itself or snapping when touched in specific areas.  The pet may also lick sore joints excessively. 

How can you manage arthritis in your pet?  First and foremost:  Keep its weight down!  An obese animal is an arthritic animal.  Just losing weight can dramatically improve activity level and mobility. So can planned activities. Gentle, controlled lead walks are more beneficial to an arthritic dog than unchecked runs. Swimming is particularly helpful because the buoyancy of water relieves pressure on the joints.  And don’t forget that a soft bed to lie on also relieves the pain of sore joints.

Dogs with joint problems can also benefit from special diets that contain ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulphate, green lipped muscle extract, and omega fatty acids.  These ingredients protect the joints and decrease inflammation.  A veterinary surgeon may also dispense a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) medication.  NSAIDs work by rapidly decreasing inflammation and pain. Frequently, though, after starting treatment, the dog stops showing signs of arthritis, so owners stop giving the medication.  But once a dog has arthritis, it will always have arthritis, so treatment must be continued for the rest of the pet’s life.

Unfortunately our pets can’t speak for themselves, so we have to be aware of what they are trying to tell us with their body language. If your dog seems to be in pain, it probably is.  Modern medical practices, however, can greatly relieve the suffering caused by arthritis.