Arthritis in Dogs – Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

© Joshua Anderson Slate

As a pet owner, you must know that Arthritis is not only a disease that’s strictly limited to humans. As your dog grows older, he is most likely to suffer from joint pain and become less physically active.

It is not uncommon in dogs to experience weakness and lack of energy. The sooner you pick up the signs, the more likely your dog to recover from the disease.

What is Arthritis?

It is important to first know what arthritis is in order to help ease the pain of your dog. It is a serious condition where your doggo will start resisting physical activity due to pain.

It is difficult to understand exactly what is bothering your dog. So, you must be careful in picking up the signs. If you notice the symptoms then you can use the following methods to help relieve your dog from arthritic pain.

What Causes Arthritis?

Arthritis is a chronic illness which can be caused for various reasons.

1. Cartilage Deficits

It is essential to check your dog for good nutrition. Sometimes deficiencies in the cartilage may result in arthritis.

2. Previous Injuries

Sometimes a previous injury may result in a prolonged period of pain. Soon, that can transform into a more serious health condition. A ligament tear, or a spasm in the muscle can lead to severe conditions, leading to arthritis.

3. Lack of Nutrition

A lack of nutritious food intake may often result in bone decay. This, in the long run may affect your dog’s bone development and make him weak.

4. Severe Trauma

If your dog has suffered a severe trauma then they often have difficulties in coping with the after effects of it. They might get depressed and the shock often affect their emotional and physical health.

5. Infection

A cut or a slight scratch can also lead to a serious infection if not treated properly. With dogs, biting or getting hurt by a sharp object while playing is not uncommon. So, if the wound is left uncured, it might result in infection in the joints and soon arthritis.

6. Bacteria

Exposure to bacteria and fungi result in bone disease and might affect the cartilage. It passes through the blood and soon affect the whole body, causing damage to the bones.

7. Joint Disorders

Dysplasia is often caused by displacement in the joints. If it worsens, it may lead to arthritis and other physical conditions.

8. Aging

Growing old is inevitable and so are the diseases related to old age. Arthritis is most common in elderly dogs.

9. Obesity

Obese doggos are more prone to get affected by arthritis. So, always keep your fuzzball’s weight in check.

10. Diabetes

Dogs with diabetes have more possibility to develop arthritis and other bone related issues.

Symptoms of Arthritis

In order to provide proper treatment, you first need to identify the disease. Arthritis can drain the positivity out of your dog and is a condition that is often seen in young dogs as well.

Some of the signs of arthritis may include:

1. Laziness

If you see your dog refusing to go out or you see him lying most of the time, you should start getting concerned.

Always look for signs if your canine friend sleeps all day or if his movements become slower. If he stops responding to you the way he used to, then get him checked.

2. Inflexibility

If your doggo starts showing a lack of physical activity and becomes rigid, then it is a matter of major concern. They might suffer from extreme pull in their joints or weakness in the bones. Take it as a sign.

3. Weight gain or loss

Any drastic weight gain or loss is a symptom of arthritis. This will affect your little bud in many ways. So, make sure you keep a record of that and take actions accordingly.

4. Fatigue

Arthritis may cause temporary loss of strength and energy, resulting in exhaustion. So, when you see your furry friend having difficulty in getting up or walking, take him to the vet.

5. Change in Behavior

Always observe the change in your dog’s behavior. If your overly-hyper or energetic dog all of a sudden stops being jumpy, it’s a bad sign.

6. Swelling

Always examine your dog’s paws and limbs to see if there’s any swelling. If they pull away when you touch their leg, it means they are in pain. So, get them examined at the earliest.

7. Irritability

Dogs are usually friendly and listen to you and loves to snuggle. If your dog pulls away or gets aggressive when you try to give them some love, don’t take it lightly. Mood swing or depression may be a sign of arthritis.

Get him physically examined as soon as you find any of the aforementioned signs for a faster recovery.

Treatment of Arthritis

Take them to the vet and listen to the advice given. There are therapies available which can give comfort to your dog.

1. New Lifestyle

Your dog will have to adapt to a completely new lifestyle in order to cure arthritis.You have to ensure a proper, healthy diet for your doggo. Make sure he gets enough nutritious and omega enriched foods. Calcium intake is important to prevent bone decay.

Always stick to the food that the vet advices and you’ll be able to give a good life to your four-legged friend. A healthy eating habit means a healthy and doggo!

2. Exercise

Make sure your dog gets a bit of exercise. Physical activity is key to a flexible and recovering body. Take one step at a time and start slow.

3. Proper medication

Always follow the advice and the prescribed drugs given by the veterinarian. Pain reducing medications.
Sometimes you might need to give your doggo injectable medications to help reduce swelling and lubricate the cartilage.

4. Steroids

Sometimes veterinarians prefer using steroids to help reduce the pain and reduce breakdown of the bones or the cartilage caused from arthritis.

5. Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy is not strictly limited to humans. Doggos can also get benefitted from this method and may reduce the pain and show improvements in movements.

6. Therapy

Water therapy and massage therapy have several benefits. This increase the flexibility of the muscles and make the ligaments more active.

Other therapies may also include acupuncture, laser therapy, magnetic therapy, or stem cell therapy. Your vet will advice the one which is most suitable for your little bud.

7. Surgery

When the condition is sometimes serious, surgery might be required. Torn ligaments or internal infections may need surgical methods.

Preventative Measures

1. Healthy Diet

Whatever you do, if you ensure a healthy and balanced diet for your pet from the beginning, then your dog will be less likely to fall sick. The first method of preventing arthritis is to get him accustomed to a good diet.

2. Weight Management

When you have a doggo who is on the heavier side, it gets difficult for him to walk and carry his own weight. It puts pressure on his joints and slowly become slow as they age.

Always make sure your canine gets well nutritional foods and develops and less fat enriched eating habits.

3. Exercise

There is no substitute for exercise. You can take your dog swimming, or take him out on walks and other activities. This way he’ll be physically active and will increase his mobility.

However, you also need to make sure that he gets adequate amount of rest between the sessions. Otherwise he’ll get tired after a certain period of time.

4. Regular Checkup

Taking your doggo for regular checkups will help you keep track of his health. Sometimes dogs hide their pain so well that you’d probably not even see that something is bothering him. Your vet can. So, get him examined and treat him better.

5. Proper Medication

Not all dogs respond well to every medicine. So, keep a track of your dog’s medicine intake and listen to your vet’s advice.

If he has therapies scheduled then don’t miss those sessions. After all, You are the one who can help your beloved doggo to get a better life.

Conclusion

Dogs can pretend everything is okay when it’s not. That’s why sometimes it is difficult to notice the symptoms at home. Take your four-pawed friend to the veterinarian so that they can diagnose the real issue and help your doggy feel better.

Your dog is your friend, family and someone who loves you unconditionally. Take your dog’s health seriously and give him all the love that he deserves!

Author Bio:
Shawn is a content writer at FeedFond. He’s a doting father not only to his two children but also to his two Golden Retrievers. Check out more of his articles at FeedFond.com.

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