Arthritis in dogs
What is arthritis?
Arthritis (or osteoarthritis) is a slow degenerative disease of the joints, this can be present in just one or in multiple joint. Arthritis will often lead to pain, lameness, joint inflammation and reduced mobility, which results in a reduced quality of life for your dog. Surprisingly one in five adult dogs suffer from some form of arthritis, most commonly experienced by senior dogs (senior=over 5 for large breed or over 7 for small breeds) of medium-large sized breeds, but can affect any of our pets regardless of their age or size!
Dogs aren’t able to tell us how they are feeling (as much as we would love it if they could!), and can also be very stoic, so it is up to us to notice the signs that our pets might be suffering when they don’t need to be. Arthritis generally develops slowly over time and so we might miss the gradual changes in their behaviour and movement or attribute it to a natural sign of our pet growing older.
Symptoms of arthritis:
Get in your pet’s shoes (or paws??) for a minute and think about how they would feel about the following statements…
rate each of them with, Often=2, Sometimes=1, Never=0
| Answer | Often | Sometimes | Never |
| Score | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| I feel stiff in the morning. It is hard to get up & move around. | |||
| At times I can seem depressed, irritable or out of sorts. | |||
| I chew or lick particular joints. | |||
| I have difficulty going up or down stairs. | |||
| I eat slowly as it is difficult to reach down to my food bowl. | |||
| I don’t rush to greet you when you arrive home. | |||
| It is hard to reach some areas so I can look unkempt. | |||
| On walks I am slow and lag behind. | |||
| I find it difficult to jump into the car or on to the sofa. | |||
| I now growl or act defensively, especially when touched. |
Add up the total score and if your dog is otherwise healthy, this score gives a prediction of whether your dog is suffering from arthritis.
| Score | Likeliness of Arthritis |
| 6 or greater | extremely likely |
| 3 – 6 | highly likely |
| 1 – 3 | likely |
| 0 – 1 | it is unlikely your dog has arthritis |
How did your dog score?
Treatment:
Veterinary Consultation-
If your dog score is likely to have arthritis the first step is to have them checked by the Vet to check on the health of your dog’s joints and formulate a plan to start the appropriate treatment, the sooner the problem is recognised the sooner you can help your pet.
There are many different forms of treatment depending on the severity of the arthritis and the Vet may choose one or a combination of multiple treatments to best suit your pet;
- Radiographs to confirm diagnosis
- Specially designed diet
- Anti-inflammatory/ pain relief medications
- A course of 4 injections, of a treatment called Synovan. This treats the cartilage and joint fluid inside the joint, to reduce friction and pain
- Supplement tablets/treats
Book your dog in for a free arthritis check with one of our vets so they can check on the health of your dog’s joints. We can then advise you on what steps to take depending on the severity of their arthritis (this could include x-rays, pain relief, prescription food or a course of injections which helps relieve pain and lameness)
Weight Control-
If your dog is overweight, there is increase load on their joints, which adds to the pain and discomfort your pet is experiencing. Keeping your pet’s weight under control will greatly improve their quality of life. A low-fat diet, reduced meal sizes and cutting out treats, can help with weight management. Feel free to call the clinic to discuss diets and weight loss strategies with our team.
Exercise-
Regular gentle exercise is best to keep joints moving and muscles toned, long walks and strenuous activity can put a lot of strain on painful joints so will often have to be avoided.
Environment-
It is very important that your dog has a warm, dry and comfortable place to sleep off the cold floor. Good padding will reduce the pressure on the joints so ensure your dog has a soft bed or a warm blanket to sleep on. Where it is possible it is a good idea to try and reduce the amount of stairs your dog must use on a regular basis.
Contact the clinic to ask for advice or book in for a free arthritis check with one of our friendly veterinarians on 4321 0990 and let us help your pets age with the grace they deserve!
Thanks to cartrophen.com for their helpful information.