One out of five dogs is affected by canine arthritis. While most dogs affected by this joint condition are older dogs, arthritis can also occur in dogs any age, health status, and breed. Noticing the sometimes subtle symptoms of canine arthritis is the first step in providing your dog with care and pain relief.
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis in older dogs. Osteoarthritis is a breakdown of cartilage in the joints which causes pain and change to the shape of the joint and makes the joint less able to withstand stresses and strains. Age, excessive weight and inactivity are largely responsible for this type of arthritis, though younger dogs can develop osteoarthritis due to genetic predispositions they were born with. Hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, knee dysplasia, hypertrophic arthritis, osteochondrosis, and shoulder degeneration are other conditions that cause joint pain in dogs.
Symptoms of canine arthritis can be subtle in the early stages of arthritis. Your dog, who once loved to chase balls, no longer wants to participate in that activity. Your dog might get up just a little slower from a resting position or sleep a little more than before. Other symptoms include joint stiffness, limping, lameness, appetite loss, unexplainable weight gain, inactivity, excessive sleeping, reluctance of doing activities like walking, running and climbing, changes in behaviour and irritability.
Talk with your veterinarian once these symptoms are observed. Your vet will diagnose arthritis by physical examination, blood test, imaging tests like x-ray or synovial fluid analysis. There are various ways to treat dog arthritis. These methods are beneficial to helping improve your dog's quality of life.
Although it seems counterintuitive, exercise can actually help aching joints. Arthritis affects bone and muscle mass and it is important to preserve the muscular tonicity and flexibility through light to moderate exercises. For dogs, swimming can be an excellent method to exercise.
Weight reduction may also be beneficial for overweight dogs. A healthy diet that keeps your dog's weight down is recommended. Omega-3 fatty acids and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements can be beneficial for your canine, in addition to other natural canine arthritis relief supplements specifically formulated for arthritis in dogs.
Medications are used when natural arthritis remedies are not effective in relieving pain. The medication route for dog arthritis mainly focuses on relief of pain. NSAIDS provide rapid and effective relief of joint pains among dogs. However, other medications may also be prescribed by the veterinarian, as pain relievers do not work on the joint conditions like repair and regeneration. Among popular NSAIDS are vedaproven, meloxicam and many more.
It is critically important to consultation with your veterinarian rather than self-medicating the dog. Some human pain relievers can also be used on canines but others, like aspirin, are actually poisonous to dogs. Never give your dog medications without knowing how it will affect the dog.
If dogs do not respond to NSAIDS, corticosteroids and steroids may be given. The last option, should medication fail is surgery. It can be expensive and may even cause more suffering to the dog due to pain. Among surgeries performed for dog arthritis include hip replacement, arthroscopic surgery, and joint fusion and repair. If pet is diagnosed with dog arthritis, work with the veterinarian to create a holistic treatment plan to help your dog live each day as pain free as possible.
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