As dogs age, their joints can become painful and inflamed. The breakdown of smooth cartilage that covers the bone can lead to the onset of arthritis in dogs and can happen for a number of reasons, but most commonly occurs in older dogs. There are numerous types of canine arthritis, but the main type is degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the age-related arthritis that can happen as dogs get into their older years. The body is normally very capable of repairing the damage to cartilage, but as dog’s age, the repairing process makes mistakes and can no longer properly repair itself.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis are:
- Hesitating to jump, run, or climb things that they normally would.
- Groaning when moving in certain positions
- Joints appearing swollen or stiff
- Walking stiffly
- Limping
- Experiencing pain when certain areas are touched
If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, you may want to see a veterinarian who can examine your dog and determine whether or not your dog has osteoarthritis. These symptoms can occur in other diseases and disorders, so it is important that your veterinarian run tests to make sure. For instance, a veterinarian may touch certain spots on your dog’s legs near the joints to see if they are tender, or have your dog walk around the examination room to observe their gait. Some may order X-rays to observe the joints more closely.
Preventative measures: While some dog breeds are more likely to experience osteoarthritis than others, you can do your best to prevent your dog from developing it by taking certain preventative measures.
- Keep your dog at a healthy weight: It is incredibly important to keep your dog at a healthy weight. Dogs that are overweight or obese are much more likely to get osteoarthritis than dogs who are in a normal weight range.
- Provide ramps to prevent jumping: Jumping on and off high couches and beds are hard on the joints, so teaching your dog to use a ramp would slow the degeneration of cartilage.
- Give your dog massages: Giving massages increases blood flow to muscles that are wearing down and prevents inflammation. Additionally, a warm compress can be used to increase blood flow (make sure it isn’t too hot for your dog).
- Regular exercise: Getting regular exercise is important for your dog to remain mobile in their older years. If your dog is already older and osteoarthritis has set in, look into non-weight-bearing exercises such as swimming.
- Feed a high-quality diet: Nutrition plays an important role in joint function, so make sure your dog is eating a high-quality diet to support joint function.
Other Treatments: If your dog has been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, your vet will decide what treatment will best help your dog. One treatment used to treat osteoarthritis is an Adequan injection, which assists the cartilage in repairing tissue. Other options are using steroids to decrease the inflammation of the joints. Tramadol is another drug used to treat osteoarthritis, although it targets the pain of arthritis rather than the cause.