What do you know about Arthritis?

As our pets age their bodies begin to deteriorate and health issues can begin to arise. One of the most common problems in dogs, both young and old is Arthritis. We’re all aware of Arthritis but how does it really affect our dogs?

Although it is more common in older dogs and larger breeds it can affect any dog of any age and size.

What is Arthritis?

Cartilage cushions the ends of bones throughout the body and allows smooth and frictionless motions in the joints. Arthritis occurs when this cartilage breaks down; it becomes rough and eventually wears away, exposing the sensitive bone underneath. This results in pain, inflammation and stiffness in the joints and ultimately it loses its stability.

What Causes Arthritis?

There are a number of different causes of arthritis but the most common cause in dogs in chronic wear and tear of the joints. This is more common in medium to larger breed dogs who can put extra stress on their body with their weight. Other causes can be injury, such as cruciate ligament damage and fractures to the joint. Once a joint is injured it can become unstable would then lead to damage of the cartilage.
Congenital joint problems such as hip dysplasia, luxating patella etc. can also lead to Arthritis. These health issues cause the joints to develop abnormally in a young dog and lead to instability as the dog ages.
Infection can also lead to arthritis, bacteria and other organisms can invade the joint and cause

How do I know if my dog has arthritis?

Arthritis is something your vet can diagnose with a variety of tests and scans. With this in mind, if you notice your dog struggling to get up in the morning or showing any signs of pain it’s best to get seek the advice of your vet, this way you cross out any serious injury or underlying health issues.

How is Arthritis treated?

There is a variety of medication available for the treatment of arthritis that your vet can recommend but there are things you can do yourself at home to help ease the symptoms.

The most important thing you can do for your dog is manage their weight, an overweight dog that suffers from arthritis is a painful mix. Keeping your dog at their ideal, healthy body weight is going to prevent any unnecessary extra weight bearing down on their sore joints. It’s also very important to keep your dog at a healthy weight from a young age, this will help keep their bones strong and healthy and help avoid arthritis from a young age. This is vital in the growth stages for larger breeds especially. It’s best to consult your vet to find out the best weight for your dog, although you can find the average weight for specific breeds every dog is different.
It’s important to maintain regular amounts of low impact exercise as this can actually reduce stiffness and help to strengthen the muscles that support the joints. Soft leash walks and swimming are ideals forms of exercise; in older dogs it’s best to exercise them for smaller amounts of time more often during the day instead of one large walk once a day. 
Try to make life as easy as possible for your dog, if needing to get in and out of the car give the option of a ramp or steps. Make sure their bedding is thick and warm during the cooler weather but is still low line to the ground so it’s easy for them to move on and off.
If you find that pet is in pain or have any questions on their health, weight or exercising it’s best to contact your regular vet and have your dog examined.