What Are The Causes And Treatments For Dog Arthritis?

Skeletal hinges, often called the joints, are
what give your dog flexibility of movement. The
dog's body has three types of joints: ball and
socket such as hip and shoulder joints; hinged
joints such as knees and elbows; and plane or
gliding joints as wrists and ankles. Joints are
lubricated by the body's inner joint fluid which
are then stabilized by ligaments and tendons.
Either by disease or injury, inflammation and
arthritis occurs.

Stiffness or lameness has various causes as dog
arthritis comes in various types. Slow to get up,
reluctance in negotiating stairs or stiffness
after a morning run can be helped temporarily
with an aspirin or two before a trip to the
veterinarian.

There are two types of dog arthritis,
inflammatory and degenerative (osteoarthritis).
The inflammatory type is usually either
immune-mediated or begins with an infection and
comes with fever and/or anorexia. An accurate
thorough diagnosis can and should be determined
by your veterinarian.

Osteoarthritis is the result of wear and tear
of cartilage protecting the bones. Repetitive
jumping can stretch or tear ligaments, injuries
from a fall, malformation of hip sockets, are
examples of stress on joints. Sometimes this
disease can be halted surgically before it
progresses. Again, a thorough diagnosis as to
the cause should be done by your veterinarian.
Either way, dog arthritis is painful.

Make sure your veterinarian gives an accurate
diagnosis for the type of joint disease. Each
type requires different treatment. The wrong
medication may cause an infection to thrive.

Here are some signs of dog arthritis:
Reluctance to play, climb stairs, jump or even
walk, limping, yelping from pain if touched,
difficulty getting up from lying down, resisting
touch, one or more legs trembling when standing
still.

Relief from pain can be through painkillers,
natural supplements, diet and rest. One of the
latest pain relievers for dog arthritis is a new
prescription drug. However, blood tests are
suggested if used long-term. Liver problems may
develop and therefore The drug may not be the
best option. All medications have side effects.
A natural supplement, glucosamine sulfate is
highly recommended for osteoarthritis.

If your veterinarian prescribes either drugs,
surgery or both, it is imperative that your pet
be given as easy a time as possible. This means
lots of rest, affection and frequent short trips
that are not painful either before or after
treatment. Recovery may be slow. One other thing
that would help is to find the appropriate weight
for the breed of dog you have. If it is
overweight reduce the food until the correct
weight is achieved and thereafter maintained.

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