Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: Dog Osteoarthritis Symptoms and Treatment Options

Many people who have older dogs may see that
their canine is showing dog osteoarthritis
symptoms. Arthritis effects the joints and causes
pain and inflammation. This can be a crippling
condition for the dog and, in later stages, may
even cause the dog to be immobile. There are many
available treatments and therapy options for a
dog that suffers from arthritis. Some dog breeds
are more susceptible to getting this condition
because of body mass vs. leg length. Overweight
dogs are especially at risk for getting
osteoarthritis in their joints.

There are many forms of canine arthritis that
effect different areas of the dog's body. There
are conditions where the spine is effected,
however, osteoarthritis of the knees and feet are
most common in dogs. Many people may not be able
to tell if the dog is in pain from arthritis
since they can not properly convey their feelings
to their owners. However, if your dog has
suddenly stopped participating in his
once-favorite activities, your dog may be
suffering with osteoarthritis. Many older dogs
have this condition and properly diagnosing it
will help extend the life of your dog.

Other dog joint disease symptoms would include
showing pain when the joint is touched, a change
in personality and eating habits, and limping.
Many dogs who have painful joint disease will
often stay in the same spot for long periods of
time and not engage in any exercise or
activities. Your dog might even whimper at times
when the pain from the osteoarthritis gets bad.
If your dog is showing any of these common signs
of joint disease, be sure to take him to a
reputable veterinarian for a checkup.

During the veterinarian stay, your dog will have
a physical examination as well as having x-rays
taken of the joint in question. Many
veterinarians will lay several treatment options
down on the table for you to choose. The most
commonly used treatment method is physical
therapy and routine, gentle exercise. More severe
treatment options would include surgery that
replaces the joint. Some veterinarians will also
prescribe supplements that help to fortify the
dog's bones and ease joint disease symptoms.

There are also many other adjustments you can
make to help ease the pain your dog feels from
his joint pain. Keeping his food and water dishes
at an accessible height is one such accommodation
that will help your dog adjust. Ramps can help
your dog climb stairs more easily. Alternatively,
you may want to keep your dog's food, water, and
bed downstairs so that climbing the stairs is not
even an option. Make sure your dog has a
comfortable dog bed to rest on at night. And
while dog arthritis symptoms can be painful for
your dog, making their life and movements easier
will help your dog to feel better.

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Visit Steve's site, Cactus Canyon, and learn more
dog osteoarthritis joint disease.
http://www.cactuscanyon.com/dog-arthritis/

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