Sep 26, 2022
Managing Canine Arthritis
09/19/2011
If your dog experiences difficulty getting up, tires easily or
seems stiff, arthritis may be the culprit. The most common type of
canine arthritis is degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis,
affecting one out of five adult dogs in the United Sates, the
Arthritis Foundation recently reported.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage protecting the bones of
the joint is destroyed. The joint loses its cushion, causing
friction between bones, leading to pain and decreased mobility in
affected joints. Inflammation of the cartilage can also stimulate
bony growths (spurs) to form around the joints. Since cartilage has
no nerve supply, damage can progress with no outward symptoms until
the joint is severely damaged and the lubricating fluid has lost
its ability to protect the bone surfaces. Although any joint in a
dog’s body can be affected by arthritis, the most commonly affected
joints are the hips, elbows, lower back, knees and wrists.
The other less common type of arthritis affecting dogs is
inflammatory joint disease, usually caused by an infection, such as
bacterial or fungal infection, tick-borne disease and Rocky
Mountain spotted fever. This type of arthritis can also be caused
by an underlying defect in your dog’s immune system, which may be
hereditary.
Factors contributing to a dog developing arthritis include
aging, congenital joint disorders like hip dysplasia,
osteochondrosis, elbow dysplasia, old injuries, repeated trauma to
joints, activity levels in working and athletic dogs placing
increased stress on joints, obesity, and metabolic diseases such as
diabetes and Cushing’s disease.
Arthritis symptoms include stiffness, lameness, or limping after
rest; appetite loss or unusual weight gain; inactivity and sleeping
more; reluctance to walk, run or climb stairs; unusual urinating in
the house; and irritability and other behavioral changes. A
veterinarian can diagnose arthritis based on your dog’s age,
medical history, and a physical exam. X-rays of the joints may be
necessary to determine severity of disease.
Non-medical approaches to minimize arthritic aches and pains
include:
- Weight control. If your dog is overweight, this puts added
stresses on joints, causing greater joint damage and more severe
arthritis. Helping your dog lose weight will help minimize further
joint damage. A recent collaborative study between the Universities
of Glasgow and Utrech found that weight loss among obese dogs with
osteoarthritis dramatically improved lameness and
mobility.
- Food. The right mix of dietary fatty acids can do more than
improve your dog’s skin and coat. Research shows that
eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), an omega-3 fatty acid, can help reduce
inflammation, help limit damage to cartilage and reduce the
symptoms of arthritis in dogs. Ask your
veterinarian for foods that provide high levels of EPA.
- Exercise. Light to moderate exercise helps keep stiff joints
supple and mobile. The exact exercise requirements depend on the
individual dog, with 15 to 20 minutes of exercise twice daily often
recommended, rather than one long, 40-minute walk. Ideal is
swimming, a low-impact activity that improves muscle mass without
overstressing joints.
- Animal physical rehabilitation. Most academic centers and many
large private practices have certified rehabilitators today.
Rehabilitation therapy can include underwater treadmills,
ultrasound therapy and electric stimulation. Like techniques used
to help humans with arthritis, canine physical therapy utilizes
applications of cold and heat, massage, stretching and
range-of-motion exercises to maintain joint health and muscle
strength. Rehabilitation can relieve pain and promote cartilage,
tendon and ligament health.
- Natural over-the-counter treatments. Pills or food containing
glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate or Omega fatty acids have shown
to ease arthritis symptoms in dogs.
- Acupuncture and massage. Although controlled clinical studies
are lacking, there are many anecdotal reports on the use of
acupuncture to help relieve pain from hip dysplasia and
degenerative joint disease in dogs. You can also gently massage
your dog’s painful joints to help restore blood flow.
Medically managing canine arthritis is aimed at controlling
pain, increasing mobility, slowing down joint degeneration and
encouraging cartilage repair. Options include:
- Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. NSAIDs). Aspirin and
many other modern and prescription medications like Rimadyl reduce
pain and inflammation. Because of the side-effects associated with
the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, many vets will choose to run a
blood test to ensure that the liver and kidneys are in working
order before initiating this treatment.
- Glucocorticoids (commonly known as steroids or cortisone).
Given as tablets or injections, these drugs have a higher
anti-inflammatory effect than NSAIDs, but long-term use may cause
more obvious and serious side effects.
- Chondroprotectants. Helping protect cartilage as it attempts to
repair itself, these drugs are increasingly popular in treating
degenerative joint disease. This category includes the FDA-approved
Adequan for management of degenerative joint disease in dogs, which
works by inhibiting enzymes that contribute to cartilage
destruction. Administered by intramuscular injection, studies show
when puppies diagnosed with hip dysplasia were given Adequan before
arthritic changes occurred, their radiographs showed significant
improvement and development of degenerative joint disease was
delayed.
- Surgery. If your dog’s joints become severely damaged or if the
pain is intense, your veterinarian may recommend surgery to reduce
pain and improve movement and function. Among the different kinds
of procedures for degenerative arthritis is arthroscopic surgery,
which involves making small incisions through which the surgeon can
clean cartilage debris from the joint. Other surgeries are aimed at
repairing bone deformity, fusing joints or rebuilding part of a
joint. Your dog may also undergo an operation to replace a damaged
joint with an artificial joint.
Preventing or delaying arthritis later in life can begin in
puppyhood with these strategies:
- If you’re buying a purebred puppy, choose a reliable breeder
who should have X-rays taken of hips and elbows to prevent dogs
with poor joint conformation from breeding.
- Don’t let your puppy eat too much or over-exercise. Providing a
wholesome diet with added calcium and omega 3 may also help delay
or prevent arthritis.
- Providing a comfortable sleeping space for your puppy will help
prevent him from laying in awkward positions and relieve
unnecessary pressure on his joints.