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: Arthritis and your dog
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Arthritis can be a debilitating condition at the best of times, but during winter it can pose even more stress on your pet/s as the joints can become even more painful (and restricted in movement) during the cooler weather. Click one of the links below for more information.
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Risk Factors for Arthritis
Age
Size
Obesity
Trauma
High activity
Genetic predisposition
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Arthritis is a general term for any condition involving inflammation of the joints.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of degenerative arthritis and is a complex, progressive condition involving the deterioration of the joint cartilage and formation of new bone at the joint surfaces.
Osteoarthritis develops for a number of reasons, including:
- Obesity - extra body weight puts additional stress on the major weight-bearing joints. If your dog has Osteoarthritis, it can contribute to obesity, as the pain of arthritic joints reduces the dog's enjoyment of exercise and ability to move around.
- Developmental problems - conditions such as Osteochondrosis Dissecans (OCD) and hip dysplasia. Click here for more information on these conditions.
- Trauma - damage to the joint surfaces from trauma such as a ruptured cruciate ligament, accident or injury.
One of the most common signs of osteoarthritis in dogs is lameness, which may be gradual in onset or appear quite suddenly. An acute attack may follow excessive exercise or minor trauma.
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Indicators of Osteoarthritis
Loss of appetite
Personality change
Falling behind on walks
Repeated licking of a joint
Stiffness hours after exercise
Difficulty getting up in the morning or after a nap
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Lameness is often accompanied by joint pain, stiffness and limited range of movement, depending on the joints affected. Typically, dogs suffering from Osteoarthritis are reluctant to jump up or climb stairs.
Stiffness or experiencing difficulty when getting up after resting is another classic sign of Osteoarthritis. While these signs usually last for a few minutes, they do tend to worsen in damp or cold weather.
This pain and discomfort can cause some dogs to experience behavioural changes, including increased nervousness, aggression, depression or loss of appetite.
While most forms of arthritis cannot be cured, there are a number of things you can do to help relieve the painful symptoms of the condition.
Bedding
Cool conditions tend to aggravate the symptoms of arthritis so make sure your dog's bed is cosy and placed in a warm, dry area. Lying on thin, hard surfaces can also place undue stress on the affected joints so it is also a good idea to ensure your dog's bed is well padded.
Placement
Make sure your dog's bedding is kept in a dry, draught-free area to help prevent any cool breezes from aggravating the symptoms. Cold hard surfaces such as concrete or tiles can make arthritic joints even more painful, so it may be a good idea to keep your dog's bedding off the floor by placing it on a crate or something similar.
Ramps
Climbing can be a painful experience for dogs suffering from arthritis because it places extra strain on the arthritic joints. If your home has stairs, steps or even a sunken lounge, it may be a good idea to install ramps to help make any necessary climbing a gradual process.
Supplements
There are a number of supplements available that are designed to help ease joint stiffness that is associated with osteoarthritis like EXELPET® ARTHRI-CARE™ which is a natural product that helps relieve these symptoms.
EXELPET ARTHRI-CARE is a safe, natural, long-term approach to relieving the joint stiffness associated with osteoarthritis without the side-effects experienced with some pharmaceutical drugs.
The key to the success and effectiveness of ARTHRI-CARE is its active base of New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel extract and Vitamin E, both of which have properties proven to ease joint stiffness.
Click here for more information on the benefits of Green-Lipped Mussel.
In fact, clinical trials of ARTHRI-CARE during an 18-month period, showed a 40 per cent reduction in some osteoarthritis symptoms. Many improvements were evident as early as three weeks into a regular treatment program with increased benefits observed after six weeks.
ARTHRI-CARE comes in an easy-to-administer, highly palatable chew that is made from real meat and eagerly eaten by most dogs.
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a condition that involves the faulty development of cartilage and joint surfaces.
In most cases, this condition is found in young large or giant breed dogs and generally develops between four and six months of age, although symptoms may not become obvious until eight months or older.
The most obvious symptom is reduced mobility. Dogs suffering from OCD look stiff when getting up after a rest and may show signs of minor lameness which may appear worse after exercise.
If you believe your dog is showing signs of OCD, talk to your vet who can examine your dog and recommend a course of treatment.
Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHD) is the most common inherited bone disorder in large and giant breeds and involves the faulty development of the hip which, if left untreated, leads to painful osteoarthritis.
The precise cause of CHD remains unknown but it is thought to have a genetic basis and, in its severe form, can lead to a debilitating lameness in puppies between five and 12 months of age.
Affected dogs usually develop an abnormal gait, are reluctant to climb stairs or jump up and experience a wasting of the thigh muscles. A milder chronic form can occur at any age which usually shows up as lameness after exercise.
While there is no cure for the condition, your vet can screen your puppy for it at the time of immunisation and then recommend a course of treatment to help alleviate the symptoms. However, an accurate diagnosis of CHD can only be made if the hips show characteristic signs on X-ray, which can then be graded according to the severity.
The discovery of green-lipped mussels and their ability to help ease the pain of arthritis was first made by American researchers while searching for treatments for cancer in the 1960s.
The New Zealand green-lipped mussel was one of a number of shellfish that was tested during this period. During testing research, it was discovered that the green-lipped mussel contained anti-inflammatory properties that are unique to this particular mussel.
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