What Can I do for my Dog with Arthritis?

Is arthritis painful?

If you notice any signs or want to ensure your pet is comfortable, visit your veterinarian for an examination. You can also use pain assessment tools to assess for signs of pain in your dog. Click here to download a comprehensive resource on pain in dogs.

How is arthritis diagnosed?

Diagnosing arthritis in dogs can be challenging since dogs often display subtle behavioural changes, which may be attributed to normal aging or other medical conditions. To explore possible arthritis, your veterinarian will perform or recommend the following diagnostics:

• • • Comprehensive history: Your veterinarian will begin by taking an extensive history of your dog’s medical background and recent clinical concerns. They will question you about your observations of your dog’s behaviour and any changes in their activity levels.
    • Physical examination: A thorough physical examination is vital, and your veterinarian will focus on the joints most commonly affected by arthritis, such as the hips, knees, elbows, and spine. They will assess your dog’s posture, muscle mass, and mobility and look for any signs of inflammation or discomfort. They may manipulate your dog’s joints to look for restricted movement and sensations such as crunching or crepitus and signs of pain.
    • Blood tests: Blood tests can help to rule out other medical conditions that may cause similar symptoms, such as infections or immune disorders. They can also assess your pet’s overall health and whether they are healthy enough for medications.
    • Xrays: These can help identify the presence of arthritic changes and show the extent of joint damage and any changes in the bone structure, such as bone spurs or narrowing of the joint space.
    • Joint fluid analysis: If needed, joint fluid analysis may be recommended. This involves taking a fluid sample from the affected joint and examining it under a microscope for signs of inflammation or infection.
    • Advanced imaging: Specialist diagnostic tools like MRI or CT scans may be necessary in more complex cases.

It is important to note that early diagnosis and treatment of arthritis are crucial for managing the condition and preventing further joint damage. If you suspect that your dog may be suffering from arthritis, don’t hesitate to seek out veterinary advice.

What causes arthritis?

Osteoarthritis is often considered an old age disease, but it can affect dogs of all ages. Aside from general age-related wear and tear, the major causes include:

Developmental Joint Disease:
Developmental joint disease is one of the most common causes of arthritis in dogs. Developmental joint disease is a term used to describe a group of conditions that affect the development and structure of the joints in dogs while they are young and growing. These conditions can cause abnormal growth, instability, or malformation of the joints, leading to joint pain, stiffness, and lameness. This can occur in any joint in the body but is commonly found in dogs’ hips, elbows, and knees. The most common developmental joint diseases in dogs include hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, patellar luxation, and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD).

A combination of genetic and environmental factors often causes developmental joint diseases. The condition may be hereditary in some cases, meaning it is passed down from one generation of dogs to the next. In other cases, environmental factors such as overfeeding or over-exercising a puppy can contribute to developing these conditions. These conditions occur as dogs grow from puppies into adults, meaning that many dogs may have been dealing with joint pain for much longer than noted.

Obesity:
Obesity, or carrying any excess weight, significantly influences the development, progression, and severity of the clinical signs of arthritis. The increased weight of excess fat causes abnormal mechanical loads and forces to be placed through a dog’s joints daily, which increases significantly when the dog does more taxing activities such as running or jumping. It is vital to keep your dog at a healthy body weight throughout their life, so a good balance of nutrition suitable for their breed, age, and lifestyle should be chosen.

A sensible alternative to using breed averages to determine your dog’s ideal body weight is monitoring their body condition score. Consult this resource to work out your dog’s body condition score.

Joint Trauma and Infection:
Any joint inflammation during your dog’s life will predispose it to arthritis later in life.
This includes any injury, such as cruciate ligament rupture, fracture, dislocation or surgery. Conditions such as septic arthritis or immune-mediated polyarthritis will also cause damage to the joints, likely leading to arthritis.

Abnormal Forces:
Abnormal forces that a joint must contend with may influence the development of arthritis. These forces include repetitive actions that cause sudden acceleration/deceleration and twisting, excess weight, and the environment that dogs live in. Early access to slippery floors and stairs, jumping onto/off furniture, and into/out of cars can all contribute to the development of arthritis. Certain games, such as ball chasing, can also contribute.

How can I prevent arthritis in my dog? Is arthritis preventable?

To reduce the risk of arthritis in dogs, owners can take the following practical steps:

• • • Keep your puppy and juvenile dog lean: Excess weight not only influences the development of arthritis but also reduces a dog’s lifespan by an average of two years. Regular weight checks and learning to body condition score your dog can help ensure your dog maintains an appropriate weight.
    • Use your veterinary team: Regular orthopaedic health checks, musculoskeletal checks with a veterinary physiotherapist, and help from vet nurse teams for weight checks and body condition scoring are essential in identifying problems early on.
    • Limit access to stairs and slippery floors: Stairs and slippery floors can be dangerous for puppies, and studies show that puppies who have had access to stairs under three months old have an increased risk of hip dysplasia. Covering slippery floors with non-slip flooring, such as rugs and limiting access to stairs can reduce the risk.
    • Be considerate of how much you exercise your pup: Research shows that the type of exercise a puppy or dog is exposed to is more important than the exercise duration. Avoiding trauma to growing joints and avoiding repetitive actions that cause sudden acceleration/deceleration and twisting can help reduce the risk of arthritis.

What if I do nothing about my dog’s arthritis?

Arthritis is a progressive and painful disease that affects dogs of all breeds and ages. If left untreated, the condition will worsen, causing increased pain, reduced mobility, and decreased quality of life for your dog. Although some dogs may be able to cope with mild arthritic changes, the disease will eventually become all-consuming for most dogs, causing them to lose interest in activities they once enjoyed and become less interactive with their human companions. Consult a pain management scale to see if your dog might be in pain.

When a dog has arthritis, it will try to avoid using the painful joints, causing its muscles, tendons, and ligaments to weaken over time. This can result in compensatory weight shifting and injuries to other body regions. Central sensitisation can occur, causing the pain to persist even with gentle touches or strokes. The longer the disease goes untreated, the more challenging it becomes to manage the pain and loss of function.

If you do nothing to treat your dog’s arthritis, their condition will worsen over time. Their limbs will weaken, their pain will increase, and their quality of life will deteriorate. Eventually, the dog may be unable to stand or walk, and their interactions with their human companion may diminish or disappear altogether. Elective euthanasia is often considered when the dog’s quality of life has reached a point where it can no longer enjoy life.

However, by intervening early, the progression of the disease can be slowed down, and the dog’s mobility and quality of life can be maintained. Pain can be eased, and the bond between the dog and its human companion can be preserved. Early identification and treatment of arthritis are crucial for successfully managing the disease. If you suspect that your dog may be suffering from arthritis, it is essential to consult with your veterinarian to develop an appropriate management plan.

If they seem increasingly uncomfortable or their quality of life is impacted, palliative care may be the kindest option.

Can my dog’s arthritis be treated? How is arthritis treated? How do I manage my dog’s arthritis at home?