Dog Arthritis can be broken down into two main categories:
- Degenerative Joint Disease:
Degenerative Joint Disease develops from acute or chronic trauma to a joint.
Acute Traumatic Arthritis – marked by a sudden injury or accident of some sort. When the injury causes disruption to the cartilage, bone, membranes or ligaments an inflammatory response will potentially lead to dog arthritis. The degree of the injury will determine if the inflammation can be stopped before deterioration of the joint (degenerative joint disease) sets in.
Repeat trauma-induced arthritis – brought on by any repetitive stress on unstable joints. The joints may be unstable in a dog that has poor conformation or the activity itself my cause instability. A young puppy with developing joints is also suseptible to trauma to the joints if asked to do repetitive strenuous exercise such as jogging long distances. Obesity can put abnormal, chronic stress on the joints. It is highly likely that signs of discomfort will not be outwardly visible until the joint is severely damaged. Part of the reason for this is that cartilage does not carry any nerves. It is not until the cartilage damage is extensive that the joint is painful.
Stress or trauma, whether it be acute or chronic, causes the joints to release large amounts of an enzyme that breaks down cartilage. This is a normal enzyme that would normally maintain a balance of buildup and breakdown of cartilage, however in the case of arthritis, the break down occurs too rapidly.
Degenerative Joint Disease cannot be entirely reversed but it can be managed with weight control, exercise, and medications such as nutritional supplements or homeopathic remedies.
2. Inflammatory Joint Disease:
Inflammatory Joint Disease is less common than degenerative joint disease and develops from either an infection or an autoimmune disorder causing inflammation in a joint.
Infective Arthritis – can occur if a joint becomes infected as a result of a wound, such as a bite or penetrating object. The other possible route of infection is from the bloodstream. This requires aggressive treatment with antibiotics and possibly even draining and cleaning inside the joint itself.
Autoimmune Arthritis – normally affects multiple joints. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an example of an autoimmune arthritis. An auto immune disorder means that the body does not recognize a certain tissue as its own and attacks it as if it were a foreign substance. The underlying cause of auto immune arthritis in dogs is not known.
Inflammatory joint disease requires immediate attention from a veterinarian and medications available only from a veterinarian.
my aunts dog recently passed away as a result of autoimmune arthritis – was sad to see however i believe it was 16 years old so thats pretty good going. the vet said it was very common.
thanks for sharing this information with the readers got very good points here about this dog disease.keep all your points in my mind.thanks.
Hmmm this was interesting to read. The vet told me that my Poodle Mix was just old and his joints developed arthritis just like any human would of his age. He was very old when he finally passed away. I wonder now what kind of arthritis he really had. He was going on 13 years old when he finally passed away.
I was 4 years old when I first saw him walking down the street with his original owner. The owner asked me if I wanted a dog and I ran into the house to ask my mother if I could have him. My father came home talked to my mom and walked me over to the house where my future dog and friend was living.
That day marked a friendship that lasted over 12 years. Now that I am 41 years old, that memory is still so clear in my memories.
Thank you for making this website. I hope it can help more people understand a little more about their dogs.
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What do you recommend for pain relief for dogs with arthritis? Aspirin may be a good alternative, but make sure you check with you vet first.
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We have an obese dog that has bad arthritis. Because of the pain, our dog’s activity is minimal. We’ve tried everything for him to reduce his weight including portion control, “diet” dog food, and short daily walks. Unfortunately with his age nothing seems to work.
Good article – it is pretty hard to cure arthritis safely AND painlessly, especially if they are in dogs. Thanks for educating people about their options with regards to dog arthritis.
This is good information and I can understand alittle better about my dogs problem.
I give her soft pillows to lie on and let her be on the couch but she still seems to move stiffly and lies around a lot. Is there any special food I can give her or anything?
I have added some recommended products to my home page…
http://arthritismedicinefordogs.net
They are all very good at supporting the joints while alleviating pain.
This article provides a quality information about a pets problems. I didn’t know pets also suffer from arthritis like humans. Thanks for sharing.
I didn´t new that a simple wound could lead to arthritis, so it was very useful for me. And about the food that could prevent or at least minimize the disease (question of graphic design), I think that Royal Canin had such kind of food, but I am not 100% sure, you’d better check.
Some dog food manufacturers have foods with glucosamine added in. I would investigate the amount and quality of the glucosamine in the food. I personally prefer to have more control over an actual product and I prefer glucosamine supplements with other added ingredients to support the joints. There are so many good ingredients that can be added with the glucosamine for a reasonable price and added benefits.
Does anyone have any experience with dog food with glucosamine??
If the Arthritis is affecting the joints of your dog’s hips or knees, you will notice that their back legs are closer together when standing. This usually is a sign that they are compensating and therefore shifting their weight forward to the front legs.
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Dogs get arthritis?
Best post for Dog Arthritis. thanks.
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