Arthritis in Dogs

Introduction to Arthritis in Dogs

Like in humans, arthritis is an ailment that can also be seen in dogs. Arthritis is a condition where there is irritation or soreness in a particular joint or joints. This disease is generally termed as Osteo-arthritis.

Wherein continuing changes take place around the joints. These alterations can cause swelling and abnormal growth of the joints. The pain that the dog suffers as a result of this can make him lame. It is important to keep a track of dogs behavioral pattern and also on his food habits. If any changes are noticed then it is necessary that the dog be taken to a vet for checking any possibility of arthritis. A few reasons that lead to arthritis are-

1) The dogs age
2) Any sort of infection or a joint trauma
3) Dog might be over-weight, etc.

Symptoms/ Signs of arthritis-

1) Weight loss-
The dog can suddenly loose weight for no reason whatsoever. The reason for weight loss is basically the lack of interst of the dog in his meals. There can be situations where he will just leave the food as it is or will just partly eat it.

2) Fever-
The dog that has arthritis will have fever but it is usually in the latter stages. Fever along with pain is sure shot signs of arthritis. It is thus essential to get the dog examined by a vet for any illness.

3) Lack of activity-
The dogs will be lazy to do any of the normal activities like jumping, or running, or even climbing stairs and prefer to be in a corner. This is a strong indicator of arthritis.

4) Pain in the legs-
The dogs with arthritis have trouble standing on their hind legs. This can be easily ignored as a sign of old age but it should be immediately checked with the vet.

Treatment/ Vaccination of arthritis-

The treatment includes the following-

1) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Rimadyl, Deramaxx. These help in reducing the pain that is caused in the joints.

2) Surgery-
Another option is surgery. But this might be only required in the progressed stages. Besides this, not many opt for it as it is very expensive and not necessary in most of the cases.

3) Vaccination-
This is more of prevention from arthritis than remedy.

4) Natural remedy-
Natural therapy can be used to cure arthritis. There is a wide range of these therapies which can be given depending on the stage the disease has reached.

5) Diet is also an important part of treatment. The intake of vitamins and minerals boosts the internal system of the dog and this helps in fighting the disease better.