{"id":740,"date":"2017-03-06T19:08:26","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T19:08:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/?p=740"},"modified":"2017-03-06T19:08:26","modified_gmt":"2017-03-06T19:08:26","slug":"canine-arthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/canine-arthritis\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Canine Arthritis?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>by Dr. Robert Brady<\/p>\n<p><strong>What Is It?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Arthritis is a joint problem that can reduce mobility and cause pain. Often seen in older dogs, arthritis can be caused by injury, infection, the body\u2019s own immune system, or developmental problems. The most common form of arthritis is called\u00a0osteoarthritis\u00a0(osteo\u00a0= bone;\u00a0arthr\u00a0= joint;\u00a0itis\u00a0= inflammation) or\u00a0degenerative joint disease. Normally, joints form smooth connections between bones. Osteoarthritis involves thinning of joint cartilage (a protective cushioning between bones), buildup of fluid within the joint, and the formation of bony growths within the joint. Over time, this can lead to reduced joint mobility as well as pain.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Osteoarthritis affects one of every five dogs.<\/li>\n<li>Thinning of joint cartilage can lead to a vicious cycle of joint deterioration, reduced mobility, and pain.<\/li>\n<li>Supportive care is important, and treatment may include pain medication, NSAIDs, corticosteroids,supplements, massage, therapeutic laser, warm compresses, and\/or surgery.<\/li>\n<li>Regular, moderate exercise may help delay canine arthritis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Signs and Diagnosis<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stiffness after exercise or rest<\/li>\n<li>Wasting away of muscle<\/li>\n<li>Limited movement<\/li>\n<li>Joint swelling<\/li>\n<li>Trouble getting up, laying down, walking, climbing stairs, or jumping<\/li>\n<li>A grating sound in a joint<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div id=\"attachment_741\" style=\"width: 426px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Normal-Canine-Hips.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-741\" class=\"wp-image-741\" src=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Normal-Canine-Hips-300x206.jpg\" alt=\"Normal Canine Hips- Arthritis\" width=\"416\" height=\"285\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-741\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Normal Canine Hips<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Recognizing arthritis in dogs can be difficult because the condition progresses slowly and dogs don&#8217;t complain about their aching joints. Also, some owners assume that signs of arthritis are \u201cnormal\u201d in older animals.<\/p>\n<p>Bringing your dog in for an annual checkup can help your veterinarian identify clinical signs early. Radiography (x-rays) can reveal bony growths and joint abnormalities.<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<div id=\"attachment_742\" style=\"width: 414px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Severe-Hip-Dysplasia-and-Osteoarthritis.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-742\" class=\"wp-image-742\" src=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Severe-Hip-Dysplasia-and-Osteoarthritis.jpg\" alt=\"Severe Hip Dysplasia and Osteoarthritis- Arthritis\" width=\"404\" height=\"372\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-742\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Severe Hip Dysplasia and Osteoarthritis<\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><strong>Treatment<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Getting or keeping your dog slim can help by decreasing the load on his or her joints.<\/li>\n<li>Feeding your dog the right amount of high-quality food should help with weight control.<\/li>\n<li>Carefully monitored exercise on soft surfaces can help affected dogs..<\/li>\n<li>Because arthritis is aggravated by cold and damp, keep your dog warm and dry. Padded dog beds can help.<\/li>\n<li>Warm compresses can soothe affected joints.<\/li>\n<li>Massage and passive range of motion can increase your dog\u2019s flexibility, circulation, and sense of well-being. Professional animal massage therapists are available.<\/li>\n<li>Pain medication, including nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (commonly called\u00a0NSAIDs), may help relieve signs, but you should never give your dog a drug without your veterinarian\u2019s recommendation. Ibuprofen (Advil), Aspirin, and acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be toxic to dogs and cats so never give these medications to your pets.<\/li>\n<li>Corticosteroids can be used to suppress inflammation, but they are usually used for short periods.<\/li>\n<li>Glucosamine and chondroitin have been used to help manage arthritis in dogs and other animals.<\/li>\n<li>Acupuncture isn\u2019t just for people. It\u2019s painless and has shown some success in animals.<\/li>\n<li>Therapeutic Laser therapy has also been proven to reduce inflammation and pain associated with arthritis in dogs.<\/li>\n<li>Surgery may be a good choice in advanced cases of canine arthritis including total hip replacements.<\/li>\n<li>A low-stress environment, plenty of affection, and supportive care can help improve your dog\u2019s quality of life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Prevention<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Regular, moderate exercise and a high-quality diet can help delay aging, keeping your pet thin, and early intervention when a problem is suspected all help delay the progression of arthritis.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Aids for Arthritic Dogs<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Slip-free flooring\/ grip enhancement for your pets feet<\/li>\n<li>Soft bedding<\/li>\n<li>Ramps (instead of steps)<\/li>\n<li>A warm, dry environment<\/li>\n<li>Assisted grooming<\/li>\n<li>Regular veterinary visits<\/li>\n<li>Pain medications when warranted<\/li>\n<li>Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Laser treatments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>by Dr. Robert Brady What Is It? Arthritis is a joint problem that can reduce mobility and cause pain. Often seen in older dogs, arthritis can be caused by injury, infection, the body\u2019s own immune system, or developmental problems. The most common form of arthritis is called\u00a0osteoarthritis\u00a0(osteo\u00a0= bone;\u00a0arthr\u00a0= joint;\u00a0itis\u00a0= inflammation) or\u00a0degenerative joint disease. Normally, joints [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[71,100,219,238],"class_list":["post-740","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-pet-health-wellness","tag-arthritis","tag-canine-arthritis","tag-dog-health","tag-dog-stiffness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Canine Arthritis? - Animal Medical Hospital &amp; Urgent Care<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Often seen in older dogs, arthritis can be caused by injury, infection, the body\u2019s own immune system, or developmental problems.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.animalmedical.net\/blog\/canine-arthritis\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is Canine Arthritis? 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