Doggy Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘arthritis medicine for dogs’

Dog Arthritis and its causes can be broken down into two main categories and two subcategories:

1.  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.An injury that disrupts the joints will cause inflammation that will then have the potential to lead to dog arthritis.It is possible that deterioration of the joint will not set in if the degree of the injury was minimal.  

                                 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.Being overweight will subject the joints to excessive stress.In most cases you will not notice any signs of pain until it is too late, the damage is extensive.This is true because cartilage does not contain any nerves.Pain sets in only after extensive damage has occurred to the cartilage. 

                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 arthritis medicine for dogs.Dog arthritis medicine can include nutritional supplements and homeopathic remedies.  Glucosamine for dogs is a particularly popular and effective way to help manage the pain of dog arthritis.  The safety of glucosamine for dogs is also an important factor.

      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.The treatment includes veterinary care in the form of antibiotics and potentially draining and cleaning directly into the joint.

                     Autoimmune Arthritis – normally affects multiple joints.  Rheumatoid Arthritis is an example of an autoimmune arthritis.In an autoimmune disorder, the body does not recognize its own tissues but rather reacts as if it was 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.

The most common cause of arthritis in dogs is hip dysplasia.  Let’s take a look at the condition of hip dysplasia and the process that leads to arthritis.

The hip joint is a ball-and-socket joint.  In a normally developed hip joint the ball on the top of the femur (thigh bone) fits very snuggly and smoothly in the socket of the hip bone.We may find two different problems in the dog with hip dysplasia.  One, the ball does not sit deep and snug in the socket and two, the ball and/or the socket are not smooth and normally shaped. 

So why does this lead to arthritis?  Hip dysplasia brings on a vicious cycle.Inflammation results from the cartilage rubbing together between the abnormally shaped bones.  Inflammation further degrades the cartilage.Cartilage regrowth can be slow, possibly too slow to manage the rate of loss of cartilage.  The losses outweigh the gains.   The more damaged the joint becomes the less able it is to protect itself so even more damage occurs.

There are two possibilities as to how your dog developed hip dysplasia.  It is  a genetic condition,  meaning a dog may be born with the problem.  There is also evidence that environmental conditions can play a role.  Injury or overexertion at a young age, while the joints are still developing.You should not make your four month old lab puppy your daily jogging partner.That repetitive force on a sensitive, developing joint is damaging.

Many of the symptoms of hip dysplasia indicate a reluctance to use the joint.  Your dog may stand up slowly or with difficulty, may be reluctant to jump up on things or go up stairs and may even bunnyhop with his back legs when running.  Over time the muscles in the hip and thigh area may atrophy or shrink causing the bones to appear to be sticking out.

Hip dysplasia has no cure.  The condition is controlled with weight control, proper exercise and arthritis medicine for dogs.  Medication can come in the form of nutritional supplements such as glucosamine for dogs or anti-inflammatory drugs obtained from your veterinarian.  In severe cases hip replacement surgery may be considered.

If you think your dog may have a problem speak with your veterinarian about taking x-rays so you can diagnose the problem and start treatment right away.  With the proper management it is possible to slow down the arthritis and control the pain.  Also keep in mind that arthritis has other causes.  You may notice symptoms of arthritis in your dog but it does not necessarily mean that it was caused by hip dysplasia.Old age and injuries also play a part in the development of arthritis.  In any event, your arthritic dog may benefit greatly from supplementation to support the joints.