Arthritis in dogs

First of all, it should be said that arthritis is not a specific disease, but general designation of various joint diseases. It can be either an independent disease or a manifestation of another disease. Arthritis in dogs is divided into five main types.

Osteoarthritis - the most common form of arthritis in dogs. Osteoarthritis is the degeneration of the cartilage that covers the joint. It can be caused by trauma, a strong load on the limb (due to excessive physical activity or excess weight), limb form disorder, developmental defects (eg, hip dysplasia, which affects many large breed dogs).

Another form of arthritis - rheumatoid arthritis in dogs, it is more common among dogssmall and miniature breeds, although large breeds can also get sick. This is a noninfectious inflammatory chronic disease, if left untreated, the deformity of the joint may develop with time.

Acute traumatic arthritis develops due to mechanical damagejoint (injury). Typical symptoms of acute arthritis are lameness, swelling, pain, increased local temperature. If the time does not provide first aid for trauma, eventually the infection will join and inflammation will begin.

Idiopathic arthritis dogs have arthritis caused by otherdiseases (cancer, GI disease, infection, immune system damage). However, the exact causes of arthritis in these diseases have not yet been found (or the mechanism of the occurrence of joint problems has not been adequately studied).

Finally, the rarest form of arthritis in dogs - arthritis, it is a reaction to some vaccines and medications. It occurs extremely infrequently and in no case is an excuse to refuse vaccination.

Arthritis in dogs causes them a lot of suffering,therefore it is very important to recognize the disease at an early stage in time to start treatment in time. Lame dog begins as the disease progresses, there are also earlier ones symptoms of arthritis:

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  the dog became less active, gets tired faster on walks, games give her less pleasure;
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  having rested, the dog hardly rises on paws;
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  the dog found it more difficult to walk up the stairs, climb into a car or on a sofa.

In older dogs, arthritis is more common than in young dogs, but a dog of any age can develop arthritis.

How to treat arthritis in dogs? Proper treatment can be prescribed only by a veterinarian after the type and cause of arthritis is established. Usually, arthritis treatment in dogs includes the appointment non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Please note that you can not choose for yourselfdogs NSAIDs: many drugs, harmless to humans, for dogs can be toxic (eg, ibuprofen). In addition, even correctly selected NSAIDs with the wrong dosage can cause side effects, so it is very important to adhere exactly to the dosage prescribed by the doctor.

Also the veterinarian can appoint Special exercises, therapeutic massage and diet. If the dog suffers from osteoarthritis caused by excess weight, a special diet will need to be followed and after recovery to keep the dog's weight normal and prevent a relapse of the disease.

For dogs with arthritis is important moderate exercise, which should be distributed evenly (for example,it is better to walk with a dog several times a day, but a little more than deduce it for one long walk). If you have a slippery floor at home, you need to cover it with a carpet or a carpet for the time of recovery.

When purulent infectious arthritis may be needed surgical intervention: opening of the abscess and washing the wound with antibiotics or antiseptic solutions, after which a bandage is applied to the affected joint and antibiotics and painkillers are prescribed.

Arthritis in dogs is a disease that in no case be allowed to go by itself. At the first signs of arthritis, you need to contact the veterinarian and follow his recommendations clearly.