Arthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD) is a progressive and permanent deterioration of the articular cartilage in joints.
Just like humans, dogs commonly suffer from arthritis. This condition can affect more than one in five dogs and occurs due to the cumulative effect of abnormal stressors placed on the joints. These abnormal stressors are usually due to abnormal alignment of the bones, trauma, ageing or obesity as the joint must carry a larger load than it is supposed to.
Clinical signs of arthritis may include any of the following: reluctance to walk, climb stairs, jump or play, limping, lagging behind on walks, difficulty rising from a rest position, yelping in pain when touched, personality changes, appetite change (inappetant or obsessed with food).
In order to correctly make a diagnosis of arthritis a full musculoskeletal examination must first be done to rule out any other causes of lameness or lethargy (eg. pancreatitis, liver disease, infections or fractures). This includes palpation of all muscles, bones and joints as well as specific tests to look for laxity of tendons and ligaments.
X-rays should also be done and these can give important information about which joints are effected and how far the disease has progressed. From this information, we know what treatments should be instituted to give the best results.
There are several treatment options available for arthritis, these include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (to reduce pain & inflammation & slow down the progression of the joint degradation), pentosan / cartrophen injections (increase joint fluid production & help restore cartilage within the joint), natural supplements such as glucosamines & chondroitin (Sasha's Blend, Seaflex treats, PAW Osteosupport treats, etc), weight loss (one of the MOST important factors to regulate to help treat arthritis), padded but supportive bedding and regular, gentle exercise. A fantastic diet is available called Hills j/d. This is a prescription diet containing a unique fatty acid (EPA) that modifies the genes to block the enzyme causing cartilage degradation. Many dogs experience significant pain relief whilst on this diet. Recently in-clinic use of STEM CELLS is proving promising as another treatment option for dogs with advanced arthritis. This involves harvesting stem cells fromo the dog's own body fat then activatinig them & injecting them into the affected arthritic joints.