Understanding Canine Arthritis: Malady To Man’s Best Friend

It's heart-breaking to see older dogs get sick, especially when they become debilitated. Everyone likes canine companions that are active and playful....


It’s heart-breaking to see older dogs get sick, especially when they become debilitated. Everyone likes canine companions that are active and playful. However, dogs also get old too and begin to experience certain illness that may prohibit them from doing the things that they enjoyed before with their master.

Canine arthritis or osteoarthritis can also happen to dogs regardless of any breed or size. Like human beings, canine arthritis is a progressive disease that involves the joints which can lead to permanent debilitation. When a dog is young, it can run and play the whole day since cartilage is very much present in the joints. As years pass by, cartilage in the dog�s joint may decrease thereby causing the dog to exhibit the following symptoms: limping, walking slowly, refusing to be touched, reluctant to play/walk or engage in physical activities and having a hard time to stand up from a resting position. If these symptoms show when the dog is already middle-aged, then most likely it is suffering from canine arthritis or a degenerative joint disease.

According to some veterinarians, the onset of canine arthritis is brought about by infections, malnutrition or trauma that the dog has experienced. A dog that has been injured at some point in its younger years is a candidate for canine arthritis. Also certain infections can affect the dog�s cartilage that can do damage to the bones. The best way to address this concern as soon as symptoms are detected is to visit the veterinarian with your dog. Once the vet has conducted a physical assessment of the dog’s condition, arthritis can be arrested. Normally, medications are prescribed by the doctor once canine arthritis is detected. The drugs fit the purpose of reducing pain, increasing range of motion as well as delaying the progress of arthritis so the dog can still enjoy some physical activity. Usually, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs commonly known as NSAIDs are administered to dogs with arthritis to lessen the swelling and pain. Dog owners must encourage their canine friends to regularly walk or swim so their mobility would not be impaired as long as the activity is not too hard.

Canine arthritis can be handled well by taking care of your dog and listening to the advice of your veterinarian.

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