ARTHRITIS IN DOGS
By Dr. Max Banwell DVM
Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) is the most frequently diagnosed disease in veterinary medicine. Medical records show that nearly 25% of patients have complaints or signs indicative of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis can be defined as a disorder of movable joints characterized by deterioration of articular cartilage; osteophyte formation and bone remodeling. Changes also include the tissues surrounding the joint. Low-grade inflammation may also be present.
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Radiographs showing (left to right): traumatic elbow luxation, |
Osteoarthritis is a syndrome characterized by pathologic change of the joints accompanied by clinical signs of pain and disability. It is a complex condition with a multitude of interacting biochemical and biomechanical factors. Many causes have been identified including: luxation (dislocation) of a joint; fractures near or including a joint surface; joint infections; auto-immune disease like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Idiopathic Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis; developmental diseases like Hip Dysplasia or Elbow Dysplasia; Cranial Cruciate Ligament ruptures and excessive wear and tear especially in working and hunting dogs.
Despite the many recognized causes of arthritis, nearly 50% of dogs that suffer from arthritis go untreated. Treatment for arthritis in dogs is the same as treatment in people:
· Daily low-impact exercise to maintain lean muscle mass - ideally leash walks for at least a mile or swimming 15 minutes. · Maintenance of an ideal body condition by feeding a high-quality, restricted calorie dog food · Pain Relief with NSAIDs as needed and as prescribed by your veterinarian · Provide the joint with the building blocks (i.e. Glucosamine) necessary to maintain good joint health
In double-blinded controlled studies, Glucosamine has been shown to be more effective at treating joint pain than both ibuprofen and a placebo. Long-term use of Glucosamine may allow the discontinuation of NSAIDs, avoiding the undesirable side-effects of NSAID administration.