Canine Arthritis – how to help your dog
Arthritis is a disease it is not just an old stiff dog to be accepted as normal. Arthritis is painful and that pain increases over time. It is a debilitating disease that benefits from being well managed from early stages. Stiffness in your dog is not just old age it is an indication of pain and they need help.
The earlier your dog’s arthritis or stiff joints are treated the longer, more comfortable life they will lead. Dogs are living healthier lives to older ages now and this means they live longer with arthritis. Without help they are in pain.
What is arthritis?
Inside joints is cartilage covering the ends of the bones and this cushions the stresses put through the joint. Cartilage relies on nutrients found in the joint fluid to maintain its integrity.
Joint development, trauma, obesity, poor biomechanics (limb alignment), operations and repetitive activities can all disrupt cartilage and joint fluid. Disruption of cartilage leads to increased friction and inflammation in the joints. Inflammation causes pain as it increases pressure in joint, it releases chemicals that heighten nerve sensitivity and in its attempts to clean up the area, it erodes bone & cartilage which then initiates new bone growth in awkward area. This interferes with normal joint movement and causes pain. Eventually, the joint cartilage can wear away to the point that the underlying bone is actually grinding against the adjacent bone. Because such bone is rich in nerve supply, this is a main source of pain in later stage arthritis.
Nerves that transmit pain signals are repeatedly set off because the inflammation is always present and they get tired of not being heard so over time shout louder and louder leading to chronic pain, meaning on going pain that can not be easily settled down.
Signs your dog may have arthritis
- Stiffness on rising
- reluctance to jump – into/out of car or on/off sofa or bed
- reluctance/hesitation using stairs and steps
- not sitting neatly – back legs splayed or straight in front
- avoiding or growling at other dogs
- slower on walks incl returning home
- consider any changes in behaviour – this can indicate pain
What helps your dog's arthritis
A multi-modal approach to treating arthritis attacks the pain and stiffness from all sides. Multi-modal means a variety of professionals involved plus home and environmental changes, way of life changes and being aware daily of how your dog is feeling.
Physiotherapy plays an important role in this management. Yes we give a nice massage to tense muscles but we also relieve pain via a variety of physiotherapy techniques both hands on and hands off, help you to adapt your home, your dog’s exercise and give you tools to help your dog on a day to day basis.
Physiotherapy for Arthritis
Physiotherapy aims to help your dog achieve pain free quality movement. This involves therapy to get your dog to use all of his/her body in movement in order to reduce pressure on limbs and spine. The earlier in their senior years that they have physio the better as we can slow down the onset of stiffness, soreness and muscle loss.
If your dog has or has had pain in a leg joint, back or muscle they will offload that area and put more reliance and pressure onto the other limbs. Over time these limbs taking the strain start to have difficulty doing this and may get painful or have restricted movement. This often causes tight and sore muscles as they overwork and go into spasm. And weak muscles in the offloaded parts.
Physiotherapy includes
- Therapy to reduce pain and discomfort (veterinary pain meds may also be part of this)
- Therapy and home program to Improve proprioception
- Improve the muscles that stabilize and support the joints in the limbs and spine.
- Improve muscle strength in weaker muscles so that whole body is used in movement.
Not just old age
Arthritis doesn’t just affect the old dog.
Young dogs who have had injuries or operations to joints and muscles are likely to develop arthritis at a young age. This often occurs within a few months of their original injury or operation.
For example dogs who have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament injury, patella luxation or have less than ideal conformation, including those operated on for these issues will ALL develop arthritis.
Also dogs that do repetitive activities such as running for a ball, playing energetically with other dogs, working dogs or athletes.
The earlier it is addressed the more comfortable they will be long term.
More info on managing Arthritis
There is a very good website run by professionals with lots of information on how to treat and manage arthritis plus interviews with specialists from around the world on old and new techniques to help. http://www.CanineArthritis.co.uk.They have great printed booklets for information and for recording your dog’s life living with arthritis. Also many interviews with professionals about helping dogs. videos on helping arthritis in dogs
Not just old age
Arthritis doesn’t just affect the old dog, young dogs who have had injuries or operations to joints and muscles are likely to develop arthritis at a young age, often within a few months of their original injury or operation. For example dogs who have been diagnosed with hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament injury, patella luxation or have less than ideal conformation, including those operated on for these issues will ALL develop arthritis. The earlier it is addressed the more comfortable they will be long term.