Arthritis in dogs

Arthritis is actually a collective name for many rheumatological diseases. We refer to osteoarthritis, which is the result of wear and tear on the joints, as arthritis, but also rheumatoid arthritis, which is an inflammatory disease of the cartilage.

Of course, not all musculoskeletal and joint conditions are arthritis. It is a slowly spreading disease that causes the cartilage to weaken, losing its function between the bones. Without cartilage, movement becomes difficult and painful, articulation becomes inflamed, all of which can be seen in limping or complete cessation of movement.

Inflammation of the joints, or arthritis

The components that connect the bones are the articulations, including the cartilage-covered bone ends (articular surface). These are the areas where the bones come into contact.

The most important component of the articulation is the cartilage, which facilitates the movement of the bones. The movement of the cartilage is ensured by the synovial fluid. Since movement is also a fundamental part of dogs’ lives, stress on the joints (infection, autoimmune disease, metabolic disorder, trauma, etc.) can have an impact on their lives.

The pathological changes that occur in the articulations are called arthritis. This disease is divided into several categories, arthritis (osteoarthritis) is the most common phenomenon in dogs.

• Osteoarthritis affects nearly one in five adult dogs, and that’s just the number of diagnosed cases. In many cases, the disease is not diagnosed because the changes in the dog’s movements are attributed to the age or overweight of the animal and not taken to a doctor. But most often, the cause of a bound movement is arthritis.
• The disease is more common in overweight and older animals, but can develop in any dog.

Arthritis in dogs is a painful disease that significantly reduces the quality of life, which cannot be cured, only treated and prevented!

Symptoms of arthritis

• The dog is reluctant to walk, jump in the car, climb stairs, jump or play.
• The dog limps, lags behind on a walk
• The dog has difficulty getting up from a sitting or lying position
• When petted, it indicates pain by whining and barking
• His personality changes, he becomes too quiet or aggressive
• He no longer likes to be stroked
• Cold, sudden changes in weather, fronts or more movement can make symptoms worse
• The symptoms are worse in the morning, and then slowly the joint starts to move more easily

Arthritis hurts dogs just as much as it hurts us humans. Lethargy or limping can be the first signs of arthritis. When you recognize signs of arthritis, visit your veterinarian immediately! He will explain the options related to the treatment of the disease. Early detection is very important!

Treatment of arthritis