Arthritis in Pets

Joint disease and arthritis can occur in pets just as it does in humans. The joint is the space between bones lined by a tough, fibrous capsule that produces a fluid to lubricate the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones. Damage to the cartilage or joint capsule can be caused by infection, trauma, inflammation, obesity, or mechanical mis-alignment.

In the case of hip dysplasia, the head of the femur does not fit into the socket of the pelvis properly. This results in tearing of the joint capsule, and degeneration of the cartilage. Soon, inflammatory changes in the cartilage can cause bone to bone friction, bone spur formation and further deterioration of the joint. This causes pain and limping. Once advanced arthritis occurs, the damage is irreversible and hip surgery may be necessary.

Joint disease can also occur in the stifle (knee). In some of the smaller breeds of dogs, the rear leg is not quite lined up straight and the groove that the patella slides in is shallow. This results in a luxation or slippage of the patella. Over time, the joint capsule stretches, the cartilage wears down and inflammatory changes develop such that you have bone to bone contact again. This can also lead to an unstable joint and a further damage can be done with a cruciate ligament tear. (Football knee). If surgery is done early in the course of the disease, damage can be reduced and arthritis delayed.

In severe joint disease, surgical intervention is sometimes necessary.
In milder cases of arthritis, the newer NSAIDS, such as Rimadyl, Zubrin, Dermamax and others, can be used for both anti-inflammatory and pain reduction. Side effects can occur, but with close monitoring, they can be quite useful in abetting the pain.

Nutritional supplements containing glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM are now being used to help with joint fluid production and repair.

Many prescription diets, such as Science Diet J/D, contain some of the nutri-ceuticals as well as omega-6 fatty acids. Their nutritional studies have shown to have a positive impact on arthritic patients.

Weight control is also a factor. Extra weight can have an enormous strain on the joints. Simply loosing the extra weight can help the pets move about easier.

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