Dog Symptoms & Conditions

You met Sarah above and she has Arthritis. She's slow getting up from lying down. She walks a lot slower on our walks than she used to. And it seems she whimpers on occasion on those walks.

As your dog ages:

• You might notice him slowing down.


• Getting up in the morning might be a chore for him.


• It might take your dog a little extra time to lay down or get up from a lying position.


• He might walk slower than he did a year ago.


• Or he might not chase his favorite ball like he used to.


• You might notice he has pain and swelling in his joints. You might also notice those areas seem to be warmer than the rest of his body.


• He might nip at you when touched in certain areas of avoid you when you try to pet him in those areas.


• If it's cold and wet you might notice these things are more prevalent.

Just as with elderly people, elderly dogs suffer from many ailments. One of these is arthritis.

Arthritis shows up in dogs in many different ways. In humans, arthritis attacks the joints in the body. It becomes increasingly difficult to move and get around. But because of evolution, many dogs will try masking their pain. In the wild, animals that can't keep up with the pack become outcasts, or worse still... targets for a kill. "Dogs have an instinct to hide their pain, like wild animals who avoid showing any sign of weakness that could cause them to become targets for death. Nature's 'survival of the fittest' makes hiding pain a good tactic in the wild." - Kathy Diamond Davis, Author and Trainer. This behavior can make it more difficult for the human pack to know when their best friend suffering with pain. Watching your dog's every day activities could give you a clue - is your dog walking slower on his daily walks? Is playing fetch, chasing his ball or running around the yard of little interest to him now-a-days? Perhaps you have noticed him struggling to get up from a laying down position? Have you heard him actually cry and whimper in pain.

The first thing your should do is take your dog to your vet. Your vet will check for painful places and for full range of motion in your dog. She might do x-rays and some blood work to see how everything is internally and to make sure that prescribed medication will not have an adverse affect on him.

There are many forms of treatment for dogs with Arthritis. Choose the one that you and your vet believe is best for your dog.

• Pain reduction. Reducing your dogs pain can be done with injections at the vet's office or by using pills that you take home. Do not give your dog pain relievers for humans as this could cause serious harm to him. Only give him prescribed pain relievers. Pain medications for your dog are normally given for short amounts of time before repeat blood work is required. A side effect of some pain medications is liver and kidney problems. Your vet will want to make sure that their cure is not making your dog worse in other areas.


• Acupuncture, Acupressure and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This is another treatment for dogs with arthritis. As early as 1985, veterinarians have used Acupuncture for a variety of ailments and pain relive. Small-gauge needles are inserted into various points on the dogs body for the purpose of eliciting physiological responses and reducing pain. "In the general treatment of ailments, it may take four to eight sessions to know if acupuncture therapy will be effective, although a response could be seen even after the first treatment, and improvements often are noticed after the third. Treatments may last from 10 seconds to 30 minutes and may be recommended once or twice weekly." - Susan Thorpe-Vargas, PhD and John C. Gargill, MA, MBA, MS


• Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate. Many veterinarians have long used glucosamine and chondroitin to treat creaky horses and dogs. "These products are cartilage components harvested chiefly from sea mollusks (i.e., cartilage is made up of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine metabolites, among other things). By taking these components orally (pills in the mouth), the patient is able to have plenty of the necessary building blocks needed to repair damaged cartilage. It is also felt that these products may have some anti-inflammatory properties separate from their structural uses. Unlike anti-inflammatory medications, these products do not produce rapid results; one to two months are needed for them to build up to adequate amounts." - Wendy C. Brooks, DVM, DipABVP You dog may see an improvement while on the supplement. Your vet can tell you the dose and time frame for taking Glucosamine and/or Chondroitin Sulfate that is right for your dog. The supplements come in tablet and liquid form, which makes it easy to find a way to administer it to your dog.


• Diet and herbs are often used in conjunction with the treatments listed above to treat arthritis in your dog. You would need to find a good Holistic vet to help you with this.
  
  Holistic veterinary medicine uses alternative medicine in the treatment of animals. The philosophy of a holistic veterinarian emphasizes empathy and minimal invasiveness. Alternative therapies offered by a holistic veterinarian may include, but are not limited to, acupuncture, herbal medicine, homeopathy, and chiropractic.
  
  Herbal Medicine: The use of specific herbs and plants for medicinal purposes has been practiced for millennia all over the world. Veterinary herbal medicines include Western herbs, Ayurvedic herbs from India, traditional Chinese herbs and other herbs from all over the world. Herbs have healing powers that are capable of balancing the emotional, mental and physical dimensions of animals." - American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association More often done by a holistic vet then your regular one, the dog is given fresh foods like salmon, Lima beans, and kale as well as a mix of Chinese herbs. This treatment is not for the faint of heart, as it not only requires cooking for your dog, but herbs often need to be given at multiple times of the day to be effective.


• Making some small changes in your dog's every day life can make coping with arthritis a lot easier.
  
  • Make sure that your dog's bed is soft and comfortable and that it's very easy to get in and out of.
  • Light exercise will help keep his joints mobile. Swimming is an excellent activity that will help your dog feel better.
  • Make sure his weight is properly maintained. Just as with humans, excessive weight gain will cause more strain on your dog's joints. This may require a change in the amount or the type of food that you give him.
  • You can help your dog get around by installing a ramp to get up and down stairs, on and off the couch or into and out of your car.
  • If you live in a normally cold or wet climate your dog may experience increased pain and stiffness. Think about getting a heated bed, a special mat that retains his body heat or even an electric blanket for them to sleep on. Even a hot water bottle wrapped in towels or a microwaveable heating pad tucked into his bed will bring warmth throughout the night. This will help with the pain in the mornings and when getting up from a nap.
• In severe cases, surgical fusion of painful joints, such as the hock or elbow, relieves pain and restores limb movement in some dogs.

Arthritis doesn't mean your dog has come to the end of his road. With some extra care and small changes in your dog's daily routine he can be happy and comfortable for many years to come.