Dog Arthritis

Why recognising the signs of canine arthritis helps your vet

5 minutes

Canine arthritis is one of the most common conditions to strike older dogs, with up to 80% of dogs over the age of 8 thought to be affected¹. Younger dogs are not immune, as developmental joint disease can often lead to arthritis arising at a much earlier point in life than would normally be expected. But early recognition of the condition can give us much more opportunities for effective management.

Why recognising canine arthritis is so important

Most painful joints are blamed on arthritis, but true arthritis is a specific condition, involving inflammation of the affected joint. When the inside of the joint starts to become inflamed, either due to injury, developmental disease or wear and tear, the protective cartilage layer is destroyed. This causes a change in the stresses and forces on the joint, precipitating further inflammation. The joint fluid also becomes less viscous, and spurs of new bone are formed where they are not meant to be. Eventually, all these changes mean that the protective components within the joint are lost and all that remains is bone contacting bone. The joint will become weak, unstable, and painful¹.

Recognising canine arthritis early is good for your dog

Any human patient will be able to tell you how painful arthritis is, but unfortunately, animals can’t.

Spotting the disease in your dog is a matter of looking out for suspect symptoms of dog arthritis, some of which will be more obvious than others. Veterinary surgeons are trained to spot the signs of arthritis but it is very helpful for owners to be on the lookout too.

Spotting the signs of dog arthritis early will help your vet to help your pet

Veterinary practices these days are typically busy, with most surgeries allocating only 10 to 15 minutes per appointment. This offers very little time for the presenting complaint to be discussed, a clinical examination carried out, a diagnostic plan put in place and any treatment prescribed. As a result, unless an animal is actually presented for concerns around arthritis, or the symptoms are obvious, the condition may go undiagnosed.

Often, there simply isn’t enough time for vets to question owners about every aspect of their dog’s life to identify possible symptoms of arthritis. This is especially true if they come in for a completely unrelated issue. If, at these consultations, or the annual vaccination, an owner raises concerns about potential arthritis, a further appointment can easily be arranged to follow up thoroughly and ensure appropriate management for dog arthritis is initiated and maintained.

The risk factors for canine arthritis

There are some clues that can help to guide owners and veterinary professionals into considering canine arthritis as a possible issue.

1. Breed

Larger breed dogs are generally more at risk of canine arthritis. Labradors are over-represented, but Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, and Border Collies also feature in the top five breeds.

2. Age

‘Wear-and-tear’ arthritis strikes older dogs, but as mentioned above, any developmental joint disease such as OCD (osteochondritis dissecans) or elbow dysplasia, will predispose that joint to the development of arthritis. Any injury involving a joint, such as a fracture or ligament damage, also means that joint is more likely to be affected by arthritis over time.

3. Weight

Heavy, especially overweight, dogs are not only more prone to arthritis, but being overweight can accelerate the disease process once started. The exact reason for this is unknown, however it is thought to be due, at least partly, to the influence of certain hormones on the joint cartilage.

4. Pain

Arthritis is usually a condition of chronic pain, rather than acute pain. An example of acute pain would be when a dog’s tail is stepped on - the animal will likely yelp, letting anyone around know that the activity should stop to reduce the pain and allow for healing. Chronic pain often presents with much more subtle, insidious signs and it is these that we must be on the lookout for.

To wait for a limp or a cry is to possibly leave an arthritic dog in pain as these signs will only be seen in severe or longer-standing cases.

Stiffness (especially on rising, which then ‘warms up’), inflexibility, lack of willingness to exercise, licking at a particular joint, not wanting to jump into the car or off the sofa, not wanting to climb or descend stairs, struggling to settle to sleep, struggling to rise from resting, scuffed nails, joint swelling, muscle loss, increased aggression or defensive behaviour can all be signs of pain. If a limp is present, it can be a much clearer sign of arthritis, but a lack of lameness doesn’t exclude arthritis. And to add to the confusion, the limp may just be a brief response to a minor leg injury that will readily resolve. If the disease is in more than one joint, for example if both elbows are affected, a dog may be equally painful in each leg and therefore not present with a distinct limp.

Canine arthritis can be treated

Arthritis is not a disease that can be cured, it can only be managed, but the sooner the signs of arthritis in dogs are converted into a diagnosis, the sooner this management can begin. If identified early and with the right management strategy in place, you (or you and your vet) will give your dog a longer time with improved mobility and a better quality of life. Good management will include pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medications if required.

In addition, adaptations to the dog’s lifestyle are valuable. These may include modifying their exercise regimes, making changes to the home environment, considering changing their diet, potentially losing weight, and taking advantage of therapies such as hydrotherapy or physiotherapy. New ideas are coming along all the time, such as monoclonal antibody therapy which offers a more targeted, unique approach to pain management with fewer side effects than traditional drug therapies.