Arthritis in dogs

In winter time owners of older pets may notice that their dog or cat seems a little stiff in the morning or that they seem to be “slowing down”. Many people put this down to “old age” but in reality their pet may be suffering in silence.

Osteoarthritis is a painful degenerative condition of the joints. It most commonly affects older pets, particularly large breed dogs, through long-term wear and tear. It can however occur at any age due to injury, anatomical defects (such as hip and elbow dysplasia), and less commonly infection and immune-mediated diseases.

It may be difficult to recognise the symptoms of arthritis, as animals won’t necessarily vocalise when painful. Signs of arthritic pain may include one or more of the following:

• “Slowing down” on walks
• Limping or stiffness
• Reluctance to play
• Grumpy or “touchy” when handled
• Reluctance to jump (e.g. into car, onto bed)
• Difficulty rising from rest
• Licking joints

A diagnosis of arthritis is often made on history and clinical examination of your pet. In some circumstances radiographs (x-rays) are needed to confirm the diagnosis or to assess for possible anatomical defects.

Treatment for arthritis is aimed at management rather than a cure. We need to reduce any discomfort and slow further progression of the disease. This is done in a multi-modal fashion, meaning we approach the problem from many different aspect and combine therapy, both at home and at the veterinary clinic, to achieve the best results.

What you can do at home:

Provide warm, soft bedding away from cold drafts. Consider using a rug or jacket for cold nights. Keeping the joints warm can reduce ‘stiffness’.
Exercise – short regular walks, rather than one long walk on weekends, encourages joint fluid circulation and nourishes cartilage.
Improving access – for example, using a ramp for larger dogs to walk into the car rather than having to jump up.

Nutritional supplements:

There are many over-the-counter products that have long been used for people suffering with arthritis and they are often beneficial for our pets as well!
Research is showing that omega-3 fatty acids, especially EPA, may be helpful in reducing the inflammation associated with arthritis. High levels of omega-3 fatty acids can be found in marine fish oil or flax seed oil. An average 20kg dog can benefit from 1000mg fish oil capsule daily.
Glucosamine (as glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine HCl) has great anecdotal and increasing scientific evidence of its benefits for arthritic patients. An ideal dose rate has not yet been determined, however 500mg for a 20kg dog is a rough guideline. Some studies suggest the liquid forms of glucosamine sulfate are better absorbed rather than the tablet forms. Glucosamine is often sold in combination with chondroitin and omega oils. Registered veterinary products include “Cosequin”, “JointGuard”, “Sasha’s Blend” and “Paws Osteo-Support”. There are also complete balanced dog foods for arthritic dogs that already contain these supplements such as Hills J/D Diet.

Veterinary Treatments:

Cartrophen Injections

Cartrophen (pentosan polysulfate) is classified as a chondroprotective (cartilage protective) agent and acts to slow down the progression of arthritis. It does this by stimulating the production of lubricating joint fluid and encouraging the repair of cartilage in the joint. The initial course is four injections at weekly intervals. Most dogs benefit from single boosters administered every four to twelve weeks. It is often used as a first-line treatment, due to the relative low cost and few side effects, however not all dogs respond to cartrophen alone.

Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

Oral medications such as Rimadyl, Metacam and Previcox are a prescription drug that can be used at home to control pain associated with inflamed, arthritic joints. These drugs have the benefit of providing strong pain relief to even severely affected dogs and can greatly improve the quality of life of our geriatric patients. They must however be used with caution as the disadvantage of NSAIDs are side effects such as gastrointestinal upset, less common but more severe gastric ulcers, liver and kidney damage. We recommend blood test monitoring of liver and kidney enzymes, especially in long-term use.
(Note: NEVER administer human anti-inflammatories to your pets, they can be toxic even at very low doses!)

Acupuncture is another therapy that is often well tolerated by pets and can provide relief.

Using a combination of these treatment methods will no doubt improve the quality of life for our arthritic pets. If you have any questions or would like your pet to be assessed for arthritis please do not hesitate to phone us at Warrandyte Veterinary Clinic on 9844 3071.

Written by Stuart Turner
Head Vet at The Warrandyte Vet Clinic
91 - 93 Melbourne Hill Road Warrandyte, VIC 3113

www.warrandytevet.com.au