How to Identify and Treat Arthritis in Cats and Dogs.

I have been writing on health, ailment and general care of pets for some time now, this is because I strongly believe that, our pets needs to be adequately catered for in the same manner at which we would cater for our own selves. While we pay attention to our own health, we need to also pay attention to the health of our pets. There are even some form of disease we call, zoonotic disease which could spread from animals to humans, the best way to avoid this, is to protect our pets from getting these infections in the best place, and of course pay close attention enough to notice when they begin to show certain symptoms that need urgent medical attention.

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Still concerned about the health of our pet, I would be writing about Arthritis in pets today, it is also known as a degenerative joint disease. Funny thing is, it is not even so rare as it has been found to be one of the most common ailment affecting middle aged to senior dogs and cats, according to, it could be a source of severe pain which affects their quality of life negatively.

Arthritis is as a result of the absence of stability causing the bone to move abnormally with the joint. Cartilage is responsible for lining the joints that acts as a barrier between bones, as time goes on, the abnormal movement runs over the cartilage and then the bone begins to rub against one another causing chronic pain and inflammation.

The most evident sign of arthritis in your dog or cat is when you find out they are limping, but limping is definitely not enough reason to conclude that your pet has arthritis.Older dogs may be found to be slowing down and act less active, or the pets that would normally follow you around the house before just sits around all day. You could also notice sore joints, swelling or stiffness in your pet, your dog may not want to be touched as often as before or may completely loose stamina.

However, cats are not even as active as dogs normally, so in cats, they may start to defecate or urinate out of their litter box as it has become extremely painful for them to jump into it. Another sign of arthritis in your cat is when you find them excessively grooming in one area, which could be an indication for focal arthritis pain.

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As a concerned pet owner, you may begin to question where you may have gone wrong for your pet to have arthritis, but it may not even be your fault as there is no single reason behind arthritis in pets, your pet may have arthritis for several reasons, it could be;

The body conformation of your pet, which is the body structure of your pet.
Abnormal development of the joint.
Recent activity history.
If your pet is overweight or obese.
A previous nutritional history.
Has previously gone through orthopedic surgery.
Your pet has a previous history of injury, like muscle injury, joint infection, fracture etc

Some dogs that are naturally large and have a giant structure like; Labrador retrievers, and even German shepherds could naturally have genetic predisposition to get joint disease within their hips and elbows, you can help your large pet by feeding them with meals that would only add significant nutritional value, that will help with their joint and bone development appropriately, when growth happens too fast, the joints may may form in an abnormal manner causing joint disease.

Certain cat breeds may also be prone to arthritis than others, hip dysplaqsia is more common in Maine coon, Persians, Siamese etc.

Before we go deeper and begin to speak about possible treatment and prevention, I would love to explain the various available types of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis: This is the most common form of existing arthritis, it is caused by the daily wear and tear happening with the joint, it could be caused from injury as well. Osteoarthritis starts as cartilage disruption, causing the bone in the joint to erode into one another, while this pain could begin on a very minor level affecting regular movement and play time, but it can also grow into an intense pain which may even happen even while the animal is resting.

Typically, Osteoarthritis affects weight-bearing joints, but can also affect the small and large joints of the body, it is more common in elderly pets than younger ones. Although, it cannot be cured, it can be prevented from getting worse, physiotherapy to help strengthen the joints and muscles can be really helpful to address the issue.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: This type of arthritis happens when the pet's immune system begins to attack their body tissues. The attack is quiet a general one that affects not just the joint but also other parts of the body, this condition damages the joint lining and cartilage eventually leading to erosion of the joint opposing bones.

Can I prevent my pet from having arthritis?

Arthritis cannot be cured unfortunately, but it can be prevented and treated, the best way to prevent arthritis from getting into the picture, is to maintain the weight of your pet, always consider their weight while feeding them. With an appropriate weight, the level of stress the body places on joints will be reduced, when an extra passing is noticed around the belly or the ribs, speak with your vet instantly. The vet would help you determine if you have an overweight pet and recommend a weight loss strategy.

Exercise is a treatment option for arthritis, it maintains strength in muscles, tendonds and the ligaments surrounding the joints. If the supportive tissues gets weak and lose, arthritis would worsen. Exercising functions by stimulating the production of joint-fluid which lubricates the joints and nourishes the cartilage, exercising is also a good way to prevent your pet from getting obese, when your pet is over weight, there is an increase on joint loading making it more painful for the pet to move.

Certain helpful medications can also be prescribed for the treatment of arthritis. Often Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and opioid derivatives can be used in the treatment of arthritis.

Diets or dietary supplements are available for pets who have arthritis and you should speak to your vet if you notice signs and symptoms in your pet, the diets would normally contain essential fatty acids to help with inflammation reduction and glycosaminoglycans, which are cartilage building blocks.

Conclusion.

Arthritis is common amongst pets, it unfortunately cannot be cured but it can be prevented and treated. You should speak to your vet when you notice unnecessary folds in your pet, this will help in the determination of the presence or absence of obesity. If it happens that your vet already has the health issue, then take available treatment very seriously and take care of the health of your pet.