Dog Joint Disease: What It Is And What You Can Do About It

Is your dog stiff? Does he or she have trouble with stairs? It could be dog joint disease

The sure signs that your dog suffers from arthritis are his refusal to jump, having great difficulty in raising his body, having fewer physical activities during cold weather temperatures especially during the morning, feeling pain when he is touched, using mostly either the front or the back limbs, a general reduction in participating in physical activities, and experiencing a limp when walking.

If your dog has any of those symptoms, he may be suffering any of the following kinds of arthritis.

* Canine Hip Dysplasia - This is due to a loose joint socket in the dog's thighs. You can know if he has this if you hear his hips click while he is walking.

* Osteoarthritis - This kind of arthritis progresses in development as your dog grows older. It is easier to treat than the other forms of arthritis.

* Degenerative disc Disease - This is the calcification of the vertebral discs. It can cause paralysis in dogs if left untreated because the discs may develop hernia and rupture.

* Rheumatoid Arthritis - It is evidenced by a recurring lameness in your dog. This condition is considered to be worse than osteoarthritis. It is an immune-deficiency related disease and can affect the whole body of your dog.

* Stifle Joint Disorder - This is caused by a stretched-out or torn ligament on the knee. The thighbone becomes loosely connected to the hipbone and causes a clicking sound when your dog walks.

Some of the options available for treatment for your dog are natural supplements, such as chrondroitin and glucosamine which are naturally derived from cartilage and shellfish; surgery, which involves a lot of risk for your dog and a lot of financing from you; and commercial drug remedies also called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs which could reduce the pain involved in surgery and canine arthritis.

Dog arthritis is indeed disadvantageous for your pet dog. But with appropriate nutrition, exercise and a bit of wise-thinking, you can treat this disease and prevent it from getting worse.


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Steve Weber offers more info on his web site, Cactus Canyon, for helping canine owners who are dealing with the effects of dog arthritis. Steve's site offers natural and safe glucosmaine products, such as Flexicose for pets, for treating the joint disease.