9 Signs Your Dog May Have Arthritis
Do
you suspect your dog may have arthritis? Early detection and treatment
are key to minimizing the negative effects arthritis can have
on your dog. So how do you know if your dog has arthritis? Your beloved
dog may have some communication ability, but he or she certainly can't
talk. The best thing you can do is look for common signs that many
dogs exhibit when experiencing arthritis problems.
Here are 9
signs that your dog may have arthritis:
1) Favoring a
limb or limping
Is your dog walking like a pimp with a limp? Your dog may favor placing
weight on one limb or one side of the body because they are experiencing
more pain in the other limbs.
2) Difficulty
sitting or standing
Your dog is getting
up more slowly than before and appears to struggle to get up. The
same happens when they sit down. You dog may appear reluctant and
slow to sit and may even be in obvious pain when trying to sit or
stand.
3) Sleeping more
Sleeping more
than usual, your dog seems to prefer sleep over activity.
4) Seeming to
have stiff or sore joints
You dog seems
less flexible than before, not able to jump or move like they used
to, and appears to be in pain when attempting activities they once
performed easily.
5) Hesitancy
to jump, run or climb stairs
Your dog is hesitant
to jump, run, or climb stairs, seemingly aware that they just can't
do it like they used to.
6) Weight gain
Your dog has
gained a significant amount of weight. This may be due to increased
inactivity. Weight gain only worsens your dog's condition and pain.
7) Decreased
activity or less interest in play
Your dog doesn't
seem to get exited about playing anymore. They just don't seem interested
in their favorite old games.
8) Attitude or
behavior changes
Lethargic behavior,
change of general mood, or outright appearance of depression. These
can be signs that your dog is in pain and or depressed.
9) Being less
alert
Decreased interest
in their surroundings, decreased reaction time, or not noticing or
caring about things they used to be attentive to.
If your dog is experiencing any of these common signs of dog arthritis,
it may be time to take action. But what should you do? The best place
to start is to take your dog to the veterinarian for an arthritis
evaluation. This will involve a physical exam and possibly X-rays.
Only your veterinarian can properly diagnose whether your dog has
arthritis, or if the symptoms are due to some other ailment.
If the vet confirms
that your dog indeed has arthritis, then the best thing to do is start
a treatment plan as soon as possible.
A treatment
plan for dog arthritis may include:
- A healthy diet
and exercise to maintain your dog's proper weight.
- Determining the proper medication or supplement plan with your vet
and following up with regular visits to ensure the medication is effective
and relieving your dog's pain.
- The most common pharmaceutical treatment for dogs with arthritis,
(NSAIDS) Nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Rimadyl,
Deramaxx, and
Metacam, the
top prescription treatments for arthritis related conditions in dogs.
- Over the counter pet meds such as pills or food that contain glucosamine
and chondroitin sulfate, or Omega fatty acids. Both have been scientifically
proven to help relieve arthritis symptoms. The top treatments are
considered to be Cosequin
and Cosequin DS, which are available in multi-packs or single bottles.
- Lastly, in some cases a Veterinarian prescribed NSAID AND
an over-the-counter treatment may be used together effectively to
decrease pain and overall disease progression.
Never give dogs
human medications, they not work the same for dogs and may even be
toxic. Always work with your veterinarian to determine the best treatment
for your beloved companion and together you will find the most effective
treatment possible.
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