What is Osteoarthritis in dogs?
It is also known as degenerative arthritis. It affects the joints of your dogs which is a mechanical degradation of the joints. Usually caused by the loss of cartilage in the bones causing a lot of friction, and this friction causes the severe pain for your dogs.
What Causes Arthritis In Dogs?
Some factors induce dog joint pain, the most obvious being an injury. Other causes that may not be too clear but still play a major part are the lack of natural activity by dogs, poor nutrition, too much weight, and genetics.
Signs of Joint Problems
Limping or Lameness
Limping and lameness are one of the most common and elementary symptoms of dog arthritis. Favoring one or more limbs is also a sign that is not using the one that is in pain.
Laziness
Since the dog is in pain, they tend to remain inactive, preferring to sleep more. Although it might seem reasonable for a pet to feel lazy now and then, you should be concerned and start to look out for other signs if your pet remains sluggish for long periods of time. If your dog’s level of activity decreases noticeably, you should always consider the possibility that your dog may develop arthritis. Additionally, dogs with arthritis have no interest in playing due to their sore joints.
Diminished Muscle Tone
Some large-breed dogs have very distinguished muscle, form and build. If you notice that your dog has lost its physique all of a sudden, it could be the cause of arthritis.
Change in Personality
Arthritis can cause a dog to have a change in personality. Some well-behaved dogs can become aggressive or violent. Whenever there is a personality change in a pet, something is not right.
Fever
In some severe cases, arthritis will cause a dog to develop an illness. A bad sign that it may be suffering from an advanced case of arthritis. Developing a fever can be a symptom of other diseases too. Thus, it is advisable to take your pet to the veterinarian for a diagnosis.
How big is this problem for dogs?
Arthritis in dogs associated with the deterioration of the smooth cartilage around the joints that covers and protects the bones. This degenerative joint disease is common in large-breed dogs or elderly dogs especially those that are seven years or older.
Solution
Dog joint pain is usually solved by a lot of pet owners by giving their dogs natural supplements that may be used to prevent common injuries and manage joint pains.