The technical meaning of arthritis is inflammation of the joint, but the term is used more generally to describe several different processes. Many people use the term arthritis synonymously with osteoarthritis (OA), a complex, slowly progressive, and degenerative arthritis that is characterized by the gradual development of joint pain, stiffness, and a decreased range of motion.
This is a prevalent disease as pets age, especially the larger-breed dogs. The signs can be subtle and easily missed early in the course of the disease. This is especially true in the larger-breed dogs, and they can be stoic and not show overt signs of pain even though it’s present.
Signs to watch for include a slow rising in the rear quarters after resting, slowing down after a period of time on routine walks, limping on any leg, and lethargy after returning from a walk.
The whitish area indicated by the black arrow below the vertebrae is arthritis of the spine. It can also be seen on the vertebrae to the right of the arrow, but it does not appear on those to the left.
Cats get this problem as well. It’s commonly manifested as reluctance or inability to routinely jump, and sensitivity when petting the spine along the lower back.
Far too, often we assume a pet is getting old when these symptoms appear, but in reality, there are in pain from their arthritis.
There have been tremendous advances in recent years for the treatment of this painful condition. We use a balanced medical approach in our treatment of arthritis, using the body’s natural healing process with judicious use of medications to directly decrease pain and increase comfort for your pet.
Common treatments include NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories), a mobility prescription pet food such as Hill’s Science Diet J/D (ask your vet for a recommendation), weight loss, pain medication, and exercise treatments, companion laser and acupuncture. You can learn detailed information on all these treatment modalities on our websitehttp://www.lbah.com/canine/arthritis.htm.