Dogs and Arthritis and Other Bone Related Illnesses.

Adults aren’t the only ones that suffer from arthritis and are seeking treatment for arthritis. Believe it or not, our four legged loyal companions also suffer from chronic arthritis pain that develop from their regular day to day activities of fetching balls, running in the park, jumping after that Frisbee.

Dogs develop arthritis in their joints mainly in their front and hind legs. Some common joint problems are chronic shoulder pain, in dogs it is referred to as osteochonritis dissecans. This is caused by a piece of bone becoming loose when they are young and also decreased blood flow to the shoulder joint. It is best to ask your veterinarian for the best shoulder pain treatment for your pet.  The other sensitive area for arthiritis in dogs are their elbow joints and wrist joints. Common elbow joints problem is elbow dysplasia which is when bone fragments are in the joint and they fail to join. Those of us who suffer from carpal tunnel pain would be able to sympathize with our canine friends.  Their wrist arthritis is caused by deterioration of ligaments that support the back of the wrist, also called carpal hyperextension. As a result they don’t put weight on the wrist, which lead to dog arthritis pain.

The lower part of dogs’ limbs, the hip, knee, and ankle and ligament problems can develop into arthritis pain and require treatment for arthritis.  A hip joint deformity called hip dysplasia happens during your pets’ growth. With hip dysplasia the femur, or thighbone, does not sit properly in the pelvic bone and over time causes pain that lead to arthritis and will require treatment for arthritis.  The knee joint, actually similar anatomically to the human knee joint, undergoes similar health problems such as cranial cruciate ligament injury. Only in dogs it is called  Caudal Cruciate Ligament Injury. It is a very common condition in dogs. Osteochondritis dissecans is a common problem in the ankle joint, or hock joint as it is referred to in dogs. This is similar to the shoulder condition where a small piece of bone came loose in a small dog and now causes pain and inflammation.

The inflammatory arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are common in people and less so in dogs. Nevertheless, just like in people joint pain should be taken seriously and a cause of pain should be identified. Your veterinarian will be able to diagnose the problem and provide treatment for arthritis if it is needed.