Canine Osteoarthritis - Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Humans and dogs share very similar conditions, and osteoarthritis is one example. In both cases, age is a key factor in its development, though there are other causes of canine osteoarthritis worth knowing and preventing.

So you can recognize this problem if your dog has it, we'll explain the common symptoms and what we can do to help them avoid the pain this condition causes.

What is osteoarthritis, and how does it affect my dog?

Osteoarthritis is a condition (usually degenerative in nature) very common in dogs, especially medium, large, and giant breeds. It mainly affects the joints, though in more chronic cases it can affect the shaft (the long part) of the bone. It affects around 20-25% of the dog population.

It's characterized by loss of joint cartilage (bone-on-bone contact), thickening of the joint capsule, and new bone forming around the joint (osteophytes). To give you an idea, an osteophyte is a piece of bone that breaks off in a joint, causing pain when the leg bears weight.

Once osteoarthritis appears, it's there for life. Symptoms get worse over time, especially if the osteoarthritis isn't properly treated. So, treatment will be palliative in most cases. To help identify it, let's first look at the main causes.

Causes of osteoarthritis

Among the main factors to keep in mind are the following:

• Breed: osteoarthritis usually appears in breeds that carry more body weight, being more common in large and giant breeds, but it's not exclusive to them — medium dogs, and to a lesser extent small ones, can also develop it.
• The dog's age: starting around 5 years old, the chances of our dog developing osteoarthritis rise considerably. This is due to the natural wear on bones after a lifetime of adventures.
• Being overweight: another factor that can cause or worsen osteoarthritis, since the joints need to bear more weight than they should. Make sure your dog doesn't become overweight to help prevent osteoarthritis.
• The dog's genetics: this is a bit of a lottery, and some dogs are born more predisposed to it, especially if their ancestors had this kind of problem.
• Orthopedic conditions: often develops secondary to a developmental orthopedic disease, such as cranial cruciate ligament disease, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, or kneecap dislocation.

If your dog has one or more of the conditions just described, stay alert for possible osteoarthritis symptoms. Early detection will be key to preventing pain and complications.

Main symptoms of osteoarthritis

The most obvious symptoms pointing to joint degeneration are the following:

• The dog lags behind on walks, not keeping the same pace as before.
• They may limp.
• Pain when touched (they may show some aggression from the pain they're experiencing).
• They're not very interested in playing and have trouble running, walking, or getting up on the bed, stairs, or sofa.
• They're not eating as much as usual.

If you notice any of these physical or behavioral changes, don't hesitate to take them to the vet as soon as possible.

How is canine osteoarthritis treated?

When you take your dog to the vet clinic, the specialist will examine and do a physical and orthopedic exam of the limbs to help confirm the diagnosis. The vet will need tests such as an X-ray (sedation is sometimes indicated for better positioning and viewing of this condition), where signs of osteoarthritis and possible osteophytes will be seen.

It's important to mention every symptom you've noticed, even if they don't seem serious. Once osteoarthritis is confirmed, the vet will recommend the most suitable treatment.

This is usually a lifelong medication-based treatment, based on weight loss, moderate exercise, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and/or chondroprotectants (cartilage protectants) based on: hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine sulfate, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and vitamins.

It's important to follow what the vet says, and above all, avoid self-medicating your dog or giving them osteoarthritis medications prescribed for humans. This could poison them and worsen their condition.

9 Tips for caring for a dog with osteoarthritis

Along with the treatment your vet prescribes, once at home you can help your dog in many ways. Some tips for caring for a dog with osteoarthritis are:

1. Give them a cushioned orthopedic bed to rest more comfortably.
2. Raise their food and water bowls, so they don't have to bend down as much.
3. When walking them, choose soft surfaces and moderate walks (too much exercise, and too little, can both worsen the condition).
4. Watch their diet so they stay at their ideal weight. If they're overweight, the osteoarthritis will get worse.
5. It's said (though this isn't yet well studied in Western medicine) that calendula, prepared as a root infusion and added to drinking water, can help due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
6. Traditional Chinese medicine can help in cases like osteoarthritis, for example with acupuncture.
7. You can apply heat-cold cycles to the joints several times a day, using warm seed-filled bags (or a warm sock filled with rice) and ice wrapped in a cloth. This will help reduce any associated inflammation.
8. Don't let them sleep on the floor, since the cold will worsen their pain. Also make sure they're protected from drafts.
9. Try to keep them from climbing too many stairs.

Follow these recommendations, and don't forget to take your dog for regular vet check-ups to keep the osteoarthritis under control. This way, our dogs' quality of life will surely improve, and they'll be able to have more comfort despite this degenerative condition.