Mary Allen
When a dog gets old, it is often the joints that cause problems first. But even young animals can suffer from osteoarthritis. You can hardly cure the disease, but you can take the pain away from the dog.
Golden retriever Leo loved to romp around the house. When he heard his mistress’ footsteps in the morning, he was always in the bedroom in no time. A few months ago – Leo is now nine years old – he stopped doing it. It takes a long time, especially in the morning, before he gets out of his basket, stretches, sometimes howls slightly, and then dares to take the first steps. It’s clear: Leo is in pain when he moves.
Osteoarthritis in the joints of old dogs is common, up to 90 percent of four-legged friends suffer from it at some point in their lives. The knee and hip joints are most commonly affected. Small bumps form on the joint surfaces, which are made of cartilage and are particularly smooth and gliding when healthy, the cartilage tissue degenerates and every movement is painful. If individual pieces splinter off and then swim around loosely in the joint capsule, inflammation and a swollen joint can quickly develop. The disease keeps progressing. In severe cases, the joint loses its mobility.
Arthrosis is Not Just Arthrosis
Osteoarthritis usually occurs as a result of overuse, through lifelong use. But being overweight can also lead to arthrosis because the cartilage surfaces are constantly exposed to particularly strong forces. Malpositions, accidents, or malnutrition can also lead to the cartilage changing pathologically.
Arthrosis is not just arthrosis, because the symptoms are very different depending on the severity and progress. There are cases that go unnoticed for a long time because the dog doesn’t feel anything at all. Then there are patients who whimper and howl at the slightest bump on the joint surface.
The course is not predictable. In many cases, the dog is only occasionally lame at first. Permanent lameness gradually develops. Striking: In the case of osteoarthritis that occurs at a young age, the pain usually gets worse during exertion. This is completely different from age-related arthrosis, which also affects Leo the Golden Retriever. Morning stiffness is a typical symptom. But dogs like Leo break in overtime, so the lameness gets better with exercise.
In addition to the sluggishness of getting up in the morning, there are other signs of osteoarthritis in old age: If the dog no longer wants to climb stairs or jumps in the car, these are important indicators. Weather sensitivity is also an indication.
Swimming Training Helps the Dog
The primary goal of therapy is to relieve the animal of its pain. So painkillers are used. Which and in which dosage, the veterinarian must carefully decide based on other questions: How good are the kidneys? How is the gastrointestinal tract doing? Painkillers for arthrosis must be taken regularly and permanently, which is why you should be prepared for side effects such as digestive problems or nausea in advance.
In addition to medication, controlled exercise is important. Swimming in warm water has a positive effect, as does professional physiotherapy. In addition, the veterinarian offers food with cartilage-protecting substances. Alternative methods such as homeopathy or gold acupuncture are also offered. In rare, severe cases, surgery must be considered.
Osteoarthritis of old age, which often occurs in several joints at the same time, cannot be cured. But the medicines keep getting better and gentler. A number of dogs are pain-free for months, sometimes even years.