Managing Canine Joint Pain

Winter is definitely a more common time to start noticing joint pain and discomfort in your pet.  Your dog may experience a more difficult time getting up, or down, may have more difficulty on slick, slippery surfaces, or stairs, or seem stiff after resting.  Arthritis is the most common cause of these signs.  The most common type of canine arthritis is degenerative joint disease, affected approximately 1 out of every 5 dogs in the united states.

Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage cushion protecting the bone surface in the joints is degraded and destroyed.  This causes friction, and leads to pain, and ultimately decreased mobility.  The most commonly affected joints in the dog are the hips, elbows, lower back, knees and wrists.  The common factors that can lead to a dog developing arthritis include aging, joint disorders such as hip dysplasia, repeated injuries or trauma, high activity levels, obesity, and some metabolic disorders such as diabetes or Cushing’s disease.

Common canine symptoms of arthritis can include stiffness, limping, changes in activity or appetite, reluctance to walk, run or climb stairs, and sometimes behavioral changes and irritability.  Often, owners are not even aware that their pet is suffering from arthritis, but a veterinarian can often diagnosis arthritis based on your dog’s age, medical history, and a physical exam. X-rays of the joints may be necessary to determine severity of disease.

There is no one single effective treatment for arthritis.  It is often a combination of medications, exercises, diet, and weight loss.  Every pet responds differently.  Important non-medical approaches to minimizing arthritis pain can include weight control, diet changes, exercise, and sometimes focused rehabilitation treatments.  Weight control is important because if your dog can achieve a more healthy weight for their size, it will decrease the load the affected joints have to bear, minimizing lameness, and improving mobility.  There are dietary supplements that can help alleviate some minor arthritic aches and pain, similar to people.  There are many canine friendly formulations of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and fatty acids that can help reduce some joint inflammation.  There are even special prescription diets, with these formulations built in to improve joint health.  Regular, light to moderate exercise can help keep stiff joints more mobile.  Different levels of exercise may be recommended depending on the pet, and how much discomfort they are experiencing.   Canine physical rehabilitation is an emerging area for joint arthritis.  Rehabilitation therapies can include underwater treadmills, massaging, laser therapy, ultrasound therapy, electric stimulation, massage, stretching and range-of-motion therapies.





Medical management of canine arthritis is geared toward alleviating the pain your pet is experiencing due to the joint degradation, but also reducing the inflammation inside the joint due to the cartilage loss; slowing down the disease and improving your pets mobility.  The most helpful medical plans often include Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, which promote pain relief and reduction of inflammation.  However, because this prescription drug may have long term side effects, veterinarians will often monitor your pet’s liver and kidney function with bloodwork on a regular basis.  Other pain medications do not reduce the inflammation, but can be used to reduce the pain and discomfort while additional steps are implemented.  Chondroprotectants such as Adequan can help protect the cartilage as it repairs itself, by blocking the enzymes responsible for cartilage destruction, leading to an overall improvement in the joint’s structure and function.  Surgery is also an option for some pet’s, with a goal of reducing cartilage debris and cleaning up the joint, repairing deformities, or rebuilding the joint.  

Cold Weather Safety Tips 

reposted from the ASPCA

Exposure to winter’s dry, cold air and chilly rain, sleet and snow can cause chapped paws and itchy, flaking skin, but these aren’t the only discomforts pets can suffer. Winter walks can become downright dangerous if chemicals from ice-melting agents are licked off of bare paws. To help prevent cold weather dangers from affecting your pet’s health, please heed the following advice from our experts:

• Repeatedly coming out of the cold into the dry heat of your home can cause itchy, flaking skin. Keep your home humidified and towel dry your pet as soon as he comes inside, paying special attention to his feet and in-between the toes. Remove any snow balls from between his foot pads.
• Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter, as a longer coat will provide more warmth. If your dog is long-haired, simply trim him to minimize the clinging ice balls, salt crystals and de-icing chemicals that can dry his skin, and don’t neglect the hair between his toes. If your dog is short-haired, consider getting him a coat or sweater with a high collar or turtleneck with coverage from the base of the tail to the belly. For many dogs, this is regulation winter wear.
• Bring a towel on long walks to clean off stinging, irritated paws. After each walk, wash and dry your pet’s feet and stomach to remove ice, salt and chemicals—and check for cracks in paw pads or redness between the toes.
• Bathe your pets as little as possible during cold spells. Washing too often can remove essential oils and increase the chance of developing dry, flaky skin. If your pooch must be bathed, ask your vet to recommend a moisturizing shampoo and/or rinse.
• Massaging petroleum jelly or other paw protectants into paw pads before going outside can help protect from salt and chemical agents. Booties provide even more coverage and can also prevent sand and salt from getting lodged between bare toes and causing irritation. Use pet-friendly ice melts whenever possible.
• Like coolant, antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle, and consider using products that contain propylene glycol rather than ethylene glycol.
• Pets burn extra energy by trying to stay warm in wintertime. Feeding your pet a little bit more during the cold weather months can provide much-needed calories, and making sure she has plenty of water to drink will help keep her well-hydrated and her skin less dry.
• Make sure your companion animal has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts. A cozy dog or cat bed with a warm blanket or pillow is perfect.
• Remember, if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for your pet, so keep your animals inside. If left outdoors, pets can freeze, become disoriented, lost, stolen, injured or killed. In addition, don’t leave pets alone in a car during cold weather, as cars can act as refrigerators that hold in the cold and cause animals to freeze to death.