Understanding How Arthritis Effects Your Pet
X-Ray Showing Canine Hip Arthritis
Imagine having joints that hurt every time you walk or exercise – joints that ache even when you’re at rest. That’s often the result of arthritis and, sadly, it’s a condition that our dogs and cats can, and often do, experience. The difference is, when it hits a pet, arthritis isn’t something they can tell us about – they can’t explain that their pain and that those long walks they once enjoyed are no long as pleasurable.
As a responsible pet owner your pet’s health will be of great importance to you and, because he can’t explain his problems, it’s up to you to watch for signs of distress in order to ensure early discovery of your pet’s arthritis problems.
Because dogs and cats have an instinctive survival instinct, one of which tells them that a weak or injured animal is an easy target and, in the case of dogs, likely to be rejected by the flock, they rarely display signs of pain or discomfort. Because of this, by the time a pet owner notices even the subtlest signs that their pet’s health may be compromised, arthritis can often already have advanced considerably.
Signs to look for include:
• Weight increase
• Lack of interest in play
• Lack of interest in exercise
• A tendency to sleep more
• A change in attitude such as being less enthusiastic when he greets you
What is Pet Arthritis?
Arthritis is a general term for destructive changes to one or more joints that can be caused by either infection, congenital defects or stress to the joint surfaces and supporting structures as well as the occasional tissue inflammation caused by a disorder of the immune system. Most often the cartilage erodes faster than it can regenerate, the elastic tissue of the joint stiffens and calcium deposits can build up. Eventually the nerves send pain signals to the brain as motion become increasingly restricted, adversely affecting the pet’s health until it’s forced to reduce the use of the joint.
If your dog or cat shows any symptoms of pet arthritis an appointment for your pet’s health check should be made as your vet will be able to advice you on the best method of treatment and care.
