• The elderly age of the pet. In the vast majority of cases, signs of arthritis in dogs appear at 5-7 years of age or later. With age, the joints become less mobile and lose their original elasticity.
• An unbalanced diet often leads to obesity and weight gain. Accordingly, the load on the joints increases, which causes their premature wear.
• Past illnesses. Joint injuries, infectious and viral diseases of the musculoskeletal system often precede the onset of arthritis in dogs.
• Animal hypothermia. Incorrect selection of clothes for a pet in the cold season, the location of the sleeping bag in a place of drafts, swimming in cold water in summer can provoke the development of this pathology.
By knowing the most common causes of arthritis, dog owners can keep their beloved dog out of harm's way.
Watch out for signs of arthritis in your dog!
One of the first common symptoms of the disease is a decrease in the activity of the animal. The pet is reluctant to go for long walks, lies a lot, becomes weak. A characteristic sign of arthritis in dogs is joint swelling and pain when pressure is applied to it. The animal tries not to use the diseased paw when walking - carefully steps on it or even bends it completely (hanging limb syndrome). If earlier your dog jumped up at lightning speed when the owner appeared, and now he carefully gets up ... There is a high probability that the reason lies in the inflamed joint.
The sick paw is hard to bend and unbend. Arthritis in dogs manifests itself in a characteristic "tense gait" and limp. If the joints of the forelimbs are affected, the dog may refuse to go down steps or down a steep hill. With pain in the hind legs, it is difficult for a pet to climb up, climb onto a high sofa, chair. As arthritis in dogs progresses, the symptoms get worse or more ailments are added.
In the acute form of the disease, the pathology develops quickly (within a few hours or days). The symptoms are explicit, the contrast with the state of the animal "yesterday" and "today" is very noticeable. Chronic arthritis is characterized by a gradual increase in symptoms, the overall picture of the disease remains hidden for a long time. Often this misleads the owners, who attribute this condition to the age of the pet or a change in its habits.