Dog Arthritis

Hip Arthritis Treatment

Arthritis is the inflammation of any joint in the body. It is an agonizing situation where more than a hundred diseases associated with rheumatism can give rise to pain, enlargement and stiffness of the different joints and can affect any part of your body.

Arthritis is one of those diseases that affect both humans and dogs too. As dogs age, the larger breeds are more commonly affected by arthritis than the smaller ones. There are no overnight cures for them, but we can try hard to make them more at ease and happy. Dogs with arthritis are more comfortable if their beds are raised a foot above the floor level. The mattresses should ideally be soft, four inches in height and the older the better.

Arthritis is generally found in dogs that are older in age and heavier by weight. Since it is very difficult to move around, they avoid any movement. This should not be allowed to happen as it may worsen the arthritis. You must ensure that they exercise mildly, and take them for short walks at least once a day. The exercising should be limited and if the condition is severe it could be on alternate days. Their diets should be controlled as well.

Hip arthritis is a common problem usually caused due to osteoarthritis. It is also known as wear-and-tear arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Hip arthritis in dogs is caused by Canine Hip Dysplasia (CHS) which is a painful, crippling disease that causes a dog's hips to weaken, and deteriorate. Usually Canine Hip Dysplasia is a genetically transferred disease, although sometimes it affects dogs whose parents did not suffer from CHS.

It also affects larger breeds and purebred dogs, but can also affect medium and smalls size dogs, and mixed breeds as well. Some of the signs of CHS are difficulty in movement such as getting up, lying down and climbing stairs, moving both the rare legs simultaneously while trying to walk, agonizing reactions to extension of the rare legs, a dislike to touching, behavioural changes, whining, and unwillingness to any form of physical movement. CHS can be diagnosed accurately only by an X-ray.

There are a variety of treatments available for hip dysplasia, but it is important to make sure you provide your dog with the right treatment or it could result in making the condition worse. The first thing usually recommended is painkillers such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. These medicines help reduce pain, but do not actually treat or cure the condition. A very helpful treatment for CHS is the use of Glucosamine. It is a dietary supplement that stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans (GAG's) in the body, and it is safe to use with no side effects. If glucosamine is used in the right way and in proper quantities it can help treat the pain and repair damaged cartilages. In case your dog is suffering from a severe case of CHS, then surgery is advised, although surgery is very expensive and your dog may not be able to move around like he used to before.