What Causes Arthritis in Older Dogs?

Arthritis is becoming more and more common in older dogs, particularly in larger, heavier breeds. It is a condition that affects the joints which makes it more difficult and painful for him to move around. There is more than one type of arthritis and knowing which condition your dog has will make it easier for you to treat him and ease his pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one type. This type of arthritis occurs when the dog's immune system becomes overactive and cannot distinguish between natural proteins produced by the body and foreign proteins. The immune system will start to produce antibodies to fight the proteins and attacks the surface of the cartilage around the joints.

The joints then become severely inflamed and your dog will start to struggle with mobility. This is also an erosive disease; not only does inflammation occur but the cartilage and bone in the joint will start to wear away. This does not just affect one joint unfortunately; several will be attacked at once giving your dog severe pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis is not a common disease in dogs and little is known about what actually causes it. It could be due to sudden infection, disease of the digestive system or even cancer. Sometimes though, it can happen with no other problems being present. IT normally affects small, toy breeds of dogs around the age of 4.

Osteoarthritis is the more common type of the condition that dogs suffer from. This is normally caused by damage to the cartilage and joint by an injury, although age does play its part in this disease as well. The joints and cartilage will start to wear out, causing inflammation in some cases. This is incredibly painful and makes it very difficult for your dog to move around in comfort.

Whilst it is important for your dog to receive a good healthy exercise regime, too much and too often can lead to problems later on in life. Your dog can sustain injuries running around, chasing a ball or jumping in and out of the car. You won't always know about these injuries as some are minor enough not to be a problem at the time.

However, the damage may already have been done and the joints are starting to take a pounding. A good diet is also essential as overweight dogs are more likely to suffer from arthritis as well. The dog's joints can only take so much pressure and increased weight and lack of exercise will lead to the cartilage starting to break down and wear away.

Some breeds are more susceptible than others but all dogs are at risk, especially as they get older. A lifetime of exercise will start to tell on the joints and they will start to wear away, causing an immense amount of discomfort and stiffness to your dog. Treatment is possible, but normally only to ease the pain and allow for a better quality of life. Unfortunately, particularly in older dogs, the damage cannot be repaired; we can only try to stop further damage from occurring.