Supporting arthritic pets
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is one of the most common musculoskeletal issues that often becomes more prevalent with age. Like with humans, it occurs when the cartilage within a joint wears away over time, exposing the bone beneath it. Occasionally, this process may occur more suddenly though a traumatic injury. The exposed bone has multiple sensitive nerve endings, which when rubbed against each other when the joint moves will cause pain (see the last blog post on how pain works). You can see this in the image shown, where the bones are touching on the right hand side of the joint. This is going to cause severe friction and irritate the nerve endings in the exposed bones, causing chronic pain. Once the cartilage has been worn away, it doesn’t come back and therefore this is a condition that will only worsen (unless managed properly) and has no cure.
How can I spot that my animal may have arthritis?
There isn’t a ‘one-fits-all’ guide to noticing arthritis, and the only way to confirm it is through veterinary diagnostics (such as x-rays, scans and surgery). However, there are a few signs you can pick up on that can prompt you to undergo investigations. These include:
Moving at a slower pace on walks or when being ridden
Unwillingness to bend a certain joint (or multiple in some cases)
Stiffness after a period of immobility or in the morning
Shorter stride length
Gait asymmetries/lameness
Swelling and/or heat around the affected joints
Pain behaviours
Why might an animal develop arthritis and how can I prevent it?
As previously mentioned, arthritis usually occurs with age due to overuse of a joint. This can be from frequent repetitions, high intensity exercise or high levels of concussion (such as jumping or exercising on hard surfaces). Therefore, the best ways to reduce the likelihood of you animal developing arthritis, or at least to slow down the onset, would be to manage their exercise regime by including frequent breaks, varying the types of activities and being aware of the ground conditions. Another way to reduce the stress on joints is through diet management, as carrying excessive weight will increase the forces running through the joints. In addition, feeding supplements containing glucosamine and selenium can improve bone and joint health.
In rare occasions, arthritis may be triggered by traumatic injuries, which unfortunately are difficult to prevent. It is quite rare for an injury to cause immediate severe arthritis, however it is likely to weaken the joint structure and cause the cartilage breakdown to be accelerated. This means that careful management through the suggestions discussed above is crucial to best support your animal’s joints.
My pet has just been diagnosed with arthritis, how can I best support him?
Receiving an arthritis diagnosis can seem very disheartening, however so many pets go on to live incredibly happy lives. With the correct management, your pet can be one of those too! Your vet will likely prescribe some pain relief, supplements or suggest steroid injections into the joints, which is a great place to start, however there is so much more that can be done alongside these methods to really help your pets thrive. And the good news is that a lot of it can be incorporated into your daily routine at home. Diet and exercise have already been discussed, but here is a list of exercises a physio may prescribe:
Joint mobilisations known as passive range of motion (PROM). These maintain the flexibility of the joint to avoid stiffness creeping in from disuse.
Strength training of surrounding muscles to help maintain support around the joint. This may involve sit-to-stand exercises for dogs, cavaletti poles or weight shifting.
Stretching and massage of surrounding muscles to prevent stiffness and facilitate optimal range of motion. Massage will also help to temporarily override pain signals.
Hydrotherapy is great for getting exercise in without concussion on joints, due to the buoyant property of water. We can assist with recommending suitable hydrotherapy centres.
If your pet has been diagnosed with arthritis and you think they could benefit from these exercises, fill out the contact form and we will be able to assist you by providing demonstrations after an initial assessment.
References
Brundell, K. (2011) ‘Canine osteoarthritis: improving quality of life’, The Veterinary Nurse, 2(8), pp. 460–467. Available at: https://doi.org/10.12968/vetn.2011.2.8.460.
Innes, J.F., Costello, M., Barr, F.J., Rudorf, H. and Barr, A.R.S. (2004) ‘Radiographic Progression of Osteoarthritis of the Canine Stifle Joint: A Prospective Study’, Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound, 45(2), pp. 143–148. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1740-8261.2004.04024.x.
Jiménez, G., Cobo-Molinos, J., Antich, C. and López-Ruiz, E. (2018) ‘Osteoarthritis: Trauma vs Disease’, in J.M. Oliveira, S. Pina, R.L. Reis, and J. San Roman (eds) Osteochondral Tissue Engineering: Challenges, Current Strategies, and Technological Advances. Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 63–83. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76735-2_3.
Kidd, J.A., Fuller, C. and Barr, A.R.S. (2001) ‘Osteoarthritis in the horse’, Equine Veterinary Education, 13(3), pp. 160–168. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3292.2001.tb00082.x.
Mille, M.A., McClement, J. and Lauer, S. (2023) ‘Physiotherapeutic Strategies and Their Current Evidence for Canine Osteoarthritis’, Veterinary Sciences, 10(1), p. 2. Available at: https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci10010002.
