Many owners are surprised that the veterinarian puts their pets diagnosis “arthrosis”. Meanwhile, this disease is not uncommon for dogs. Joint diseases affectnot only people, but also four-legged pets.

Why do dogs developing osteoarthritis

Breeders often confused diseases such as arthritis and arthrosis. This is quite natural since they have similarities, but there are differences.

Arthritis – easily diagnosed primary inflammatory disease that often develops on the background of previous injuries and bruises, with pronounced symptoms: swelling and loud crunch of joints, severe pain, fever. As a rule, does not happen in young dogs under the age of 2 years. If the time to seek medical treatment, the treatment is successful and the disease does not give complications.

The causes of arthritis are:

• dolechenny no arthritis;
• older age of the dog;
• Excessively load;
• heavy weight of the animal;
• injuries, including chronic;
• hip dysplasia.

Dysplasia – a genetic disorder, which is characterized by abnormal development of the joints. Practice shows that the representatives of large breeds more likely to suffer from this disease than small dogs, but he also found among the miniature animals.

Diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in dogs is much more complicated than arthritis.

Types of osteoarthritis and the disease is dangerous for dogs

There are two types of osteoarthritis of the knee – primary and secondary.

The first type occurs in older dogs: the older the age of the animal, the greater the likelihood of him this disease. For organism susceptible to aging processes characteristic thinning of the articular cartilage, reducing the calcium content in the bones, circulatory deterioration. This is enough to have an old dog developed primary arthrosis, no additional factors are required.

The second form of the disease develops in the presence of calcium salt deposits, erosion and thinning of the articular cartilage, the chronic arthritis.

What happens in the body of the dog, at which there is an arthrosis? The animal is observed violation of the food regulation, destructive changes of the articular components.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis four-legged pets

Osteoarthritis in dogs, as mentioned earlier, is quite difficult to diagnose. In the early stages it can be done only on the basis of X-ray, of course, in the event that the animal undergoes regular medical examination by a veterinarian. Experts recommend doing this several times a year, especially if the dog is older. X-rays may show small bony growths located on the edge of the joint.

General symptoms in osteoarthritis is approximately the same as that of arthritis:

• joint pain;
• swelling;
• lameness;
• Loud distinctive crunch while driving;
• stiffness of the animal due to pain when walking.

In the second stage of arthrosis occurs weakening in muscle tone. You may notice that a sick dog shifts from foot to foot, with a strong audible crunch of joints. This is due to the fact that the narrowed joint space, and on the bones in the joints formed bedding having features osteosclerosis and osteoporosis.

When running arthrosis often observed deformation of joints, bones, osteoporosis. In this case, the animal resting constantly pulls the limb. Held at this stage of the analysis of blood shows that the content of the organism in general and in particular the bones of elements such as carotene, phosphorus, calcium severely underestimated.

Osteoarthritis in dogs: a treatment is given

The first thing to do is to contact your veterinarian. Dog owners need to understand what a serious illness in the home can not be disinfected. Only a specialist on the basis of animal examination, clinical and x-ray diagnosis and appropriate treatment, which will facilitate the life of the pet.

Unfortunately, many people either postpone visit to the veterinary hospital, or just for a long time does not pay attention to the warning signs of lameness and blamed the injuries, so doctors have to remove not only the disease itself, but also its consequences.

If a dog is diagnosed “arthritis”, the owner should be prepared for the fact that the treatment will be lengthy, complex and include not only the dose of medication and physical therapy, but subject to the special regime. So first of all you need to provide your pet a complete rest, to supply him with a comfortable soft bedding on which he will be comfortable to sleep and rest.

All physical activity during treatment are minimized. Walk the dog can and should be, otherwise she may be muscle atrophy, and is crucial for a strong muscular corset animal. However, the walk should not be exceeded. Excessive load on the joints can lead to the complete deterioration of the cartilage, and this, in turn, will strengthen the crunch and pain. For animal is extremely important strong muscular corset.

In dogs, treatment is usually symptomatic and depends on the form of the disease. Showing nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They effectively relieve inflammation and pain. They are used in the form of intraarticular injection or intramuscular injections. These medications include:

• Voltaren (diclofenac);
• brufen; (Ibuprofen);
• kvadrisol-5;
• gamavit;
• vedaprofen.

At the initial stage of arthrosis swollen joint can be lubricated with an alcohol solution of iodine, apply cold lotions with salt and rotate them with warming compresses ozokerite and paraffin; make wraps of decoctions of medicinal plants. However, these measures are aimed at addressing the symptoms only and can not be a substitute for the full treatment.

Very effective for the removal of edema and swelling of the special infrared lamps.

feeding the dog should be corrected. Menu should be expanded to include fresh meat, dairy products, vegetables, be sure grated carrots. Cooked bones are very useful to dog could chew on tendons and hryaschiki and jelly, jelly, which are, in fact, household hondroprotektorami.

The animal must receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals aimed at accelerating the growth of tissue, make-up of cartilage and synovial fluid.

In addition hondroprotektory shows that:

• contribute to the rapid restoration of the articular cartilage,
• make cartilage endurance for physical activities,
• increase resistance to various kinds of infections.

If medical therapy fails or knee arthrosis assumes a chronic form, surgical methods are used, such as arthrodesis, osteotomy, and the prosthesis (in some cases).

Preventive measures against the development of osteoarthritis in dogs

To the dog later did not take long to cure the dangerous diseases, from the very first days of the appearance of a puppy in the house should be some measures of prevention of osteoarthritis.

Such measures may include:

1. Reasonable exercise. Active games in the street, walking should last more than three hours. Walk their pet need more often.
2. Balanced feeding, which includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. Feed should be rich in protein and carbohydrates to prevent the weakening of the tissues.
3. Watch out for the dog weight, in order to minimize the risk of obesity, so will not create an excessive load on the skeleton.
4. Try to avoid injuries. Slippery laminate, linoleum or parquet often lead to injury to the dog, so floor indoors desirably carpeted.
5. Regular inspection of the animal by a veterinary doctor.
6. Provide your pet a soft cloth, and the greater the weight of the dog, so it should be softer.

Keep in mind that any disease is easier to prevent than to cure.