Arthritis Awareness

Have you noticed signs of aging in your dog?  Does he or she seem to be “just getting old”?  Do any of these sound familiar?

•    Reluctance to take walks of usual length
•    Stiffness, especially in the mornings
•    Difficulty climbing stairs, climbing in the car, on the bed or a sofa
•    Difficulty rising from lying down
•    Limping
•    Licking of a single joint
•    Acting withdrawn, spending less time playing with family (which is often misunderstood as a sign of ‘aging’)
•    Soreness when touched
•    Sometimes showing aggression or protectiveness of the sore joint when touched or approached

All of these symptoms are signs of arthritic changes in your pet’s joints.

What is arthritis?

•    A chronic degenerative disease
•    Commonly found in the hip, elbow, shoulder, stifle (knee), carpus (wrist), hock (ankle) or intervertebral joints (in the spine)
•    Occurs when the joint has been damaged from an injury or from wear and tear on the joints
•    Overweight and athletically active are at increased risk
•    Some dogs are born with abnormalities in their joints that predispose them to arthritis

Why is arthritis painful?

•    Cartilage acts like a shock absorber for joints
•    When it is degraded is causes inflammatory changes that lead to further destruction of  the cartilage, bones, and joints
•    If your pet is showing signs of pain or discomfort the inflammatory changes to the bones and joints have already started

Fortunately, there are many ways to help prevent the onset of arthritis in our pets, such as specialized diets that include ingredients that promote joint health.  Just like people, our pets can benefit from chiropractic treatment and physiotherapy.

If your dog is already suffering from arthritis chiropractic treatment or physiotherapy can still help relieve the pain.  There are many safe and effective prescription drugs that veterinarians can prescribe to help reduce joint pain and inflammation.  

An exciting development is stem cell therapy, which Dr. Calverley is able to offer in partnership with Vet-Stem.  You can see for yourself how dramatic the change can be by viewing videos of some of the dogs that have been treated with stem cells here.  Dr. Calverley has seen for herself how stem cell therapy has helped her patients be free from the pain of arthritis.

Mission Veterinary Hospital is passionate about strengthening your bond with your dog well into his or her golden years.  If you are concerned about these signs of arthritis in your dog, ask us today for information about what you can do to help your dog be pain free.