Arthritis In Dogs

Thank you for joining me on this episode of Val Talks Pets. One of the things that pet parents become concerned about as their dog ages is arthritis. We get a fair few questions about how to manage arthritis in dogs. So let’s go exploring and talk about canine arthritis.

Recognizing the Signs of Arthritis

According to vcahospitals.com, Osteoarthritis (OA) is a complex condition. I think that some of the first signs that pet parents notice about their pets to start to think about arthritis is difficulty getting up or lying down or limping. Often we think the dog may have had an injury or overdid some exercise, but when it becomes consistent, that’s when we start to think about arthritis.

I have noticed that many pet parents make the diagnosis of arthritis on their own, saying they have noticed their dog limping or having difficulty getting up after lying down. For a senior dog, this would stand to reason. Basically, one or more joints are degenerating, and there is inflammation in the area.

Obviously, this will cause the dog to feel pain and then they may not want to participate in activities that require more exertion. As VCA points out, it is possible to locate and determine if there is arthritis present by feeling and pressing gently around the dog’s limbs. If the dog pulls away or flinches, then yes, it is possible that the area has arthritis, and the dog is feeling pain.

However, to be absolutely sure, the vet would need to do x rays or other imaging to determine the presence of arthritis.

Causes of Arthritis in Dogs

The cause of arthritis, however, is not exclusive to getting old. VCA points out that the way a dog is built, their weight, abnormal joint development, and their activity. Injuries, past surgery, and nutrition can all contribute to a dog having arthritis.

I think as pet people we are all cognitive to the signs of osteoarthritis. The thing is though, once we see the symptoms, what can we do?

Nutritional Support for Arthritis

First and foremost, nutrition is very important. Good nutrition can help with weight, help manage inflammation, and support the cartilage. High quality food can provide essential fatty acids, glucosamine, and chondroitin, as well as antioxidants.

Let’s talk about these words.

Supplements for Joint Health

Fish oil

Used as a supplement will be from cold water fish like salmon. There is also herring oil as well on the shelves. According to PetMD.com, fish oil is rich in omega 3 fatty acids including EPA and DHA. EPA and DHA act as anti inflammatory agents, which is very useful when treating arthritis.

Other Oils

Include hemp, or a real up and coming oil is camelina oil. A really good Canadian producer of camelina oil is Canpresso. Camelina oil is a seed oil. It comes from the sativa plant high in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, as well as a source of vitamin E. Canpresso’s camelina oil is cold press and non GMO.

Camelina oil

A great anti inflammatory and can reduce discomfort in animals with arthritis. Glucosamine is an amino sugar. As PetMD states, an amino sugar may assist in building the body’s ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and fluid that surrounds the joints. Chondroitin is a molecule. It is a vital component of cartilage.

Chondroitin

Helps retain water and may reduce the activity of enzymes that break down cartilage. This means it could reduce osteoarthritis pain and progression. Usually, conclosamine and chondroitin is given in a supplement together. The chondroitin is helping the absorption of the glucosamine. Now hyaluronic acid is the supplement that helps with the fluid around the joints, lubricating and acting as a shock absorber.

Pet parents will often begin with a supplement, either in liquid form or powder or tablets that have a cocktail of all of these nutraceuticals or a combination of a few and then a separate supplement of another. Most times, hyaluronic acid is given separately.

The question now is whether these will help.

Yes, they can. There are some very good hip and joint supplements on the market for pets. Omega Alpha makes a great formula called Glucosapet in a liquid form. Triacta is another powder formula that is set out specifically for large, medium, and small dogs in regular to maximum strength. Either way, if one supplement doesn’t really seem to be helping, then I would strongly suggest trying a different one.

The formulations can be effective for one dog but not another, so it means trying different ones to see the results.

Herbal Remedies for Arthritis

Other ways to deal with arthritis in a dog is to look at some of the herbs that can be easily made into teas that can be added to a dog’s food. Just like in humans, turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory that can reduce joint pain.

Other herbs, as set out by Rita Hogan in her book The Herbal Dog, (Hogan, The Herbal Dog, pg 163), are:

• alfalfa,
• angelica,
• ashwagandha,
• burdock root,
• cayenne,
• dandelion flower,
• ginger,
• golden seal,
• gotu kola,
• gravel root,
• licorice root,
• Marshmallow root,
• mullion root,
• nettle leaf.
• rose hips,
• Solomon’s seed,
• St. John’s wort,
• teasel,
• turmeric
• yarrow.

Green lipid mussels are also a very good addition. Any of these can be added to a dog’s food or made into teas. As I am a big fan of dandelion come spring, we should have a good crop to make fresh dandelion tea as the dandelions come out.

External Therapies for Pain Relief

So, now that we are working on treating the arthritis from the inside out, what can we do to help with the pain and mobility from the outside?

Massage

To begin, massage is very helpful. There are practitioners available that have taken massage courses for animals that can be brought in to massage your dog. Or, if you are comfortable, you can look up canine massage and have a go yourself. The massage will help with blood flow and a way to relax the fascia that surrounds and protects the muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, etc.

This kind of massage can really increase mobility. If the arthritis is more significant, there are some other options as well.

Advanced Therapies and Medications

Hydrotherapy

One is hydrotherapy. There are facilities for canine hydrotherapy that provide water treadmills and swimming facilities that allow the dog to exercise while not weight bearing.

The water therapy can really increase mobility as well.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture for dogs can also relieve pain, reduce inflammation, and improve blood flow. You will need to seek out a trained acupuncturist for this therapy.

Reiki

Now, another therapy is Reiki. A trained Reiki practitioner can help facilitate a non-invasive treatment that will help with pain reduction and overall wellness.

Laser

Another therapy is laser. Laser therapy is non-invasive and uses low-level light energy to promote healing and manage pain and inflammation. More specifically, red light therapy uses low level red or near infrared light to stimulate healing, reduce inflammation, and manage pain.

My friend, Tammy Fox, whom I interviewed about her charity, Pumpkin and Friends, uses a red light therapy vest for Pumpkin, her disabled Westie, and ambassador for the Pumpkin and Friends charity.

Tammy said she finds the red light therapy to be very helpful managing Pumpkin. The red light therapy and infrared light can penetrate the pet’s tissue, muscles, tendons to increase blood flow.

Medications

And last, there are medications for pain relief for dogs with arthritis that can be procured through the vet.

There are non steroidal anti inflammatories and there are more powerful drugs as well. Librella is a newer drug that is used to control pain in dogs with osteoarthritis. Librella is a monthly injection and it works by blocking a protein called nerve growth factor. There are some very concerning side effects to this drug, so it would be a decision based on real necessity and a conversation with the vet.

I do know some people have said it was the only thing that really helped, but for me, I would try the other options first.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

There you have it. Osteoarthritis in a dog is complicated. It is very difficult to watch a beloved dog in pain or have his mobility reduced. It’s hard to watch them age or have results from other factors.

The best we can do is everything we can to make them more comfortable and contribute to their quality of life. As usual though, research is key to find the best for your dog, because as I say, knowing is caring.

For more information on The Herbal Dog, please listen to my interview with Rita Hogan.

For more information on Pumpkin and Friends, please listen to my interview with Tammie Fox

Tagged as: osteoarthritis in dogs,  canine arthritis treatments,  joint pain relief,  dog arthritis,  dog supplements for arthritis.