Tell-tale Signs Your Dog May Have Arthritis

 by Christopher Durin

Dog owners sincerely care about the well-being of their dogs, so it helps to be familiar with some of the more prevalent dog health issues.

One disease every dog owner should have a basic knowledge of is dog arthritis. 

The debilitating disease affects one out five dogs in the US alone, and this number skyrockets as they age. Furthermore, dog arthritis is not only a disease reserved for aging dogs - injury, obesity, or joint problems from birth can also lead to the early development of the disease.

Arthritis in humans is easy to detect since people are able to tell their doctors when a certain limb or joint is painful to move. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for dogs.

In fact, dogs are driven by their instinct to hide their pain. 

This only complicates matters since it is very important to catch the disease in its early stages.

Nonetheless, as dog owners, there is something you can do. There is no other person who knows your pet better than you, so it is important to keep an eye on your dog.

Any physical or behavioral changes might be a sign that your dog is not okay and may warrant a visit to your vet.

The following are tell-tale signs that your dog may have dog arthritis:

• Your dog is having problems moving. Be aware when your dog is having difficulty standing up or sitting down. Also, take note of the way your dog walks - limping or head bobbing can be a sign of an injury or an inflamed joint. Plus, pay attention if your dog avoids stairs or any obstacles that would require them to jump or exert some extra effort.

• Your dog is not as active as before. Dogs love to play. When a dog becomes lethargic, do not dismiss it as a sign of aging or that your dog has become lazy.

• Your dog is licking or chewing a certain joint or joints. If your dog’s does not have any skin problems then constant licking or chewing a certain area of skin may be a sign that your dog is ‘rubbing’ its sore joints the only way it knows how - with its tongue. We do the same of course when we rub an area of our body that is in pain.

• If your dog has some behavioral changes. Dogs in pain can be irritable, and they often isolate themselves. Pain can also affect their eating habits, and, depending on your dog’s personality, it can either increase or decrease appetite.

As you can see, these signs are very subtle and only someone like you, as your dog’s best friend, can detect these signs.

Keeping a vigilant eye is very important as it is essential that dog arthritis is treated when the disease has done minimal damage to the joints.