Arthritis in dogs and cats

What is arthritis in dogs and cats? What is bacterial arthritis in dogs and cats?

Arthritis Medical terms: OsteoArthritis, Septic Arthritis, bacterial arthritis in dogs, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. The most common arthritis in dogs and cats is osteoArthritis (OA), named because the problem is caused by the bones (osteo). Pet arthritis (also known as feline arthritis or canine arthritis) can also be caused by infection (septic Arthritis or bacterial arthritis in dogs) or by the body attacking itself in an immune system malfunction (rheumatoid Arthritis).

With pet osteoArthritis, bones are damaged because cartilage has given way. Cartilage is there to act as a cushion preventing bone from hitting bone as the joint moves. If the cartilage dries, roughens, or chips, bare bones are exposed. The exposed bone flattens and loses resilience so the joint no longer moves smoothly; it jerks and creaks. In response, the body sends white blood cells to the joint, but instead of repairing damage, the white blood cells release enzymes and free radicals that make things worse. The synovial fluid bathing the joint loses viscosity because it is damaged by the white blood cells’ enzymes. As the synovial fluid thins, it’s no longer able to resist joint compression or provide lubrication. Eventually, even the capsule that surrounds the joint inflames. The pet then has painful arthritis.

Who Gets Arthritis?

Most dogs in their senior years have arthritis. In fact, osteoArthritis (OA) is the most common skeletal disease of dogs. Working, athletic, obese dogs—and those with diabetes or Cushing’s disease—are especially prone. Trauma and injury, hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia also predispose pets to OA. Cats get arthritis too, and estimates are that 12 million cats in the US (20% of cats) have feline arthritis.

In fact, arthritis in dogs and cats is such a universal problem that it’s found in dinosaur fossils. For more information about arthritis in general, please visit the Arthritis Foundation.

We recommend several medications (see the list on the right) for pet Arthritis. In addition, we recommend supplementing all pets with Omega 3 fatty acids to reduce the tendency to inflammation. Visit our Fatty Acid FAQ Section.

The articles here were answered by a variety of pharmacists and veterinarians   Date Category Topic 02/26/08  Bone & Joint Care  WHAT KIND OF JOINT SUPPLEMENT WILL BE BEST 02/21/08  Other  BACK DISCOMFORT 02/20/08  Bone & Joint Care  REAR LEG AND HIP MOBILITY 02/18/08  Other  OUR OLD DOG 02/17/08  Urinary Tract/Kidneys  BLOOD IN URINE 02/08/08  Other  LICKING GENITALS 02/08/08  Bone & Joint Care  MEDICATION DOSAGE 02/08/08  Eye Care  EYES SUNK IN 02/04/08  Other  DOG WITH ONGOING WHEEZING-LIKE SYMPTOMS 01/29/08  Pain/Inflammation  SEEKING A DIAGNOSIS 01/29/08  Bone & Joint Care  MOANING 01/21/08  Pain/Inflammation  ARTHRITIS 01/21/08  Pain/Inflammation  ARTHRITIS 01/19/08  Pain/Inflammation  OSTEOARTHRITIS 01/16/08  Bone & Joint Care  JOINT PAIN 1 2 3 4 5 »»

 

Enter question or keyword(s):              or search by pet type:  All Pet Types Dogs Cats Horses Other             TIPS: Search for answers by entering keywords, Use multiple keywords