Yesterday's podcast featured Dr. Grace Long on the subject of arthritis in pets. We talked specifically about some ideas for using nutrition to manage the pain and inflammation resulting from degenerative joint disease in dogs.
I was thinking about that podcast after we recorded it, on my hike up Boston Hill. It was my left knee that got me focused on the subject of joint pain. I wanted to add some useful information we might have left out.
Namely, how can you tell if your dog or cat is starting to experience joint pain? That's important because the earlier you recognize the problem the more options you have in dealing with it.
Dr. Long estimates that 20% of dogs will experience the joint pain of arthritis. An almost identical percentage of cats over the age of one are thought to experience arthritis in any given year. The problem with cats is that they are more stoic than dogs and don't show symptoms of pain as obviously as dogs.
One of the more common signs in cats is that they are simply not as athletic as they used to be. Where they once were able to jump tall buildings in a single bound they might hesitate to jump up on the couch if they have arthritis. You might notice that they seem a little more stiff too, especially when they first get up from one of their frequent naps. They may even nap more than their 12 to 18 hours a day if they are in pain. They will certainly appear less active to the observant owner.
Dogs, especially big dogs, will start having trouble getting up off the ground. If you have wood, tile or linoleum floors you'll notice this sooner. If you have steps in the house, dogs with arthritis will be reluctant to go up and sometimes down the steps. Trouble going up is a sure sign of hip or hind limb lameness and trouble going down can mean inflammation in the cervical spine, shoulder or elbow. You may notice that they aren't as frisky on walks as usual and may even start turning for home sooner than in the past.
Our friend Cedar (the biggest dog in the world - shown here) is having these problems now. I can detect the pain Cedar is experiencing when he tries to get up and I can see a slight limp that probably results from pain in his shoulder as he walks.
Dogs and cats with severe arthritis will experience muscle atrophy in the affected limbs. It's very common to see this in older dogs with hip dysplasia. Their front legs and shoulders will seem larger and their rear legs will look skinny by comparison. They will start to shift more of their weight forward to relieve the pain they feel in their hips. If you are lucky and observant you can intervene before this takes place with anti inflammatory medication, pain medication or even surgery.
My advice is to watch closely for these signs. Some large dogs with genetic tendencies for joint problems may begin to show signs as early as two or three years. Most won't show them until much later. In any case the earlier you spot them and take action the better the outcome will be.
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