Treating Arthritis in Dogs

Dog Breeds

Surgical and non-surgical procedures are available to address canine arthritis. These procedures potentially can dramatically improve a dog’s quality of life.

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Introduction

When an owner suspects that her dog is suffering from arthritis – which usually will be seen in aging animals – it is time to get a veterinarian’s assessment of the dog’s health and physical status. This is a painful condition, and there are medications and supplements that can alleviate much of the pain. The therapeutic goals for treating osteoarthritis are to alleviate pain, improve mechanical joint function, slow the progression of the disease and facilitate repair of the affected joints if at all possible.

Treatment Options for Arthritis in Dogs

Surgical and non-surgical procedures are available to address canine arthritis. These procedures potentially can dramatically improve a dog’s quality of life. However, surgery is usually a last resort, as the consequences of surgery can include pain and other debilitating symptoms that are already associated with the disorder.

Non-surgical treatment options include administration of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), chondroprotective agents to promote heathy cartilage repair (polysulfated glycosaminoglycans, glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronan, Vitamin C,omega 3 and 6 fatty acids and MSM, among others) and/or opioids. These medications and supplements can be quite effective in reducing inflammation and relieving pain. In many cases, good dietary management and weight loss alone can dramatically reduce the pain and other symptoms of arthritis, as overweight dogs tend to suffer more than do fit dogs. Moderate, regulated exercise and/or exercise restriction can stimulate cartilage health and help delay joint degeneration, and long controlled walks in early or mild cases of osteoarthritis may help delay atrophy of muscle mass, as well. Physical therapy, hydrotherapy (swimming and other water exercises), passive flexion and extension of the affected limbs and controlled low-impact on-leash walks often are incorporated into the management process for dogs with osteoarthritis. The attending veterinarian is the best one to discuss these possible treatment and management techniques with the dog’s owner.

Other less traditional techniques that may benefit affected dogs, in addition to medical treatment, might include: massage therapy to stimulate blood flow and reduce pain and inflammation, possible application of acupuncture and/or acupressure techniques; use of herbal or other non-regulated supplements or homeopathic “remedies”; and other forms of supportive care that may help to ease pain, increase circulation, speed healing and otherwise promote wellness, relaxation and comfort. Some of these adjunct approaches lack controlled studies of their effectiveness and may not have established quality control methods or ways to assess their benefit to dogs with osteoarthritis or other forms of degenerative joint disease.

When non-surgical treatment options for arthritis are unsuccessful, such as when the dog’s joints have become so severely damaged that non-surgical treatment options are not helping resolve the dog’s pain, there are surgical options to consider. These include arthroscopic surgery, joint replacement, joint repair and joint fusion. More treatments possibilities are constantly under development.

Arthroscopy is the most minimally-invasive joint surgery currently available for dogs with arthritis. This procedure can be used to help resolve damage in shoulders, elbows, the stifle (knee) joint in the rear legs and the ankle bones. The procedure uses small cuts over the joint to insert cameras and uses small instruments to assess joint damage and plan joint repair. In some cases, arthroscopy cannot be performed due to swelling or leakage from the joint. In those cases, open surgery may be necessary to assess and/or repair the joint.

Elbow and hip replacements are now available for dogs. These are intensive and expensive surgeries which require a long recovery time (approximately 2-3 months). However, over 90% of these surgeries are successful in resolving the clinical signs of arthritic joints. Joint fusion is a surgical procedure which uses metal implants to fuse damaged joints. This procedure can be used on the wrists, fingers and back of people, and the comparable areas of our companion animals. Fusion repairs in dogs using bone grafts and artificial mediums are currently being studied. There are complications to this surgery, most often involving the metal implants themselves, and the recovery time can be quite long.

Most dogs with arthritis are overweight and/or elderly. These dogs are not good surgical candidates. The risk of surgery for these dogs is high, so it is important for pet owners to have an upfront talk about these risks with their veterinarian before deciding to go through with a surgery. Arthritis surgery is not always successful, and veterinarians can usually give pet owners an idea of what they can, and cannot, expect from the surgery.

Prognosis for Dogs with Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is a progressive and irreversible disease. Surgical correction is sometimes possible. Medical treatment is also available to relieve the pain associated with this condition. Together, these treatment options can help affected dogs maintain a good, normal quality of life. However, they cannot “cure” arthritis.

Treatment Options

Diagnosis and Tests