Arthritis in Dogs

As in humans, arthritis also occurs in dogs, with approximately 25% diagnosed with arthritis at some point in their lifetime. There are multiple causes such as infectious, autoimmune, endocrine, and traumatic. Similar to people, a common cause of arthritis in dogs is osteoarthritis. This is a degenerative condition where the cartilage wears down and exposes the underlying bone and ligaments. This can cause bony spurs, thickening, and scarring around the joint leading to pain and decreased mobility.

Osteoarthritis (OA), also referred to as degenerative joint disease (DJD), occurs due to aging and can be exacerbated by conformation and previous traumas to the joints. OA is not always recognized until it is advanced. Symptom sometimes observed at home can include changes in gait, changes in posture, slow to stand up or lay down, not jumping, hesitating on stairs, and limping. Behavioral changes are also noted that are often mistaken for getting older such as aggression, irritability, social distancing and sleeping more. Whining/crying are not common signs of pain from arthritis. When OA is the culprit, many owners report that their dogs are worse after periods of rest and typically “warm up” as they move around more. A thorough physical exam can often pick up muscle atrophy, reduced range of motion, swelling and crepitus (the crunchy or cracking noise when a joint is moved). Radiographs can be used to confirm and determine the degree of arthritis.

We cannot cure OA, but we can take action to slow the progression to keep our dogs comfortable. Keeping them lean will avoid unnecessary strain on their joints and lessen the “wear and tear” as they age. Adipose (fat) tissue is pro-inflammatory and can lead to the development of OA.  Performing low impact exercise (i.e. walking or swimming) will help with weight loss as well as improve mobility and muscle mass. Clinical improvement in lameness has been seen with as little as weight reduction by 6.1%, making weight loss one of the most effective tools at battling OA.

Oral chondroprotective agents are a common modality to try to tackle OA, however, some of these are not always as effective as we would like. These products are aimed at supporting cartilage and reducing inflammation, but limited bioavailability of ingredients, variable cartilage remaining in the joints, and validity of the labels make it difficult to determine how helpful these products are. There are FDA approved injectable polysulfated glycosaminoglycans and hyaluronic acid products that can be used and other oral supplements such as fish oils have been shown to help more consistently. 

Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are effective in reducing the production of pro-inflammatory factors. These are the long-chain fatty acids derived from fish oils. It is important to point out that flaxseed oil contains alpha-linolenic-acid (ALA), which in humans can be converted into DHA and EPA. However dogs are not able to perform this conversion, making flaxseed oil an ineffective source of fatty acids.

There are other modalities of managing OA in dogs that are case-specific and range in their availability, costs and benefits. These include CBD oil, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, pain medications, monoclonal antibody therapy, acupuncture, platelet-rich plasma, cold LASER, pulsed electromagnetic field therapy, and therapeutic ultrasound and intraarticular injections. Surgical interventions can be pursued for certain causes of OA. Corticosteroids for OA in dogs is controversial – injection into the joints can be used for short term relief, but steroids can be toxic to the cartilage, making long term or repeated administration not ideal.

With early intervention by maintaining a lean body weight and implementing a multi-modal approach as a dog ages, OA can be managed in many cases to allow for a good quality of life.