Can arthritis be healed in dogs?
Osteoarthritis in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Osteoarthritis is a progressive, degenerative condition in dogs that becomes more severe over time. Although there is no cure for this painful condition, symptoms can often be successfully managed to help your dog enjoy a good quality of life as they continue to age with OA.
What is Osteoarthritis in Dogs?
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in dogs and is a degenerative joint disorder that leads to a permanent deterioration of the cartilage that provides cushioning for the joints. This painful condition is estimated to affect about a quarter of all dogs throughout their lifetime.
Osteoarthritis in Dogs Symptoms
The painful joints caused by osteoarthritis can lead to a number of tell-tail signs that your dog may be suffering from osteoarthritis. The main symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs include:
- Pain, stillness and lameness
- Swollen joints
- Refusal to jump, use stairs or run
- Reluctance to stand up
- Restlessness, can’t get comfortable
- Lack of enthusiasm for walks or play
- Whining, irritability or aggression
- Licking joints
- Slow shuffling walk
Causes of Osteoarthritis in Dogs
While osteoarthritis can develop in any breed of dog, it is most often diagnosed in larger breeds such as German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labs, and Rottweilers.
The actual cause of osteoarthritis is largely unknown but this condition is often associated with underlying issues such as an injury due to trauma, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cruciate injury, or dislocations of the shoulder or knee.
Obesity is also associated with osteoarthritis. Excess weight can put unnecessary stress on the dog’s joints leading to pain, and degenerative joint issues over time.
Treatment to Help Dogs With Osteoarthritis Live More Comfortably
Osteoarthritis in dogs cannot be reversed or cured. Successful treatment of this condition reduces the pain caused by the affected joints, helps to slow the ongoing degeneration of the affected joints and allows your dog to live more comfortably, and enjoy a good quality of life as they continue to age. Often a number of treatments will be used together to achieve pain relief and more comfortable mobility.
Painkillers / Pain Meds
Painkillers such as anti-inflammatories are often prescribed as a long-term treatment for managing your dog’s joint pain and helping to reduce swelling.
Exercise
Although it may seem counterintuitive exercise is essential for dogs with osteoarthritis. It may be necessary to cut back on exercise when your dog is first diagnosed with osteoarthritis however staying mobile will help your dog to maintain fitness, achieve a healthy weight, relieve joint pain and enjoy a good quality of life.
Exercise will need to be tailored to your dog’s overall health and severity of osteoarthritis. Your vet will be sure to recommend the best level of exercise to help relieve your dog’s osteoarthritis symptoms.
Diet
Managing your dog’s weight will be a key element of their treatment for osteoarthritis. Increased weight puts increased stress on your dog’s joints so keeping weight at a healthy level will help to minimize the pain caused by the condition.
Your vet may recommend putting your dog on a calorie-reduced diet if their exercise level has been reduced, or a diet supplemented with chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine sulfate and omega-3 fatty acids as a way to combat symptoms.
Physical Rehabilitation (Physio for Dogs)
Physical rehabilitation is the name for physiotherapy for dogs and can include a number of treatments that are designed to help reduce pain while strengthening and improving muscle tone, maintaining range of motion and working to improve overall endurance.
Physiotherapy for dogs with osteoarthritis may include one or more of the following treatments: therapeutic exercises, therapeutic ultrasound, cold laser therapy, regenerative therapy, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, underwater treadmill or pool therapy, and massage, combined with conventional treatments such as anti-inflammatory medications.
Speak to your vet to find a qualified Canine Physical Rehabilitation practitioner in your area
Surgery
In some cases when joint damage is particularly extensive your vet may recommend surgery to help alleviate symptoms and slow the progression of your dog’s osteoarthritis. Surgery may be performed to remove bone fragments that are aggravating the condition or to replace the affected joints.
Prognosis for Dogs with Osteoarthritis
With effective long-term pain management and a little additional care, your dog may be able to enjoy a long and happy life even with osteoarthritis. Speak to your vet to learn more about managing your pup’s joint pain, and how you can help your dog to enjoy a happy life for many years to come.
Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.
Septic Arthritis in Dogs
Septic arthritis is an infection that occurs in a joint. Septic, in this context, means infected with harmful bacteria (most common), mycobacteria, fungi, or viruses. Arthritis is inflammation in the joint. Usually, septic arthritis occurs trauma, surgery, or a systemic infection in blood that travels to the joints.
Dogs with septic arthritis may quickly experience pain. As bacteria replicates in the joint, it leads to an inflammation that breaks down the joint. Early and often aggressive treatment is required to save the joints from chronic long-term damage.
Fortunately, septic arthritis is not contagious, though the bacteria that cause septic arthritis may potentially be contagious. While there are many species of bacteria, or even other agents, that can lead to septic arthritis, MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is one of the more contagious and dangerous agents that can spread from pet to pet, pet to human, or human to human.
Septic arthritis is rarely seen in dogs. Most that are affected with septic arthritis have had a penetrating injury to the joint, a recent orthopedic surgery where the joint was opened, or a suppressed immune system.
Septic arthritis is a medical emergency and should be immediately addressed. Early intervention is important to minimize joint damage.
Symptoms of Septic Arthritis in Dogs
Clinical signs of septic arthritis are both systemic—from the infection in the bloodstream—and local, from pain in the joint itself. The most common symptoms in dogs:
- Lameness or pain in one or more joints
- Heat or swelling in the joint
- Decreased or absent appetite
- Lethargy
- Fever
Causes of Septic Arthritis in Dogs
Septic arthritis is usually the result of a penetrating trauma, a complication of orthopedic surgery, or a systemic bacterial infection concentrated in the joint.
Dogs that have had a recent trauma, such as an animal bite over the joint or a puncture wound near the joint, are at greater risk of developing septic arthritis. All puncture wounds, especially if they’re near the joint, should be thoroughly cleaned.
Contact your veterinarian immediately if your dog has a puncture wound near the joint, as the vet may want to do additional flushing of the wound and prescribe antibiotics.
While sterile technique is always rigorously observed during orthopedic surgery in a dog, sometimes postoperative complications do occur. If your dog has had a recent orthopedic surgery, such as a ruptured cruciate ligament repaired or a bone plate or bone pin inserted, they have an inherent risk for developing an infection of the bone or joint after surgery.
Even the best surgeons using the best sterile technique in the best surgical suites cannot offer zero risk of postoperative infections. Airborne bacteria can still lead to an infected implant, and consequently, to an infected joint.
Diseases that suppress a dog’s immune system can increase a dog’s risk of developing septic arthritis. Additionally, there are cases of young animals spontaneously developing septic arthritis without trauma. Middle-aged, large-breed dogs have been documented to spontaneously develop septic arthritis in elbows that have underlying arthritic changes as well.
How Veterinarians Diagnose Septic Arthritis in Dogs
To diagnose septic arthritis, your veterinarian will start with a thorough physical exam. They will touch and examine any potentially affected joints and do a gait evaluation to assess for lameness. Heat or swelling of one or more joints is the most common clinical sign of septic arthritis. Your vet will also want to assess your dog’s overall state. Sometimes dogs with this condition will run a fever.
Your veterinarian will likely want to run some blood work to screen for signs that the infection is systemic (in the bloodstream). Additionally, x-rays are helpful to rule out other common underlying orthopedic conditions that can also affect the joint, like fractures. Some cases of septic arthritis can be accompanied by osteomyelitis, a bone infection. This often leads to changes to the underlying bone that are visible on x-rays.
After a physical exam, bloodwork, and x-rays, your veterinarian may want to do a procedure called arthrocentesis, also known as a joint aspiration or joint tap. This procedure involves using a sterile needle to collect joint fluid and cells to look at under the microscope. The fluid can also be sent off to a microbiology lab to culture for bacteria. Your dog will be given anesthetics to ensure that the procedure is pain-free.
If these tests do not provide answers, additional imaging like ultrasonography or a computed tomography (CT) scan may be recommended.
Treatment of Septic Arthritis in Dogs
Treatment of septic arthritis often involves aggressive therapy with antibiotics. If your dog is systemically ill and very sick when diagnosed, they may need to be hospitalized until they are stable. Sometimes these patients require lavage, or flushing with sterile saline, of the affected joints.
Often, patients with septic arthritis will be placed on oral antibiotics for a lengthy time. Follow-up visits to recheck the joints are recommended. Your veterinarian may need to repeat some of the previous diagnostics to ensure that the infection is resolving and that your dog is on the right track to recovery.
Monitor your pet closely while they’re undergoing treatment at home for septic arthritis. Note any changes in their comfort, gait, and appetite. Sometimes antibiotics can lead to gastrointestinal upset, so closely monitor your dog’s appetite and stools while on medication.
Follow the instructions on the label and do not discontinue an antibiotic prematurely unless instructed to do so by your veterinarian. Be sure to inform your veterinarian about any changes you notice in your dog’s response to treatment. Consider talking to your veterinarian about adding a probiotic while on antibiotics to keep a healthy gastrointestinal biome.
Recovery and Management of Septic Arthritis in Dogs
Your veterinarian may recommend rest while your dog is healing from septic arthritis. Be sure to ask about any activity restrictions. If your dog is not limping, low-impact exercise such as 15-minute slow walks is encouraged to maintain joint health. If your dog is still favoring, your veterinarian may recommend restricted activity to allow the joint time to rest.
Your veterinarian may prescribe an anti-inflammatory drug for your dog that helps ease pain and inflammation. Sometimes these medications can make dogs feel better and want to be more active than they should be during recovery. If your vet recommends your pet should rest, be sure to follow this recommendation even if your dog appears to feel better. Remember that their joint may not be healed yet, even though their pain is controlled.
Once your dog has been cleared to return to normal activity, physical therapy is geared toward a gradual return to full function and range of motion. Your veterinarian may recommend slow walks at first; you might start taking 10-minute walks and doing a slow serpentine pattern in the yard to strengthen the knees. Then, after a week or two of 10-minute walks, increase the walks to 15 minutes. Usually stairs, jumping, and running are the last activities to be added back in before your dog is back to normal.
Other physical therapy may include various range-of-motion exercises, such as moving your pet’s joints in a natural motion. A common exercise for the knees is moving the rear legs in a gentle circular motion, like pedaling a bicycle, while your pet is in a supported position. Your veterinarian is the best person to discuss a physical therapy plan for your dog, as plans will vary depending on the nature and severity of the infection, the age of the dog, and which joint(s) are involved.
Recovery times depend on:
- Severity of the joint infection
- Number and location of affected joint(s)
- Whether the infection is localized or systemic
- Time period between infection and start of treatment
- Individual response to therapy
Because so many factors can affect recovery time, it is difficult to predict duration. However, most patients can recover and return to full function in 4-12 weeks.
Most cases of septic arthritis are considered “cured” rather than just “managed” once they have resolved. However, having septic arthritis once does not mean your dog will never have it again.
Remember, if your dog sustains an injury that may involve the joint, be sure to get them appropriate care as soon as possible. If your dog has orthopedic surgery, follow all post-operative instructions and be open in your communication with your veterinarian to reduce your pet’s risk of post-operative complications.
References
Harari J. Septic Arthritis in Dogs and Cats. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2020.
Mielke B, Comerford E, English K, Meeson R. Spontaneous Septic Arthritis of Canine Elbows: Twenty-One Cases. Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology. 2018;31(6):488-493.
Featured Image: iStock.com/shironosov
