Canine Arthritis

     Canine Arthritis comes in a few different forms and some are more painful to your dog than others.  The three types of canine arthritis are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Septic Arthritis.  Osteoarthritis is a form of canine arthritis that is generally genetic within your pet and progresses as your pet gets older.  Rheumatoid Arthritis is caused by antibodies within your dog and Septic Arthritis, on the other hand, is an infection that is carried to the joints via the bloodstream.  The cartilage around the joints starts to become inflamed and thus causes your pet soreness and stiffness within the joints.  Caused by the degradation of the cartilage and bone around the joints the pain associated with canine arthritis usually begins mild and progressively gets worse as the condition worsens.  You may never know when this problem is starting but as it becomes more painful for your pet you should see a favoring of a specific limb, lethargy, a decreased activity level and hesitancy when jumping.  Talk to your vet as there is no cure for canine arthritis but there are medications on the market today which help with the pain associated with it and allows your dog to continue with an almost normal life.  Even with no cure available the improvement in your dog's quality of life can improve drastically if you spot, and then act on, the early signs of canine arthritis.