What Are the Treatments for Osteophytes in the Shoulder of a Dog?

When a dog's shoulder joint becomes damaged due to arthritis, injury, heredity or a degenerative joint disease, bone spurs called osteophytes form. These osteophytes form at the meeting of bones at certain joints, in some cases causing pain for a dog and decreasing his range of motion. Depending on the underlying cause for your dog's shoulder osteophytes, therapy, supplementation and surgery may be necessary to treat the condition.

  1. Identification

    • Canine osteoarthritis and osteochondritis dissecans are the primary causes of osteophytes in the shoulder joints of a dog. They result from a number of underlying causes including heredity, secondary joint disease, injury and wear-and-tear of the joint. These conditions cause the degeneration or loosening of a dog's cartilage around the joints. Cartilage is a type of soft tissue that functions as a shock absorbent buffer where two bones meet that form a joint. When this cartilage erodes or is damaged, friction results when the bones grind into each other, forming new projections of bone called osteophytes. Osteophytes can prevent the joint from functioning normally, leading to pain, stiffness and lameness. Large-breed dogs, older dogs and overweight dogs are more prone to this condition than others.

    Diagnosis

    • To properly diagnose the presence of osteophytes in a dog's shoulder, a veterinarian will physically examine your dog, testing the shoulder's range of motion. He will take X-rays or an MRI of the area to show the bone spurs present and any damage to the cartilage. In some cases, he may perform a surgical procedure called an arthroscopy, during which a device called an endoscope is inserted into the joint through a small incision to examine the area using a fiber optic lens. The doctor may remove tissue to biopsy, if necessary. This procedure can also remove osteophytes in the area surgically, helping to relieve pain and repair damage to the shoulder joint.

    Treatment

    • Surgical removal through arthroscopic surgery is the only true way to remove osteophytes from the bones of the shoulder joint. Supplements may be recommended to relieve joint pain, avoiding surgery. A study published in the June 2002 issue of The Journal of Nutrition showed that adding green-lipped muscle powder into a dog's food decreases both inflammation and pain at joints affected by arthritis. Another study, published in the February 1989 issue of Arthritis and Rheumatism showed that the administration of corticosteroids after certain cartilage surgeries may decrease the formation of osteophytes on the bone and help to decrease inflammation as well. Other supplements to consider include glucosamine and chondroitin, which help to form new cartilage in the body, and fatty acids to reduce inflammation.

    Considerations

    • Talk with your veterinarian to decide if surgery is necessary for your dog's shoulder to remove the osteophytes or if you can help the dog manage the condition. Manage pain with aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Daily low-impact exercise can help keep the shoulder loose, along with weight loss in obese dogs. Massage, physical therapy or acupuncture can all provide relief from joint pain and inflammation, as can a heated dog bed. If your dog has surgery, you'll have to resrict his exercise for a month to allow the joint to heal properly, according to the VetInfo website.