Canine Arthritis Signs & Symptoms

According to the Arthritis Foundation, one in every five adult dogs in the United States suffers from arthritis. Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs. Arthritis in dogs may be caused by degenerative or inflammatory joint diseases. Dogs suffer from degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis when the cartilage between joints gets damaged due to an abnormal joint, injury or too much exercise. Inflammatory joint disease may be triggered due to bacterial or fungal infection or tick-borne disease. This is known as septic arthritis. The other type of inflammatory joint disease is rheumatoid arthritis which is caused due to some underlying disease related to the immune system.

  1. Osteoarthritis Symptoms

    • Change in gait is a common sign of osteoarthritis in a dog. This happens because the animal tends to put most of its weight on its healthy limb, rather than on the arthritic one. The muscles of the healthy get more developed, whereas those on the arthritic limbs lose mass. The joints are usually not swollen but there is a dull, lingering pain. The dog may not cry out in sharp pain when it moves but it avoids jumping or playing around. The animal may be reluctant to get up from its resting position and may experience stiff joints at such times. Dogs are often seen biting or licking the arthritic joint. They are often found looking for a soft, warm place to lie down. As the disease progresses, they become slower in moving around and are seen lagging behind during walks. Some dogs lose their appetite and may also prefer to be on their own.

    Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

    • A dog suffering from rheumatoid arthritis will have several joints affected at one time. The joints are swollen and painful. The dog may be lame, but not always. The severity of the lameness varies from being mild to debilitating. The lameness may also shift from one leg to the other. In some cases the lameness may be persistent, whereas in others it may be sporadic. Dogs that have been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis may also lose muscle in the arthritic limbs. Sometimes stiffness in the joints is the only sign of rheumatoid arthritis. However, some animals also suffer from kidney disease, tonsillitis, swollen lymph nodes, pneumonia, fever and loss of appetite.

    Septic Arthritis Symptoms

    • Septic arthritis usually affects a single joint of the body. The result is swelling, stiffness and pain in the affected joint. Pain causes the dog to limp or prefer the healthy limb to the one with septic arthritis. The dog isn't able to move the arthritic joint properly. The discomfort is more intense on cold and damp days than during warm and sunny weather. The dog may be become lethargic. It may also run a fever, lose its appetite and suffer from depression.