Knee Dysplasia in Dogs

Dogs can suffer joint pain from a variety of causes, including aging. They can get arthritis just as humans do and it painfully affects the joints such as the elbows, joints and knees. One type of arthritis in the dog is knee dysplasia.

  1. Features

    • According to K-9Health.com, knee dysplasia is similar to elbow dysplasia, but it affects the back legs rather than the front legs. Dysplasia occurs when the bones become misshaped, which also causes bone chips and spurs that are very painful to the dog.

    Signs

    • While dogs can't say what is wrong or where it hurts, some signs exist for knee dysplasia. Healthy Happy Dogs reports that a dog may have knee dysplasia are if a dog no longer wants to play or walk, limps and moves slowly, lags behind on walks, yelps when touched and has a hard time getting up from resting positions. The trouble with these signs is that they don't directly indicate knee dysplasia; they could also mean hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia and other forms of joint problems. A visit to a veterinarian is import for proper diagnosis.

    Causes

    • Knee dysplasia is arthritis, otherwise known as degenerative joint disease or osteoarthritis. According to Healthy Happy Dogs, 25 to 30 percent of dogs suffer from it. It causes immense pain and can be very debilitating. Primary arthritis is hereditary and develops over time from wear and tear to the joints as a dog ages. Trauma can cause secondary arthritis. Healthy Happy Dogs reports that this form of arthritis comes on quickly following an injury, even a minor injury, and it progresses very fast.

    Treatments

    • There are no cures for knee dysplasia in dogs. There are treatments that can help ease the pain and make the dog more comfortable, but nothing will completely rid the dog of the problem. Some treatments include medications such as Rimadyl, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs and buffered aspirin. These work to keep the painful swelling down, but each has a host of side effects that could cause other problems in a dog. Veterinarians can give injections, but these can be costly; and some will even recommend surgery, which is also costly. Consultation with a veterinarian about these treatments can help avoid harmful side effects.

    Considerations

    • It is mainly important to keep a dog suffering from knee dysplasia comfortable. Dog'sHealth.com recommends using an extremely soft bed kept away from drafts and moisture. Dogs with knee dysplasia should be kept warm at all times through indoor heating and sweaters when in cool weather. An elevated water and food bowl will help, as will ramps to help them go in and out of the house. Exercise, including short walks several times a day, is also important to keep the stiff joints loose.