What is arthritis?

Arthritis in our dogs is a painful and usually progressive debilitating condition that can be present in any bone joint. The name Arthritis comes from: athr- (meaning joint) and -itis (meaning inflammation). Arthritis can produce stiffness, joint pain in dogs, and a limited range of motion because of bone spurs. There are a number of dog arthritis treatments; some use medication or supplements but some will use only correct nutrition and weight-watching as an effective therapy.

Correct food, exercise (even if non-weight-bearing, such as with hydrotherapy) and weight-control of your dog are the keystones of arthritis management.

Arthritis in dogs: Joints and pathology

Our dogs have bones that are connected together with soft tissue (muscle, tendons and ligaments); as a result of this soft connection, a flexible joint is made between the hard bones. This soft connection lets the bones move relative to each other; the joint then acts like a hinge or a ball-joint, depending on its design. When bearing weight, the two bones nearly touch each other (but not quite); the bones are only separated by thin layers of smooth cartilage and fluid to lubricate the movement. It is because of this smooth cartilage and fluid lubrication that bone wear and joint pain is normally absent.

A joint like this is very efficient and is usually a self-maintaining mechanism; however, it is one which can gradually fail because of deterioration in older age or quite quickly after injury. Cartilage in the joint can become rough and break up – or even wear through altogether. When the cartilage is damaged, the bones in the joint are able to grind and wear each other; this produces the painful symptoms of arthritis in dogs. Also, new bone can grow around the damaged area which can limit joint motion; the growths will show up as lumps under the skin. Once damaged, the dog’s cartilage rarely re-grows to repair itself completely.

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis

Heat felt around arthritic joints is either from inflammation of damaged tissues or from increased blood flow from theraputic massage etc.. Inflammation is a product of a protection-and-repair process to prevent infections and rebuild damaged tissue.

Inflammation/heat cannot usually be felt because of arthritis in dogs – only in rheumatoid arthritis. The most frequently occurring osteoarthritis does not produce inflammation; the far rarer rheumatoid arthritis in dogs is an autoimmune disease actually caused by inflammation; a mistake by the body, which can be felt as heat.

Current thought is that osteoarthritis can be initiated by chronic low-level inflammation, but we wouldn’t be able to feel that tiny additional heat around a joint.

Inflammation could also be felt as heat from other damage being repaired, such as ligament or muscle strains. Arthritis could be causing other strains, as the joint is deliberately misaligned in an effort to reduce the pain.

Osteoarthritis in dogs

The most common form of dog arthritis is Osteoarthritis; consequently this is the type mainly discussed here. Osteoarthritis was originally thought to be caused only by wear-and-tear or physical damage to the joints. This idea was questioned in 2011 when members of Stamford University carried out research into joint inflammation (click here), when they found a low-level inflammation in the affected joints. Researchers think that arthritis may be a consequence of this inflammation, or may at least enable the onset of the arthritic process.

In arthritic dogs examined in the Stamford University study, the scientists found inflammation in all the joints. This was surprise to researchers, as they only saw damage in some of the dog’s joints – but not all. Experts currently tend to support this early and important research which found a concurrence of inflammation and arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis

The much rarer Rheumatoid arthritis in dogs is an autoimmune disease. This disease develops because the dog’s own immune system mistakenly identifies normal proteins in the cartilage as foreign bodies. Damage to the cartilage occurs and pain results simply because the mistaken immune system tries to eradicate the normal proteins. In Rheumatoid arthritis the joints can be swollen and painful because of inflammation, and rheumatoid dog arthritis treatment options differ slightly from those dogs suffering from Osteoarthritis.

People suffering from arthritis often have swelling, redness and warmth around the arthritic joint; in dogs, however, this obvious inflammation is usually only seen in Rheumatoid arthritis. A dog with Osteoarthritis will rarely show these external inflammatory symptoms.

Because dog’s joints are carrying all their weight, keep your dog at a healthy weight and on a healthy diet. Maintain regular appropriate exercise, and use anti-inflammatory and painkilling treatments as prescribed by your vet.

Early-onset arthritis in dogs

Dogs can suffer joint pain early in life if their joints have failed to develop properly (dysplasia), or are damaged because of trauma. If your dog has ligament damage, this can lead to joint instability or misalignment, because the ligaments help maintain correct joint positioning; broken bones can also damage the joint surfaces. Such damage, misalignment and developmental problems can all lead to early-onset arthritis in dogs.

How do I know it’s arthritis?

Because they can be difficult to tell apart for the lay-person, arthritis and other joint pains should always be assessed by your vet. They will be also able to outline the many different treatments which can make your dog’s life less painful.

If your dog is showing signs of: stiffness, reluctance to exercise or having difficulty rising from lying down; being more slow-moving, being lame or getting grumpy – then they may have developed arthritis. ALWAYS consult your vet if you think your dog is in pain; it’s not always arthritis! Your pet may have fewer symptoms of arthritic pain soon after starting exercise; unfortunately though, symptoms can get worse in cold or damp weather condition and usually return after resting. Your dog may lick the joint for extended periods sometimes just because it is painful.

A vet will be able to diagnose arthritis in your dog by using X-ray and joint manipulation; they will probably carry out other tests too – arthritis in dogs is rarely obvious to the naked eye, partly because of the lack of swelling.

Other causes of stiffness or joint pain in dogs:

Inflammation of your dog’s joints could also be caused by: Lyme disease (from infected deer tick bites – click here); incorrect/poor diet (click here and see the ‘Dog Food’ section below) or the use of NSAIDs (which can cause ‘leaky gut syndrome’ – increased small bowel permeability – click here); flea and tick treatments (which all contain pesticides); antibiotics (click here).

How to treat joint pain in dogs

Our vets often treat the symptoms of joint pain in dogs using pain-killing and/or anti-inflammatory medications. This is because pain-relief can be the only realistic course to take; they can carry out a joint-replacement if the damage is severe, and funds allow! Owners have found that alternative or complementary therapies can also be effective for dog pain.

Joint supplements that really work:

YuMove (click here)

This supplement has been tested on dogs by the Royal Veterinary College for effectiveness, and “…. The group that were given YUMOVE showed statistically significant improvements, the college said.” and that ” it has found the first ever clinical proof of the effect of joint supplements on canine mobility. ” The clinical study was two-and-a-half years long, with results published in 2014; the testing method “was developed to provide clear clinical results that veterinary professionals can rely on, and give confidence when recommending joint supplements to dog owners.” Click here to see the full report from the Veterinary College.

This is a very highly-regarded supplement with thousands of people loving it because it rejuvenates their older dogs with joint issues. Green-Lipped Mussel has been shown to reduce pain, hyaluronic acid to help thicken the synovial fluid around the joints and Glucosamine Hydrochloride to help joint-recovery and lubrication. The Glucosamine Hydrochloride is the only variant of Glucosamine proven to work. YuMove also contains Manganese, which has been shown to support collagen formation in the cartilage, tendons and ligaments. YuMove takes 4 to 6 weeks to reach therapeutic levels in the joints. Patience and persistence is needed!

See Appendix below – ORANGE BACKGROUND – for YuMove research links.

Turmeric Curcumin (click here)

This is another well-regarded and long-established aid which research has shown to reduce pain in joints and possibly cancer in several laboratory tests. Consult your vet before starting treatment. Anecdotal efficacy seems to be on a par with taking Ibuprofen for pain relief in people. There have, unfortunately, been very few research studies on the efficacy of Turmeric to reduce arthritis pain in dogs; for human research results on knee osteoarthritis: click here and see Appendix below.

Curcuminoid is a part of the ginger spice called Turmeric, which has been used by people for thousands of years for health purposes. It is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory which has been proven effective in both people and animals. Turmeric is administered with healthy fat (e.g. dog food) or a component of black pepper so as to ensure effective absorption in a dog’s gut.

See Appendix below -BLUE BACKGROUND – for Turmeric Curcumin research links.

Omega-3 fatty acids and Osteoarthritis

This is a fatty acid commonly touted to help with stiff or sore joints in people, and studies have also been carried out on dogs to find if the supplement works. Click here to see the American Veterinary Medical Association research results for Omega-3 supplementation for dogs suffering from Osteoarthritis. In conclusion, they discovered that less pain-relief (from a drug called carprofen) was needed by dogs receiving Omega-3 after 12 weeks of supplementation, compared to a control group of dogs.

From the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS): “Recent studies show that food enriched with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils can have a number of positive effects on dogs with osteoarthritis.” Click here to see the full report.

See Appendix below -PINK BACKGROUND – for Omega-3 research links.

Your dog can usually take supplements such as the above alongside any other medications they may be taking – but because of possible medication interactions, please consult your vet to make sure!

See my article ‘Your Aging Dog’ which covers pain-relief and disease in dogs in more detail. Click here to read it. For other non-drug natural treatment options, plus clinical proofs and references, see my Nutraceuticals article – click here.

Exercise

Arthritis in dogs: joints can be kept in better condition by exercising them – even though it’s arthritis. If your dog is suffering joint pain and is overweight then their weight needs to be reduced straight away; their joints are more likely to be damaged when they are subject to more weight. Owners find that strict dietary and exercise regimes very beneficial due to the natural increase in joint-health that exercise promotes; these regimes alone could reduce the pain to levels where your dog may seem pain-free and mobile again.

If you have more than one dog, there may be large variances in age between them. Be aware of the risks of an elderly dog or puppy over-exerting themselves, as described by Hartpury University: “Owners need to be aware that some dogs may push themselves beyond safe limits, particularly in multi-dog households where young dogs are exercised in a similar way to adult dogs.” (Click here for the full article).

Dog food

Diet can have a great influence over arthritis in dogs; a change of food can produce surprising results because of the changing ingredients your dog absorbs. Commercial dog food (and dog treats) usually contains large amounts of additives, cereals, rubbish indigestible ‘meat’ and chemicals; these may well create inflammation problems in joints for some dogs. Most (cheap and expensive) dry dog-food contains all the allowable ‘meat’ that you would never consider feeding to your dog; there will be restaurant fat, hooves, beaks, road-kill, feathers, blood, warts-and-all. It’s all called ‘meal’ or ‘animal by-products’; it’s cooked several times which kills any goodness dead and then coloured to make it look lovely.

Try switching to a raw and natural food diet – though don’t mix dry dog food with raw in the same meal; you can alternate a raw food meal (morning) with a dry kibble meal (evening) to ease the transition. Do this for a few weeks; your dog’s stomach acidity needs time to adapt to the new food. See https://paleoridgeraw.uk/switching-to-raw-food-diet for further help. Diet changes will create temporary dog-poo texture changes, however, a raw diet will eventually result in smaller and less voluminous output! Raw food should contain protein from raw white meats, organs and fish (e.g. oily sardines); the food can contain up to 15% cooked vegetables BUT NO WHEAT. Wheat gluten is majorly suspected in provoking arthritis (and epilepsy); it’s not completely digested, plus it provokes an immune-response which leads to skin, ear and gut problems.

Food hygiene

You can make dog raw food from butcher’s and supermarket meats, but there are also many companies manufacturing raw dog food in sealed frozen packets for purchase through the post or in person. RAW FOOD CAN BE DANGEROUS TO PEOPLE, because of the commonly-found pathogens which are on many raw meats purchased. Personal and work-space hygiene is essential when – and after – handling and storing raw meats in order to avoid illness, as when handling any raw meats. Dogs rarely become ill because of the pathogens on meat, as they are well-adapted to digesting this food.

It is worth saying that dogs have a FAR, FAR better ability to cope with contaminated foods than we do; dogs have, after all, evolved a scavenger’s digestive system. This is able to process raw meat from wherever is available – long-dead, rotten and stinky or fresh, and not become ill.

Dog healthy weights

As for your dog’s weight – you should easily be able feel their ribs with the flat of your hand; you should even see the ribs very slightly in short-haired dogs; otherwise they are overweight. Dogs do have a waist, and no dog should look like a barrel! Lots of lean muscle is one thing, but joints over-burdened with useless, heavy and unhealthy fat is quite another! Dogs are runners, not fatty couch-potatoes; being carnivores more than omnivores, they need raw meat, protein, more raw meat and maybe some cooked veggies (BUT NO WHEAT).

Massage and acupuncture

Massaging the muscles around your dog’s painful joint often seems to cheer them up and enable greater mobility; this is because their muscles are stimulated and blood-flow increased when they may be wasting away due to reduced use. Massaging keeps the muscles in a better condition, and gives your dog a higher chance to keep moving.

Acupuncture is sometimes an effective treatment for dog arthritis, and can be combined with Chinese herbs for greater effectiveness. (These need careful administration). Homeopathic treatments have been shown to be more effective than a placebo in reducing pain, though they are not as effective as NSAIDs.

Your dog’s painful joint will be relieved temporarily using hot and cold packs, along with joint rest wherever possible.

Cartilage protectors

This family of supplements encourage cartilage re-growth and repair in the damaged joints; they reduce joint inflammation and reduce cartilage degradation. Hyaluronic acid, glycosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin and pentosan polysulphate have been proven effective for many dogs.

Adequan (polysulfated glycosaminoglycan) injections into a dog’s damaged joint by your vet can be very effective dog arthritis treatment; the Adequan provides the building-blocks needed for your dog to repair the cartilage and reduce their pain. Unfortunately, these injections are quite expensive – partly because the maintenance injections need to be regular to be effective.

The glucosamine supplements are somewhat different to glycosamine injections (see paragraph above), but they do attempt to use the same cartilage-repairing mechanism. Glucosamine supplements given orally are less expensive but have less potency than the glycosamine injections.

Stem cell therapy

Some vets in the UK already carry out stem cell therapy for repairing osteoarthritis damage in dog’s joints. This is quite expensive for owners but seems very effective in most cases, repairing the damaged areas using the dog’s own cells.

NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)

This group contains the vet’s common and effective medicinal arsenal against pain and inflammation. Research companies are developing new drugs and improving existing ones all the time but some of them will have long-term side-effects (such as gastritis and peptic ulcers); these can end up being more problematic than the arthritis symptoms are for your dog. A NSAID will be effective in reducing the inflammation which is causing the joint pain in dogs. Vets commonly prescribe NSAIDs marketed as Rimadyl, Metacam, Deramaxx and Previcox, amongst others.

Painkillers and steroids

Painkillers are not anti-inflammatory drugs; they are analgesics and directly reduce the pain a dog feels. Vets can prescribe Tramadol, Gabapentin and amantadine, plus others as dog arthritis pain relief. They can, however, have unpleasant side-effects in some dogs – which your vet should let you know about.

Vets also administer steroid injections as a dog arthritis treatment – these are used for short-term pain-reduction (each injection maybe effective for up to 8 weeks); steroid injections work through an anti-inflammatory mechanism which reduces joint pain. Steroids can have serious long-term side effects which limits their use on a regular basis – although other drugs can be used to reduce the damage done by steroid injections.

CBD – cannabidiol

This Cannabis-derived non-psychoactive drug (usually supplied as oil) seems to have painkilling, anti-anxiety, anti-seizure and anti-nausea properties; it is not licensed as a human Medicine yet except in some extremely limited situations for epilepsy treatment.

Hemp and Marijuana are members of the Cannabis family; CBD is usually made using Hemp. THC is the psychoactive component in Cannabis, but this controlled substance is unwanted in CBD oil; concentrations of less than 0.2% THC in CBD oil are needed for it to be legal to use in the UK. Because CBD is virtually free of THC, there should be no psychoactive reactions to recommended doses. Research is ongoing, and almost all reports of successful treatment of symptoms in dogs are anecdotal.

Cannabinoids interact with the endocannabinoid receptors located in the central and peripheral nervous systems; this interaction can lead to reduction in symptoms. Neuropathic pain is pain from nerve damage, and is often chronic and burning in sensation; this is the pain that seems to be most effectively treated using CBD oils.

If purchasing CBD, ask for a copy of the manufacturer’s certificate stating the proportions and quantities of CBD and THC; THC is the unwanted psychoactive component and quantities of this should be almost nil; legally, CBD must contain less than 0.2% THC. Cheaper products may well have little or no CBD in them; shop carefully!

For completeness – CBD and Epilepsy:

See the current study (which began in 2017) of CBD and its use as a treatment for canine epilepsy – click here. The American Kennel Club has an article discussing ongoing research into canine seizures and CBD – click here to read that.

World Health Organisation report on CBD (2017): “CBD has been demonstrated as an effective treatment of epilepsy in several clinical trials, with one pure CBD product (Epidiolex®) currently in Phase III trials. There is also preliminary evidence that CBD may be a useful treatment for a number of other medical conditions.”

Other help for arthritic dogs

Canine Arthritis Management (@CAMarthritis on Facebook) has developed a home checklist to help realise options for adapting homes to fit your dog’s arthritis limitations (click here to see the checklist). The checklist may be further developed over time with feedback from dog owners.

Dog footwear

Your senior dog may well be having trouble jumping and running, climbing up things and getting up off the floor. This is as a consequence of reduced strength and pain, as well as a reduced range of limb-motion because of arthritis. Many useful aids can be bought to help your dog cope with these difficulties. Dog boots, shoes, socks and paw-pads are easily available to increase grip on slippery floors so that your dog doesn’t do the splits or fail to get off the floor. I wrote an article on these – click here to read it!

Dog ramps and steps

If your dog does have trouble climbing into your car or boat then a ramp is probably the best solution. I wrote an article including this topic – click here! The best ramp I have found is the Solvit telescope design of ramp, because it is strong and adaptable as well as being reasonable to handle.

Dog strollers and carriers

Strollers for dogs are a terrific development, being inspired by baby-strollers, and they confer similar advantages to dog owners. Your dog can come with you wherever you go, even if they can hardly walk any more. As your dog is now mobile again, they can smell and see their familiar and stimulating scenery, or explore new areas with you. Furthermore, all sizes and styles can be found; as with baby-strollers, there is a wide range of quality as well! They are folding and light-weight (as a rule), so can be carried in a car or on public transport. There is a great selection of the best-quality strollers and carriers listed on our website – click here.

Dog carriers are quite like large shoulder-bags and are great for tiny or miniature dogs. It may be that as a result of mobility issues your dog would benefit from a carrier for short trips to the park!

Conclusion

Dog arthritis treatment is a very complex and evolving field; because of it’s brevity, this article has hardly brushed the surface of current knowledge. As a result, I recommend that you research available medications and treatments for yourself; there is a wide range of opinions out there. Your arthritic dog can become more comfortable and also live a more active and long life as a consequence of correct treatment in almost all cases. There is little excuse for us to neglect the symptoms of joint pain in our dogs, as treatments are there for them.

Despite all scientific research carried out, controversies are still common in this field; the effectiveness of treatment can vary wildly between dogs. You may have to keep trying different treatments until one of them seems to be the most effective for your dog – one with a balance of the least side-effects and also the best pain-relief. Complementary solutions (treatments and supplements) are well worth trying, because some of them are superb from anecdotal reports, and have few unwanted side-effects. Researchers are frequently developing new or improved medications, aiming for fewer long-term side-effects and improved efficacy; ask your vet whether new options are available. Correct food, exercise (even if non-weight-bearing, such as with hydrotherapy) and weight-control of your dog are the keystones of arthritis management.

See my article on the effects and mediators of aging on dogs: ‘Your Aging Dog‘

Appendix:

From: http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/joint-supplements-dogs-helpful-vs-hype

YuMove: “Glucosamine hydrochloride is an amino sugar, but it’s not involved in the glucose pathway. It’s a building block of the cartilage matrix and stimulates growth of cartilage cells. Glucosamine is readily available, cheap and can be given safely to diabetic patients, Dr. Brunke says.

Notice that we’re discussing glucosamine hydrochloride [e.g in Yumove], here, not glucosamine sulfate. Although glucosamine sulfate is absorbed better, there have been no studies published showing that glucosamine sulfate actually shows up in synovial tissue after it’s been ingested orally. A joint supplement doesn’t help if it doesn’t get where it needs to be.

A loading dose of two times maintenance for four to six weeks is required for glucosamine hydrochloride to reach therapeutic levels, Dr. Brunke says. Maintenance is 500 to 1,000 mg for a 75-lb dog, which works out to about 15 mg/kg.

Does it work? A randomized, double-blind, positive-controlled, multicenter trial assessed 35 dogs with confirmed osteoarthritis of the hip or elbow for their response to orally administered glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate. Carprofen was used as the control. Although onset of efficacy was slower than carprofen, dogs treated with glucosamine-chondroitin showed statistically significant improvements in pain scores, severity and weightbearing by day 70.”

From: https://www.agriculturejournals.cz/publicFiles/02029.pdf

YuMove: “Hyaluronic acid possesses a number of protective physiochemical functions that may provide some additional chondroprotective effects in vivo and may explain its longer term effects on articular cartilage. Hyaluronic acid can reduce nerve impulses and nerve sensitivity associated with pain. In experimental osteoarthritis, this glycosaminoglycan has protective effects on cartilage (Akmal et al., 2005); exogenous hyaluronic acid is known to be incorporated into cartilage (Antonas et al., 1973).

. . . . . HA [ Hyaluronic acid ] plays a vital role in the development of cartilage, the maintance of the sinovial fluid and the regeneration of tendons (Toole, 1997, 2001). High concentrations of HA have been found in the ECM of all adult joint tissues, including the sinovial fluid and the outer layer cartilage (Leach and Schmidt, 2004). In part because of its viscoelastic nature and ability to form highly hydrated matrices, HA acts in the joint as a lubricant and shock absorber.

Viscosupplementation is a novel, safe, and possibly effective form of local treatment for osteoarthritis (Uthman et al., 2003). Viscosupplementation with HA products helps to improve the physiological environment in an osteoarthritic joint by supplementing the shock absorption and lubrication properties of osteoarthritic synovial fluid.

The rationale for using viscosupplementation is to restore the protective viscoelasticity of synovial hyaluronan, decrease pain, and improve mobility. ….. Longer term benefits are believed to include the return of joint mobility by the restoration of transsynovial flow and, ultimately, the metabolic and rheologic homeostasis of the joint (Wang et al., 2004). “

From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2722199/

YuMove: Green Lipped Mussel: . . . . “In conclusion, our results suggest that the modern stabilized and freeze-dried GLM [Green Lipped Mussel] is more effective than the placebo in treating chronic pain due to moderate to severe OA [Osteo Arthritis] and that it has no side-effects. For dogs that can not use NSAIDs or corticosteroids and for patients who need analgesic support over extended periods of time, oral GLM may be an acceptable alternative for treating chronic arthritis pain . . . . “

From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=PMC4244558

Turmeric Curcumin when treating humans: “At 8 weeks after treatment initiation, knee pain VAS scores were significantly lower in the Theracurmin group than in the placebo group, except in the patients with initial VAS scores of 0.15 or less. Theracurmin lowered the celecoxib dependence significantly more than placebo. No major side effects were observed with Theracurmin treatment. ….. Theracurmin shows modest potential for the treatment of human knee osteoarthritis.”

From: https://arthritis-research.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13075-016-1025-y

Turmeric Curcumin tested on mice: ” This study provides the first evidence that curcumin significantly slows OA disease progression and exerts a palliative effect in an OA mouse model. “

Turmeric Curcumin: See also:

Turmeric general benefits: https://dogsfirst.ie/turmeric-for-dogs/ 

Turmeric general benefits: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=78,

Turmeric and Osteoarthritis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25688638 ,

Turmeric and Rheumatoid Arthritis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22407780 ,

From: https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.236.5.535

Omega-3 and Osteoarthritis: “Results suggested that in dogs with chronic osteoarthritis receiving carprofen [an anti-inflammatory drug] because of signs of pain, feeding a diet supplemented with fish oil omega-3 fatty acids may allow for a reduction in carprofen dosage.”

From: http://mrcvs.co.uk/en//news-story.php?id=4424

Omega-3 and Osteoarthritis: “Recent studies show that food enriched with omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils can have a number of positive effects on dogs with osteoarthritis.”