Contents Acknowledgements & Introduction . . .. . . .. . . .. . 4 1 The different types & signs to look for . . .. . . .. . . .. . 6 What is canine arthritis?.. . 6 Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) .. . . .. . . .. . 6 Case history: Rosie .. . . .8 Case history: Sammy 9 How DJD develops .. . . .. 10 Signs to look out for. . .. 10 Inflammatory arthritis . . .. 11 Act quickly . . .. . . .. . . .. 11 Not the end of your dog’s world . . .. . . .. . . .. 11 2 Joints affected .. . . .. . . .. 12 Osteochondrosis & Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 12 Hip Dysplasia (HD) .. . . .. 12 Case history: Fern . .. . . 13 Case history: Harvey 14 Injuries. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 16 Case history: Emily .. . . 17 Lumbosacral spondylosis . 18 3 A diagnosis – what now? .. 19 A thorough check over. .. 19 Your role .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 19 Ruling out other problems .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 21 Tips for coping . . .. . . .. 21 Arthritis clinics .. . . .. . . .. 21 Case history: Stella .. . . 22 Case history: Max . .. . . 23 What else could help? . .. 24 Case history: Diesel.. . . 26 4 Treatment .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 27 Conventional drugs .. . . .. 27 Inflammatory arthritis . . .. 27 Side effects. . .. . . .. . . .. 27 Case history: Penny.. . . 28 Case history: Simba.. . . 29 Natural medication .. . . .. 32 Human drugs .. . . .. . . .. 32 Visits to the vet . . .. . . .. 32 Centres of excellence. . .. 32
When surgery is the option . . .. . . .. . . .. Case history: Meg . Cost considerations . Stem cell therapy . ..
only . . .. 32 .. . .33 . . .. 34 . . .. 34
5 Breeds affected .. . . .. . . .. 35 Osteoarthritis & certain breeds . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 35 The bigger the better? . .. 35 Getting older . .. . . .. . . .. 35 Case history: Trudy .. . .36 Case history: Bella .. . . 37 Breeds affected by inflammatory arthritis . . .. 38 Doing what comes naturally .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 38 Injuries. . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 38 Limited gene pool. .. . . .. 38 Estimated breeding values . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 38 Hip problems in smaller breeds . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 38 Case history: Bobby . . . 40 6 Diet and supplements . . .. 41 Dieting your dog . .. . . .. 41 Getting help . .. . . .. . . .. 41 Programmed to eat.. . . .. 42 Will certain foods help with arthritis? .. . . .. . . .. 42 Case history: Vincent 43 Case history: Brook .. . . 44 A good balance . . .. . . .. 46 Fatty acids . . .. . . .. . . .. 46 Supplements . .. . . .. . . .. 46 Choice of supplements . .. 46 Benefit for working dogs . 47 ‘Natural’ might not always be better .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 47 7 Complementary therapies .. 48 Holistic approach . .. . . .. 48 How effective are they? .. 48 Case history: Poppy.. . . 49 Case history: Maisie . . . 50 Case history: Harvey 52 8 Exercise & physiotherapy .. 54 Ideal exercise .. . . .. . . .. 54
Little and often . . .. . . .. 54 High impact . .. . . .. . . .. 54 Mental exercise . . .. . . .. 54 The benefits of veterinary physiotherapy .. . . .. . . .. 55 Case history: Buddy . . . 56 Case history: Pepper 58 9 Hydrotherapy . .. . . .. . . .. 60 Land versus water .. . . .. 60 Other benefits .. . . .. . . .. 60 Reversing muscle wastage . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 60 Increasing range of movement . . . .. . . .. . . .. 61 Improving circulation . . .. 61 Mood enhancer . . .. . . .. 61 Helping with injuries & joint problems .. . . .. . . .. 61 First steps. . . .. . . .. . . .. 61 Trained therapists . .. . . .. 61 Time in the pool . .. . . .. 61 Gradual increase . .. . . .. 61 Feedback .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 61 Case history: Mara .. . . 62 Case history: Teal . .. . .63 Swimming gear . . . .. . . .. 64 A typical pool .. . . .. . . .. 64 10 When euthanasia is the only option . . .. . . .. . . .. 65 When is the right time? .. 65 Letting go . . . .. . . .. . . .. 65 The euthanasia procedure . . . .. . . .. . . .. 65 Case history: Poppy.. . .66 A final resting place . . .. 67 Coping with your loss . .. 68 Case history: Arnold 69 11 Conclusion .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 70 12 Useful contacts & further reading . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 71 Rogues’ Gallery . . .. . . .. . . .. 74 Index . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 80
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but lives life to the full! & Geoff “Fern came to us aged five via the Ridgeback rescue. We were told she was a healthy girl, and her one and only ailment had been ‘growing pains.’ “One year on from her re-homing Fern started to develop a slight limp in her front legs, and X-rays revealed what our vet described as ‘textbook osteochondrosis.’ It turned out the ‘growing pains’ were actually the start of cartilage detaching from the end of her long bones. She’d been fed food which was too high-energy (our vet described it as ‘rocket fuel for dogs’) as a pup, and grew too quickly. Fern now has arthritis in her shoulders and hocks. “She’s on a combination of Previcox, four-weekly Cartrophen injections, daily Seraquin supplements, a bio-flow collar, a daily lunch of sardines, pilchards or mackerel, a little less weight, and an absolute minimum of an hour’s exercise a day (she will take two in her stride). Her squirrel-chasing ability is undiminished: if anything, keeping her weight down has enhanced it!”
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My
dog has arthritis
“Stella’s six years old, and was diagnosed with slight hip dysplasia at ten months. She showed slight lameness on a foreleg on and off over a couple of months, but I put this down to muscle strain as it only showed briefly. “During Christmas Eve 2011 she became very lame on her left foreleg, and, as she was still quite lame two days later, I arranged a visit to the vet. An X-ray revealed that Stella has osteoarthritis in both her elbows, although her lameness had vanished. “As the lameness resolved so quickly, the vet thought that this could have been due to a strain, so it was pure coincidence that the osteoarthritis was found. “Stella tends not to show signs of pain, and it’s worrying to think that the osteo had been developing without any obvious symptom, and was only discovered by pure luck. Thankfully, there’s still time to take action to maintain the joints as much as possible, without having to resort to surgery.” “The vet’s advice was to stay off antiinflammatories and painkilling drugs due to her young age and lack of lameness, and suggested putting her on a supplement such as Omega 6 instead.”
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