F.A.Q Puppies & Dogs

My twelve year - old dog has developed difficulty walking. What might have caused this and can it be treated?

You should go to your vet to discuss your dog's lameness. If you suspect that your dog has arthritis, then it is a good idea to keep a diary, noting down when the condition appears, and what has triggered it. This may help the vet in their diagnosis.

Many things can cause joint problems in animals. They can be classified into degenerative osteoarthritis, inflammatory arthritis and immune mediated arthritis:

• Degenerative osteoarthritis can be primary (where the cause is not known) or secondary, caused by injuries such as hip dysplasia or cruciate ligament (found in the knee) injury. 
• Inflammatory arthritis can be infective or septic. The infective type can be bacterial, viral, fungal or caused by mycoplasma. Gout crystals can also cause inflammatory arthritis. 
• Immune arthritis can be erosive and non-erosive. Rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) fall into this category.

Arthritis is usually worse when an animal gets up first thing in the morning. This is related to inflammation of a joint, and excessive exercise may make the condition more painful. Sometimes exercise should not be totally restricted, as this will reduce the joint mobility and short frequent walks may be better than single long ones. In some forms of arthritis exercise restriction may be important, especially in the early stages of therapy, and the vet can advise you about this.

The dietary management of cases like these should also be considered, as obesity, for example, makes any arthritis worse.

As you can see from the variations in cause and the different ways of dealing with them, it is important that the treatment and care are appropriate to the condition. Each regime has to be tailored to the individual animal and only the vet who is taking care of your dog can advise you on the best options. Given all of these different treatment options, you can see why it is important to work with your vet in the management of your dog's condition.