Arthritis

 

Arthritis is an important medical word which has found its way into very common usage in the English language. In its simplest form, it means - "inflammation of the joint" - and that covers a multitude of sins. It is not a disease, it is a symptom of an underlying problem. And there are many possible causes of an inflamed joint.
For example:

  • Infections can cause septic arthritis

  • Autoimmune disease can cause immune mediated joint disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, or forms of polyarthritis ( where multiple joints are affected)

  • Wear and tear can lead to osteoarthritis, as can congenital poor conformation – such as hip or elbow dysplasia

  • Systemic disease can have a manifestation in arthritis – when we get flu, we often suffer from aching joints

  • And there are many other less common problems that the specialists can tell you all about – if you & they have time !!

What do all of these have in common? They hurt!

And so, while it is important to understand the root cause of any arthritis, so that specific treatment can be given to eradicate that cause, it is also important in many cases to provide pain control. And this pain control is frequently at the centre of arthritis management.

Probably the commonest form of arthritis we vets deal with is osteoarthritis – the wear and tear disease, which worsens with age, and is seen more commonly in big and heavy dogs. And yes, Yorkies and cats get it too. But we see it a lot more in overweight Labradors. Indeed diet and weight control is so important!

Treatments available:

  1. NSAIDs. What on earth are they? Well it stands for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. And there are so many of them. The safety of differing products varies enormously, from individual to individual, and from species to species. So, never give your pet a human arthritis drug….PLEASE! Paracetomol, aspirin and ibuprofen are human drugs. They are neither licensed nor safe to use in animals.  Drugs such as Carprofen ( e.g. Carprodyl),and Meloxicam(e.g. Meloxidyl)are widely used. Discuss the pros & cons for your pet, with your vet.

2. Chondroprotectors: these are drugs aimed at improving the joint function by improving the quality of the lining cartilage. They include such drugs as pentosan polysulphate (Cartrophen injection), glucosamine, and chondroitin sulphate. There is a mixed opinion as to the efficacy of such drugs, but a lot of owners do report a noticeable benefit in their pets. Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulphate are available in the Senior Lite version of The Vet’s Pet Food. Some are used in association with NSAIDS.

3. Cortico-steroids may also have some value here, though they must be used with caution. Predno-leucotropin (PLT) is a low dose prednisolone based treatment, in combination with other mild non-steroidals. It is a long established product which has been with us for many years, yet it still retains an important role in arthritis treatment.

  1. Green lipped mussel extract. This is a relatively new treatment, which is finding some popularity.

  2. Various specific fatty acids can be very helpful. Hills nutrition in conjunction with the orthopaedic specialists at Liverpool vet school developed a range of these substances which are now included in the Hills j/d diets. This product is available in both standard and reduced calorie formats. We find the latter product very helpful in overweight and arthritic dogs such as Labradors.

5. Diet! So many dogs are overweight, and losing weight is an intrinsic part of the management of arthritic disease. Further, there are diets, such as the RCW and Hills j/d diets mentioned above which do contain anti arthritic agents.

6. Exercise: As osteoarthritis is a wear and tear disease, continued serious exercise can enhance & worsen this process. Yet, without exercise, the muscles will weaken, the legs will stiffen, and the situation will dramatically worsen. We need a good dose of common sense here – to keep the joints mobile & the muscles working properly. Or put a different way - lots of little walks.  In addition to this, non-weight bearing exercise can be very helpful. Exercise where there is little or no weight being carried by the sore joints. What do I mean? - SWIMMING! Or if you need to be trendy, use a Hydrotherapy pool. They’re increasingly available for pets.

Tim Mainland MA, VetMB, MRCVS

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