Canine Arthritis occurs when there is wear and tear within the joint resulting in pain. Dog arthritis differs from hip dysplasia in that it usuallyshows up later in a dog's life. Degenerative joint disease is another common term for it. The common name is simply "dog arthritis". Canine arthritis occurs when the smooth cartilage starts to deteriorate. The smooth cartilage protects the ends of the bones. When this happens, the ends of the bone touch and rub on each other. There are nerves within the living bone tissue, and as in hip dysplasia, this rubbing causes pain.

One of the components of the cartilage is Chondroitin sulfate. Since cartilage has no blood supply, it is the chains of Chondroitin sulfate which form channels allowing the passage of water and other nutrients throughout the cartilage tissue. In dogs (and humans), the loss of Chondroitin sulfate leads to a destruction of cartilage tissue. This loss is what leads to osteoarthritis. In fact, the pain caused by osteoarthritis is one of the most common ailments which vets see. Most often dog arthritis occurs in older dogs, but it can be seen even in young dogs who have a genetic vulnerability to it. Dogs with hip dysplasia or dog arthritis often exhibit the same early symptoms.

Arthritis can occur in any breed. But it is most common in large dogs and dogs who are overweight. As with canine hip dysplasia, X-rays are needed to make a proper diagnosis of arthritis.

There is no cure for arthritis in dogs, but it can be controlled in most cases. Hip dysplasia has not cure other than the replacement of the effected joints. It is also highly recommenced one gives an older dog a glucosamine supplement. Liquid Glucosamine is the preferred type of glucosamine to give your dog since it has a much higher absorption rate.

Disc Disease in Dogs

The vertebras in the spine are separated by discs filled with water. The discs act as a cushion between the vertebras. They perform much the same function as cartilage in the joints in that they protect the bones from rubbing each other. As they get older, their ability to hold water decreases. Therefore, they can't absorb as much pressure as before. If too much pressure is applied to a disc, it can rupture or expand. Disc disease is more prevalent in older dogs as their discs lose the ability to hold water. It usually is seen in dogs 3 to 6 years of age. It almost never happens in young dogs and rarely in very old dogs. It is thought that if a dog reaches a certain age without disc problems, then the dog is protected genetically from it. Unlike hip dysplasia, disk disease almost always occurs later in a dog's life. Glucosamine with Chondroitin is suggested for the dog as a nutritional supplement to combat disc disease.

Dog Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid dog arthritis is a disease where the body itself starts to attack the joints. This is different than the degerative diseases of hip dysplasia and dog arthritis. It is an auto-immune disease. The body mistakenly sees its own tissues as invaders and attacks them itself. With Rheumatoid arthritis, the attacks on the body occur in the body's joints. Many of the symptoms are identical to osteoarthritis in dogs and other pets. The pet is usually lame to some degree and there can be fevers and loss of appetite. Your vet will perform a blood test to determine if your pet is suffering from rheumatoid dog arthritis. Treatments can be in the form of anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, and oftentimes buffered aspirin is used.(Read about aspirin dangers here!)Controlling the dog's weight is another important factor. There is no surgery available (as with hip dysplasia).