When age begins to set in, dogs begin to have certain side effects. And arthritis is one of the most common. Arthritis, otherwise called osteoarthritis, happens to both dogs and humans, and this occurs when there is constant wear and tear in the joints. The joints become unstable and make walking a tedious task, although there are other factors like infection, immune disease, injury etc. which can also cause this.
Arthritis can affect any joint in the body irrespective of the location, but for dogs, it mostly affects the knees, shoulders, hips and elbows. These joints have cartilages that help to cushion the bones and make movement easy. When arthritis sets in, these cartilages begin to wear so much that movement becomes a huge burden for your dog.
Signs of arthritis
Several signs begin to show up when your dog develops arthritis, even though some dogs tend to hide their pain. You might begin to notice some of these signs:
- Limping gait, especially in any of the hind legs. Movement becomes irregular and slow.
- Walking, climbing the stairs, or running becomes difficult.
- Severe pain when trying to get up or lie down.
- Change in its emotional state. Your dog might become suddenly aggressive, or always in a sad mood and unwilling to play.
