In the advanced stages of the disease, dog arthritis can severely
diminish a dog’s quality of life. Experiencing chronic and acute pain at
the same time can render a dog almost completely immobile. Hence, dog
owners need to take action to maintain their dog’s health. If you
suspect that something is wrong with your dog, don’t hesitate to have
your dog examined by a vet.
In my veterinary practice, I created a grading system that will assess the severity of a dog’s arthritis. I find this tool helpful as it helps my clients have a better picture of their dog’s condition and at the same time I use it as a guide in recommending the best possible treatment options. This article will focus on grade 3 dog arthritis.
Grade 3 Dog Arthritis Symptoms and Treatments
X-rays and arthroscopy will reveal the following changes:
· Large bone spurs or osteophytes
· Significant amounts of scar tissue developing around the affected joints
· Very pronounced fissures in the cartilage
Considering the substantial damage in the joints, the dog will be
exhibiting severe and very frequent lameness. Joints will be quite
inflamed and the dog will be experiencing chronic and acute pain. This
will result in behavioral changes. The dog will tend to isolate itself
and will become irritable and aggressive. The animal will also become
lethargic, which leads to muscle atrophy in the legs.
To address the symptoms of grade 3 dog arthritis the following needs to be utilized:
· Grade 1 and 2 treatments.
· Neuropathic pain medicines (NMDA antagonists). These drugs are used as
support therapy alongside prescription painkillers. They work by
calming down over active neural pain pathways.
· Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs). If your pet is young
and healthy and has undergone blood tests that show that the animal can
efficiently metabolize the drug, then the use of NSAIDs should be considered. Nevertheless, be very stringent when using the drug.
· Dietary supplements. Helpful supplements for this stage of the disease
must contain bioflavanoids and other potent antioxidants (e.g. vitamins
A, C, and E; coenzyme Q10; and glutathione).
These substances protect chondrocytes (the living cells of the cartilage
matrix) from harmful chemical reactions caused by free radicals.