With 20% or 1 in 5 dogs suffering from arthritis, your dog could be suffering without you being aware. Or maybe you consider it a natural sign of old age. Dogs don’t tell us how they are feeling, as much as we wish they did, so you need to be alert to the signs of arthritis. Mostly, arthritis develops slowly over time and we might not notice the gradual and subtle changes in behaviour and movements. These are some of the signs to looks for:
- Lameness
- Limping
- Hip swaying
- Difficulty rising in the morning
- Awkward or slow attempts to sit or lay down
Contributing factors to arthritis:
- Breed Size – Large or giant breeds have a higher incidence of arthritis
- Age– Arthritis is more common with older dogs
- Weight– Overweight dogs are more prone to arthritis
- Breed inherited traits and conformation– Which cause or lead to arthritis such as hip dysplasia or elbow dysplasia
- Stress Activity– Levels of high stress or abnormal activity for long periods of time, such as excess athletic activities or gruelling work
- Joint injuries– injuries to the joint incite the arthritis process
How can Metro Mobile Vet help your dog?
I can offer a thorough examination of your pet to determine if they are suffering from the side effects of osteoarthritis and decide on the appropriate treatment. The main management involve the 3 primary factors as outlined in the below graph…
Weight Management: Maintaining a lean body condition is integral to minimising the clinical signs of osteoarthritis as well as reducing the onset/ progression of the disease. If you are unsure if your dog is overweight or not, please visit my guide on body condition score assessment and weight loss methods here.
Exercise:
Treatment: The main treatment methods usually include the use of NSAID’s (Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug) as well as disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOAD) such as Cartrophen. Cartrophen Vet is a revolutionary advance in the treatment for arthritis in dogs. In fact millions of dogs enjoy the benefits of this superior and tested technology with it continuing to treat millions of dogs after 20 years of use in the treatment of arthritis in dogs (www.cartrophen.com).
Costs associated with Arthritits Management
NSAIDs: Costs are on a case by case bases due to variability in lameness and pain levels.
Cartrophen:
Initially your dog will require a 4 week course of Cartrophen (1 single injection per week for 4 weeks)
80% of pets respond quickly to the initial course with a reduction in lameness and pain and a subsequent increase in activity and well-being. The frequency of treatment varies from once a year for mild cases and up to three times a year for severe cases.
4 week (1 per week) course*:
Under 20kg: $200
Over 20kg: $220
Additional Injections (based on severity):
Under 20kg: $55
Over 20kg: $60
*All prices include vet visit/s to home (including travel within 10kms of Morley WA). Price doe not include consultation/examination fee (required on first visit only to determine suitability of treatment etc. Please see “pricing” page for current prices).