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Is It Canine Arthritis or Aging? Learn 7 Signs of Arthritis in Dogs

Julie Buzby DVM, CAVCA, CVA April 23, 2019 14 Comments

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arthritis in dogs image of senior golden retriever dog's face

Is your senior dog slowing down? Many dog owners attribute this to “aging” and don’t think twice about it. But what if I told you that this change in behavior is one of the signs of arthritis in dogs? Better yet, what if your beloved dog could feel young again?

The first step begins with understanding what arthritis is, learning how to identify the signs of arthritis in dogs, and getting an accurate diagnosis from your veterinarian.

What is arthritis in dogs?

The term “arthritis” is tossed around in TV commercials, doctors’ visits, and AARP members’ conversations. But what does the word really mean? The suffix “itis” refers to inflammation. The root “arthro” refers to joints. The term encompasses pain, inflammation, and stiffness of the joints. This definition is true for humans and equally true for arthritis in dogs.

As many as 60% of dogs have evidence of arthritis on X-rays.Click To Tweet

According to the Veterinary Information Network, up to 25% of dogs will be diagnosed with arthritis in their lifetime, and as many as 60% have evidence of arthritis on X-rays. Arthritis can be primary (related to old age and wear and tear on joints) or secondary (related to a previous injury to a joint, birth deformity, or prior orthopedic surgery).

What are the signs of arthritis in dogs?

photo of old golden retriever dog lying down and title arthritis in dogs learn the signs

Signs of arthritis in dogs are often subtle and can start fairly young. Initially, you may only notice that your dog is reluctant to get out of bed in the morning or go for long walks. An arthritic dog may have difficulty navigating stairs and jumping onto furniture. As arthritis progresses, your dog may be very stiff throughout the day, take short, choppy steps, and struggle to get up and down. Stairs may become difficult to impossible. End-stage arthritis can lead to the inability to stand at all.

photo of sad old dog with arthritis sitting on stairs
For a dog with arthritis, navigating stairs can be difficult if not impossible.

7 signs of arthritis in dogs

  1. Reluctance to get out of bed
  2. Stiffness after resting
  3. Difficulty going up and down stairs
  4. Change in stride
  5. Difficulty rising from a sleeping position
  6. Reluctant to go for longer walks; more likely to want to return home
  7. Muscle atrophy in hips and back legs (seen in dogs with arthritis in hind end)

Why over-the-counter medications aren’t the solution for arthritis in dogs

The good news is that there are many approaches to arthritis management to make your beloved canine more comfortable and mobile! However, medicating your dog with over-the-counter pain medications is not a viable plan for these three reasons:

1. If pain is masked by medications, it will be harder for your veterinarian to get to the bottom of your dog’s diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis is 2/3 of the battle!
2. Many medications cannot be given together due to the likelihood of dangerous side effects. If you give your dog an over-the-counter medication, there may be an extended “washout period” where your dog’s system must clear that medication before the veterinary-prescribed medication can be administered.
3. It is easy to Google “what can I give my dog for pain?” but this can be disastrous! If administered incorrectly, ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and Tylenol can be lethal.

How is arthritis in dogs diagnosed?

As with any change in your dog’s health, if you notice signs of arthritis in your dog, a trip to your veterinarian is in order. Arthritis is a common affliction of dogs, especially senior dogs, and veterinarians are adept at identifying and managing the symptoms.

Can arthritis in dogs be cured?

Arthritis cannot be cured, so keep in mind that treatment will focus on comfort management and improving mobility. Your veterinarian will offer solutions that best fit your dog’s needs. In preparation for your visit, set yourself and your dog up for success by preparing questions in advance of your appointment. (For more tips on making the vet visit as successful as possible, please read my article: 6 Secrets for Happier Vet Visits.)

What to expect at the vet: diagnosing arthritis in dogs

First and foremost will be “taking a history”—a valuable part of every medical appointment, but especially critical when the patient can’t speak for himself. Your veterinarian will ask you a litany of questions such as:

  • How long has the problem been going on?
  • What symptoms have you observed in your dog?
  • Have you tried any treatments? If so, what was the outcome?
  • When are your dog’s symptoms at their best? Worst?
  • Has your dog experienced any injuries—current or past?
picture of dog on exam table being checked for arthritis in dogs
As part of determining whether your dog has arthritis, your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination.

Next, your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical examination (PE). This will include a “nose-to-tail” hands-on evaluation. Typically, this will include taking your dog’s weight and vital signs. The veterinarian will check your dog’s eyes, ears, mouth, lymph nodes, listen to the heart and lungs, palpate the abdomen, and observe your dog walk.

They will then focus specifically on your dog’s limbs and joints. Although any joint in the body can become arthritic, the most common location for arthritis in dogs is in the hips and hind legs.

Your vet will look for a change in gait

Often, dogs with arthritis in the hind end will have some degree of muscle wasting around the hips and back legs. This can be subtle in the early stages of canine arthritis, so it takes a trained eye to see it. Your veterinarian may also try to elicit signs of pain by extending and flexing the rear legs, as well as pushing gently over the hips and lower back.

A gaiting exam should be next. I often take my client and patient out to the parking lot for this and tell them to pretend they are at Westminster as I observe the dog walk and trot. In this way, I can localize the dog’s discomfort and hone in on the diagnosis.

The physical exam and history are step one. Diagnostics generally come next, although it is not uncommon to treat an arthritic dog without further testing. Often, the history and physical exam are enough to make a presumptive diagnosis, and your veterinarian may simply offer some therapies to try at home.

Arthritis in dogs: X-rays and more testing

If those therapies do not work, your veterinarian may then proceed with further testing, such as X-rays. (In some cases, X-rays are recommended at the initial visit.) They are an important piece of the puzzle because it will help rule out any other causes for pain or lameness. Your veterinarian may also take a blood sample to check for tick-borne disease, which can also manifest in painful joints and limping.

X-rays can help determine if arthritis is present. But it’s worth pointing out something that every veterinarian has learned from personal experience—the severity or lack of severity of joint disease on the images does not always correlate with the severity of lameness. In other words, some dogs may have minimal radiographic changes yet significant pain, while others have major bony changes with very little lameness. As with all diagnostic tests, X-rays are just one piece of the puzzle.

Arthritis often manifests in the dog’s hips

One of the most common places for dogs to develop arthritis is in the hips, often as a result of hip dysplasia. In the X-ray below, you can see a dog’s hip joints. It is the ball and socket where the femur (a long bone with a round head) sits in a “cup” in the dog’s pelvic bone.

Radiograph of a dog's hip bones and pelvic bones picture

Some of the common changes include osteophytes and enthesophytes (“bone spurs”), flattening of the femoral head, and in severe cases, subluxation (partial dislocation) of the femoral head (the ball in the “ball and socket” joint).

Managing arthritis in dogs

In summary, understanding arthritis in dogs begins with learning the signs and working with your veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis. While arthritis is not curable, there is help and hope. In next week’s blog post, I’ll delve into the full gamut of treatment options for arthritis in dogs including traditional medications, joint supplements, weight management, and complementary medicine such as acupuncture.

What questions do you have about arthritis in dogs?

Please comment below. We can all learn from each other.

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Filed Under: Our Blog: The Buzby Bark, Senior Dog Care

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dominick Menefee says

    December 5, 2022 at 10:27 pm

    Hello I have a 8yr old chihuahua she likes to play and run sniff around in the park she’s had all her shot’s but I notice that when she walks she kind of skips one of her back legs and I now notice that she does not want to jump on the couch I think she has arthritis but when I vacuum she jumps up ready to fight like always could it be mental I just don’t know

    Reply
    • Julie Buzby DVM says

      December 13, 2022 at 1:39 pm

      Hi Dominick,
      I understand your concern for your senior girl and these worrisome issues with her back leg. From what you describe, I am suspicious that your pup may have a luxating patella. It is very common in small dogs. Here is a link to another article with more information: Luxating Patella in Dogs: A Complete Guide
      As always, it is best to have your vet examine your dog and they can give you a specific diagnosis. I am hopeful you will find the answers you need to find a treatment for your sweet girl. Best wishes to you both.

      Reply
  2. Cheryl says

    June 5, 2022 at 5:44 pm

    Our 11 yr old Golden Retriever,Sophia, received her first shot of Adequan 2 days ago. She has severe Arthritis in her front wrist and foot and back knee joint, as well as other joints also. I swear she seemed happier, and more comfortable walking and getting around in less than 24 hours! Am I imagining it?

    Reply
    • Julie Buzby DVM says

      June 6, 2022 at 3:46 pm

      Hi Cheryl,
      That is so exciting! I don’t think you are imagining it at all! I have definitely seen Adequan work wonders for my patients. It doesn’t have this profound effect on all dogs, but it seems like your Sophia is one of the lucky ones. Thank you for sharing your good news with us!

      Reply
  3. Carrie Grabowski says

    April 26, 2022 at 12:42 am

    My dog is 19 years old and has arthritis his hind legs are swollen is there something I can give him for pain and swelling

    Reply
    • Julie Buzby DVM says

      April 27, 2022 at 6:34 pm

      Hi Carrie,
      Yes, there are many different medication options for dogs to help treat the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis. I recommend you talk to your vet to see which medications they recommend for your dog’s specific situation. I will attach links to other articles that may offer additional information. Also, arthritis in dogs does not usually cause swelling, so it would be a good idea to have your pup examined by your vet to rule out other more serious issues. Best wishes!

      1. How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
      2. Osteoarthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
      3. Adequan for Dogs: Don’t Just Treat Arthritis, Slow it Down
      4. 8 Ways to Help a Senior Dog with Arthritis at Home
      5. Green Lipped Mussel for Dogs: Our Planet’s Gift for Arthritic Joints

      Reply
  4. Angel says

    January 16, 2022 at 10:50 am

    Our 14 year old dog can no longer stand or walk from arthritis. The vet says she’s healthy. My husband picks her up and carries her everywhere. She’s too heavy for me to carry, and when he leaves the house, the dog just whines and barks. What can I do?

    Reply
    • Julie Buzby DVM says

      January 17, 2022 at 8:08 pm

      Hi Angel,
      I recommend you call your vet and discuss your concerns about your dog’s mobility issues. There are many different medications and supplements that could offer pain relief and help with inflammation to make your girl more comfortable. Also, you may want to look into a veterinarian that specializes in rehabilitation and physical therapy or an integrative veterinarian that could perform acupuncture and chiropractic adjustments. There are so many “tools” available if you know the right places to look. I hope you can find what fits your situation best and help your girl get back to living her best life. Best wishes!

      Reply
  5. Diane says

    October 18, 2021 at 3:51 pm

    Hi I have a 11 year old jack Russell with cornic stages of arthritis my vet has him on cartafin injections plus gabapentin 100mgs twice a day and cimalgex 8mgs doing well on it when he feels good he wants to walk more then he should when he does extra walking he feels it in the next few days
    How much exercise would you recommend

    Reply
    • Dr. Julie Buzby says

      October 18, 2021 at 9:26 pm

      Hi Diane,
      I’m glad to hear that the meds are helping your sweet pup have more good days where he is comfortable and wants to do more walking. Having your dog feel good and want to walk more one day then feeling a bit worse the next day can be a fairly common problem as dog parents try to figure out how much exercise is the right amount for an arthritic dog. I would recommend starting to keep an activity log for him where you can write down how far he walked, how long, and where he walked plus log any other exercise. Then also write down how he felt the next day. That way you can find a pattern and narrow down how much exercise and what kinds of exercise he can do while remaining comfortable the next day. It may take some trial and error, but hopefully the journal will give you a good starting place.

      If you feel like he needs additional pain relief, there are also a wide variety of medications, supplements, and therapies that could be helpful for him. You can learn more in these three articles:
      Osteoarthritis in Dogs: Everything You Need to Know
      How to Relieve Arthritis Pain in Dogs: The Ultimate Guide
      8 Ways to Help a Senior Dog with Arthritis at Home

      Best of luck to you and your sweet boy!

      Reply
  6. Dishant says

    May 30, 2021 at 12:34 pm

    I have 13 years black lebray he was eating a very welll food butt somehow bcz of family prblm i cant gave him tym for 13 days i come n go thts itt nw he has left eating he eat only 2 chapatis a day with mangoo nthn elsee his back legsss aree alsoo very low

    Reply
    • Dr. Julie Buzby says

      May 30, 2021 at 5:16 pm

      Hello,
      Sorry to hear that your senior dog is not eating well and having some trouble with his back legs. Sometimes dogs do react to changes in the household by not eating well for a few days, but it sounds like there could be more than that going on. I would recommend making an appointment with your vet so he or she can examine your dog and get to the bottom of the problem. Best of luck to you and your pup! ❤

      Reply
  7. Sheila says

    May 4, 2019 at 1:06 pm

    Thank you for the good info I have a good Vet I think but my 13 yr old small mixed breed is stiff often he takes tramadol daily and every few days either some gabopentein liquid or metacam. Just wondering if so their better can help him w better results.

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Julie Buzby says

      May 12, 2019 at 1:35 am

      Hi Sheila,
      Thanks for reading and caring! The good news is that we have since posted Part II of this blog with practical recommendations for treatment. You can find the information here: https://toegrips.com/relieve-arthritis-pain-in-dogs/
      I use and recommend all 3 medications that your dog is on, and it sounds like your veterinarian is doing a great job. I would recommend reading the article above and discussing with him/her any questions that it may bring to your mind. I would definitely recommend a quality joint supplement, as discussed in the article. Thanks!

      Reply

We welcome your comments and questions about senior dog care.

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About Dr. Buzby

Dr. Buzby with a golden retrieverDr. Julie Buzby has been an integrative veterinarian for twenty years and has earned certification by the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association in 1998, and by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society in 2002.
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