Arthritis In Dogs: How To Catch & Handle It Early
It can be heartbreaking seeing your buddy no longer running or playing like before - but if you're dealing with a case of arthritis in dogs, it's important you catch it early. Here's how to spot it before it worsens - and how to handle it for good.
Does your buddy seem more reluctant around walks? Is it a chore to get them off their paws for a bit of playtime? If you’ve got a senior dog at home, watch out – it might not be them just growing “lazier” over time! Rather, you’re best off learning how to spot the signs of arthritis in dogs early on – so you can prevent your buddy’s health from worsening over the years.
Osteoarthritis in dogs can be a painful, scary condition to handle – but with some patience, vigilance, and lots of love, you can help your buddy live a long, happy, healthy life by your side. (Even in their grand-paw years.)
So in this post, we’re going to cover all the signs of dog arthritis, including how it’s treated, what you can do to set up a safe home environment, and most importantly, how you can catch on to a drop in your dog’s activity early. (Which can signal the start of more serious health problems down the line.) Let’s get started.
What is arthritis? And what causes it in dogs?
Osteoarthritis in dogs is a degenerative joint disease. Here, the cartilage that protects and supports your dog’s joints gradually breaks down with time and age.
This degradation can lead to:
- Inflammation
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Limited mobility
- And in some rare cases, even joint deformities or bone damage
Much like in humans, osteoarthritis and other joint problems in dogs may result due to ageing, being overweight, genetic factors – or a combination thereof.
However, your dog might also develop arthritis as a result of injuries, infections, and even some autoimmune disorders. We cover a couple of these a little further below.
Osteoarthritis vs Arthritis in dogs: What’s the difference?
“Osteoarthritis” and “arthritis” are actually two different diseases, though the terms might be used interchangeably.
Both affect your dog’s musculoskeletal system and can cause joint pain and dysfunction – though due to different causes.
| Osteoarthritis (or arthrosis) | Arthritis |
| Describes the gradual wear and tear of your dog’s joint cartilage over time. | Describes the inflammation of your dog’s joints. |
| May be caused by: – Ageing – Excessive stress on your dog’s joints – Genetic predisposition – Injury | May be caused by: – Autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis – Infections, including from bacteria and viruses – Other medical conditions, like gout |
| Often causes arthritis | There are more than 100 different types of arthritis that can affect one or more joints. |
Where are joint problems in dogs most likely to turn up?
Much like humans, osteoarthritis in dogs might turn up in certain joints across their bodies. Though where it turns up can depend on your buddy’s breed, age, and activity level.
Here are some of the most common spots you’ll find linked to joint problems in dogs:
- Hip joints, with hip dysplasia being a common hereditary condition that can lead to osteoarthritis in the hip joints.
- Stifle joints, or the joints near your dog’s hind legs.
- Elbow joints.
- Shoulder joints, especially among very active dogs.
- The spine, especially in older dogs.
- Toe joints, which can cause limping or difficulties walking.
⚠️ Unfortunately, once your dog’s joints have been damaged by arthritis, it rarely repairs itself completely.
But it’s possible to prevent their condition from worsening by:
- Keeping an eye out for your dog’s symptoms and risk factors,
- Dropping by for regular checkups at your vet,
- and a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle adjustments.
How common is arthritis in dogs? Are some dogs more at risk for it?
Sadly, arthritis in dogs is a pretty common condition – especially for senior dogs and those exposed to high levels of stress.
But you might also find it occurring more often among:
- Large- and medium-sized dog breeds, like the Shepherd family, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, and Saint Bernards. In fact, German Shepherds have a genetic predisposition towards joint problems.2
- Dogs prone to weight gain, like in the Retriever family.
- Dogs with long backs, like Daschunds and Basset Hounds.
- Dogs with short legs and long bodies, like Corgis.
- Brachycephalic dog breeds, like Pugs, Bulldogs, and Boxers.
- Small dogs breeds, including miniature and toy breeds that might be more at risk for patellar luxation, or osteoarthritis of their stifle joints.
⚠️ Importantly: any dog of any breed can develop arthritis.
And just having a dog of these breeds doesn’t necessarily mean they WILL develop arthritis.
Especially if you know…
What are the signs of arthritis in dogs?
Like with most age-related diseases, dog arthritis tends to develop slowly and gradually over time. So keep an eye out if you notice your buddy having:
- Trouble getting up and down from a lying position
- Slowness or stiffness when moving
- Difficulty climbing stairs or jumping into the car
- Joint swelling
- Excessive panting – especially after exercise
- Not seeming as keen to exercise as before
- Limping
- Frequently holding a leg off the ground
- Favoring one leg
- Seeming lethargic or less energetic in general
- Matted, tangled, less-groomed fur – since joint problems can make it difficult for your buddy to groom themselves in hard-to-reach spots
💡Which is where preventing your buddy’s condition from worsening goes a longer way than treating it.
If you can spot these signs early, you can get your dog to a vet that much earlier – much before their health takes a turn for the worse.
How I can spot arthritis in dogs early?
There’s a reason why vets recommend keeping track of your dog’s everyday movement. It’s a window into your dog’s overall health and wellbeing – and a change could signal that they might not be doing so well, health-wise.
“Keep track of your dog’s energy levels, especially how long they are able to walk.
If you notice significant declines, it could be a sign of pain, heart disease, or other illness.”
– VCA Animal Hospitals2
⚠️ So start by watching out for these changes in your dog’s behavior:
(And remember: this isn’t your dog being “lazy” or “difficult.”)
Rather, a change in your dog’s behavior might signal a cause for concern if they seem:
- Reluctant to go on walks
- Less interested in games that involve running or chasing – or they seem slower or tire out easier
- To sleep much more than usual
- Less sociable and more withdrawn, maybe even more aggressive
- Less curious or eager to explore the outdoors
- To pant or wheeze more after exercise – especially light exercise, like a walk
- To look for alternative routes around furniture, stairs, or any high objects
- To no longer eat as much food or drink as much water as usual
🚩 All of which may be potential red flags that your dog is struggling with pain, lethargy, joint trouble, reduced stamina, heart issues, and even age-related cognitive decline.
Which is where tracking your dog’s activity can be a lifesaver – if you’re vigilant and consistent with your monitoring on the regular. (And which we understand can be difficult to do 24/7, especially with work, chores, kids, and more.)
So why not…
💡Use an Activity Tracker built for dogs
…for a change?
Because imagine the relief and peace of mind from knowing you could check how active your dog has been day by day – with just a glance at your phone?
Or being able to share actionable data with your vet during your checkups and have a more productive conversation overall? (Without relying on your memory or having to jot down your dog’s symptoms in a journal.)
It’s why dog parents around the world – just like you – are using Activity Trackers built for dogs as a way to monitor their buddies’ health and well-being.
🐶 With its built-in motion detector, your trusty Tractive GPS doubles as an Activity and Sleep Tracker for dogs. Logging in your dog’s movements throughout the day as “active minutes.”
Which, with time, can help you figure out:
- How active your dog is on the regular
- Where your dog ranks on your community leaderboard – i.e., how active they are compared to other, similar dogs around the world
And most importantly…
- If there’s a weird drop in your dog’s everyday active minutes – whether gradual or more extreme.
⚠️ Which could signal a health issue you might miss otherwise.
Dog arthritis treatment: What your vet might recommend
Since arthritis is a relatively common condition among older dogs, there are quite a few therapy options for it. Your vet might diagnose your buddy’s condition through:
- An x-ray scan to examine your dog’s joints and identify any problem areas
- A full physical examination to get a picture of your dog’s overall health
- Assessing any drops in your dog’s activity. (See why it’s a good idea to have their Activity Tracking data at hand?)
Based on how severe your dog’s symptoms are, here are a couple of steps your vet might recommend.
Medical treatment
Including prescribing your dog:
- Anti-inflammatory medication, which can help reduce pain and inflammation in your dog’s joints.
- Supplements, which can help improve your dog’s joint health.
- Physical therapy, including massages to help improve blood circulation and reduce any stiffness.
- Surgery, in some serious cases.
Just remember: medicating your dog’s joint problems away isn’t a solution.
Rather, your vet might recommend other lifestyle changes to help improve your dog’s overall health. Including:
Help your dog maintain a healthy weight
Arthritis tends to be worse among older, overweight dogs. So a combination of portion control and gentle exercise can help them maintain a healthy weight – while also relieving some of the pressure on their joints.
So depending on your dog’s weight, your vet might prescribe them a calorie-restricted diet. Make sure to stick to this and monitor any changes in your dog’s weight throughout. (While setting some firm boundaries with friends, family, and even your neighbors regarding feeding your buddy any extra treats.)
Read more: What Makes Dogs Fat? Getting An Overweight Dog Back In Shape
Joint-friendly exercises
Dealing with arthritis doesn’t mean exercise is a no-no. Rather, it’s better to dial back on the longer walks, hikes, or intense exercise – and try some joint-friendly dog workouts instead.
Like, for example:
- Swimming, which is an excellent non-weight bearing exercise that still helps your dog get active and engage their muscles. Just make sure to start in a dog-friendly pool, lake, or controlled environment.
- Slow walks on soft surfaces, like grass or dirt. Avoid hard surfaces like concrete pavements or asphalt roads.
- Low Cavaletti poles for your dog to step over. You can also DIY your own set of walkable poles with some broomsticks and pillows at home.
- Balancing toys, including boards or wobble cushions that can help your buddy build strength, balance, and coordination without extra pressure on their joints.
- Stair stepping, or going up and down the stairs slowly. Just make sure not to use stairs that are too high.
Keep an eye out for any discomfort or limping and make sure to go for shorter, more frequent sessions than longer, more intense ones.
🏆 And, of course, if you want a little healthy competition to keep you motivated to your dog’s daily exercise…
Set up a supportive home environment
Now you might be wondering how to help a dog with arthritis at home. So here are a few tips to help you set up a supportive home environment for your buddy:
- Put a carpet over hardwood floors to reduce any slipping or sliding that sometimes happen to older dogs or dogs with joint problems.
- Go for walks with dog booties that reduce some of the pressure from walking on hard surfaces. (Though they can work indoors as well.)
- Keep your dog warm and dry: Cold and damp conditions can aggravate arthritis. Consider investing in a padded dog bed and apply warm compresses to painful joints.
- Use ramps and stairs to help your buddy get around to any hard-to-reach spots they might once have jumped to reach.
- Place your dog’s food and water bowls on elevated surfaces so that they don’t have to bend over or strain their necks to reach them.
- Provide your dog plenty of shade and cool water during the warmer months. Excessive heat can actually worsen inflammation and can even lead to potentially fatal conditions, like heat stroke.
Ready to help your grand-paw live a healthy, pain-free life?
It can be scary watching your buddy dealing with pain or not being able to walk and run and play like before. But dealing with joint problems in dogs is 100% manageable with the support of your vet, a little vigilance, and a combination of medical treatments and lifestyle changes. In fact, many dogs go on to live long, happy, healthy lives with the help of loving, responsible dog parents – just like you.
Importantly, catching on to the signs of arthritis in dogs is your first step to treating it early – much in advance, before it worsens.
So keep an eye out if your buddy seems to have:
- Trouble getting up and down from a lying position
- Slowness or stiffness when moving
- Difficulty climbing stairs or jumping into the car
- Joint swelling
- Excessive panting – especially after exercise
- Not seeming as keen to exercise as before
- Limping
- Frequently holding a leg off the ground
- Favoring one leg
- Seeming lethargic or less energetic in general
- Matted, tangled, less-groomed fur
Your vet can best advise you on the best treatment plan – based on your dog’s age, size, breed, weight, the severity of their condition, and their overall health and activity.
They might prescribe a combination of medical treatments, but also helping your dog maintain a healthy weight through diet and gentle exercise, as well as setting up a joint-friendly indoor environment for them.
How else can you catch on to dog arthritis early?
Tracking your dog’s everyday activity can be an important first step. If you notice changes in your dog’s behaviour around exercise, walks, and playtime – it could be a potential red flag when their health is concerned.
Which could include your dog seeming:
- Reluctant to go on walks
- Less interested in games that involve running or chasing – or they seem slower or tire out easier
- To sleep much more than usual
- Less sociable and more withdrawn, maybe even more aggressive
- Less curious or eager to explore the outdoors
- To pant or wheeze more after exercise – especially light exercise, like a walk
- To look for alternative routes around furniture, stairs, or any high objects
- To no longer eat as much food or drink as much water as usual
⚠️ All of which could signal they might be struggling with pain, discomfort, or lethargy.
It’s also likely your vet might ask you when this drop in your dog’s activity began – and how long it’s been going for. These are important details that can help them diagnose your buddy’s condition that much more accurately.
So why rely on memory or risk missing out on some important details?
💡Rather, you could always use the actionable data you get from an Activity Tracker that’s built with love for dogs – and for your peace of mind as a dog parent.
Stay on top of your dog’s wellness
Follow every step in real-time with unlimited range. Get alerts if they wander too far. Keep them happy & healthy with Wellness Monitoring. And let others – like walkers or sitters – keep an eye on your dog too.
Here’s a helpful video that details 10 symptoms to watch out for if you suspect your buddy might be dealing with some joint problems:
And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.
