Types of Dog Arthritis | Glucosamine and Dogs

Arthritis in dogs is similar to arthritis in humans.  It involves an inflammation in a joint that causes pain and limits mobility.  There are over 100 forms of arthritis, but these fall into a few major categories.  Understanding the type of arthritis affecting your dog will help you understand the best ways to help your dog.

There are two broad categories of arthritis:  acute and degenerative.

Acute arthritis develops very rapidly.  One minute the dog is healthy, and the next minute, he has arthritis.  Acute forms of arthritis are typically caused by an injury or infection.  For example, a dog sustains major injury after falling off an elevated surface.  Immediately after the injury, the injury will develop swelling, and if the joints are affected, this will be arthritis.  Acute forms of arthritis can have lasting effects, but more often, they heal with the injury.

Degenerative forms of arthritis develop over time.  They involve a gradual process where an element of a joint slowly degrades.  The most common form is Osteoarthritis, a condition where the cartilage in a joint is slowly worn away.  Cartilage is essential for proper joint functions.  It provides a smooth surface that bones can slide across, and a cushion that absorbs impact energy between the bones.  As cartilage wears away, swelling, pain and a loss of mobility can result.

There are four primary causes of degenerative arthritis.

• 
  Less Glucosamine: As dogs age, they may produce less glucosamine.  Glucosamine is an amino sugar used to build and maintain cartilage.  With less glucosamine, the ability of the cartilage to be repair is compromised.


• 
  Activity:  The lifestyle of the dog will affect the health of its joints.  Repeated rigorous activities can cause more damage to the cartilage in a joint than can be repaired.  Cartilage, even with sufficient glucosamine and other nutrients, heals slowly.  Dogs that routinely over exert themselves will, over time, suffer a degradation of their joints.


• 
  Physical Condition:  Carrying excess weight is a major cause of arthritis in dogs.  Over time, the extra weight puts more stress on the joints than they can handle.  This causes normal activity to damage cartilage faster than it can be repaired.


• 
  Genetics:  Dogs with a predisposition for joint problems are much more likely to develop arthritis.  For these dogs, maintaining a healthy diet, good weight and consistent moderate exercise are essential for maximizing joint health.  Even with these actions, genetics can make some joint degradation inevitable.