Joint Care and Osteoarthritis

Dog osteoarthritis: what to do?

Osteoarthritis is also known as Degenerative Joint Disease. It is a common problem affecting dogs with hip and elbow dysplasia, BUT also older dogs that comes with ageing and stiffness of the joints.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition which means it gets worse over time. It affects the joints and leads to pain inflammation. This causes severe discomfort.

It occurs mainly in older dogs, but can affect younger dogs as well. Osteoarthritis requires comprehensive care. In addition to medical treatment for pain control, it has been shown that supplements and diets can help prevent the progression of the disease.

Characteristics, signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis:

• Joint stiffness when getting up
• Weight gain
• Limping, pain and discomfort
• Stiffness after walks
• Loss of interest to play and walk
• Reluctant to jump

Osteoarthritis is a very painful condition related to the progressive destruction of the cartilage. 
Typically a joint is held in place by the surrounding muscles and tendons. To prevent the bone from rubbing against one another, they are protected by a layer of cartilage. The cartilage acts as a cushion which allows for smooth movement. In pets suffering from osteoarthritis, the cartilage is worn away. Worn cartilage is rough which hinders the joint movement and causes pain and swelling.

Your pet ends up reluctant to move, to jump, in order to avoid mobilising the joint that makes him suffer.

Being overweight aggravates Osteoarthritis. The joints are already damaged and having to support more weight will generate additional mechanical stresses.

The focal points for treatment of osteoarthritis in pets:

• Weight-Loss
• Exercise
• Managing the pain and inflammation
• Joint repair and protection
• Hydro therapy
• Correct diet
• Supplements

The goals of treatment for osteoarthritis patients:

• Slow down the progression of the disease
• Reduce the severity of symptoms
• Control pain and discomfort
• Maintain a good quality of life

What diet should I choose? 
Distributing a diet food to lose weight if your pet is overweight is a prerequisite to avoid accelerated breakdown of cartilage.

Choose a diet with a lot of protein to control your dog’s weight, in order for him to keep his muscle mass.

Importance of an adapted diet 
Some nutrients have proven beneficial effects on articular cartilage. Thus, certain vitamins (D, E, C in particular), omega 3 fatty acids, cartilage-specific protectors called chondroprotective agents such as chondroitin sulfate, or glucosamine have beneficial effects on osteoarthritic joints.

Dietary foods specifically for OA dogs are often supplemented with these beneficial nutrients and help improve your dog’s condition.

What supplements should I choose? 
The GCS Joint Care Advanced products offer a range of nutraceutical products for arthritic pets. The active ingredients are carefully selected to manage the symptoms of pain and inflammation, repairing and regenerating damaged joints.

Osteoarthritis can affect pets all throughout the year, however during the cold, winter months they can feel increased pain in the joints.

If you think your furr baby might have osteoarthritis, please visit your veterinarian and make sure to relieve their pain and increase their quality of life!