We love our pups and do our best to provide them with everything they need to live long, happy, healthy lives. No matter how much love and care pet owners provide, however, as pets age, they become more and more susceptible to developing age-related medical conditions. One particularly common age-related illness is canine osteoarthritis, also referred to as degenerative joint disease (DJD).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While arthritis is a medical term that refers to inflammation of the joints, canine osteoarthritis specifically describes a chronic, degenerative condition marked by joint inflammation which occurs due to the deterioration of the cartilage that allows joints to move smoothly and painlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s no specific known cause of primary degenerative joint disease (cases which occur unrelated to other medical concerns). Secondary DJD can occur as the result of an injury, birth defects, hip or elbow dysplasia, diabetes, or prolonged steroid treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Although the cause of primary osteoarthritis isn\u2019t understood, certain factors can put a dog at higher risk. Large breeds and overweight dogs are at the highest risk of developing osteoarthritis, but all older dogs can develop the chronic condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pets instinctively mask pain. So, you\u2019ll need to observe your pet carefully, looking for the following signs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The most common sign of osteoarthritis is your dog\u2019s reduced activity and playfulness. Losing the desire to play, as usual, is not a normal sign of aging, but a sign of age-related illness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Osteoarthritis is a chronic disease, meaning it cannot be cured. It can, however, be managed and there are steps you can take to slow the diseases progression and your pet\u2019s subsequent worsening of symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At Capital Home Veterinary Care, we\u2019re proud to provide a full range of pain management and wellness services to pets in the comfort of their own homes. If your dog has been showing signs of osteoarthritis or another health concern, we encourage you to contact us right away to schedule an at-home appointment with our mobile veterinary clinic. We\u2019ll perform diagnostic testing to verify the cause of your pet\u2019s symptoms and provide your pet with a personalized wellness and pain management plan designed to slow the progression of your pet\u2019s condition and minimize symptoms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
We love our pups and do our best to provide them with everything they need to live long, happy, healthy lives. No matter how much love and care pet owners provide, however, as pets age, they become more and more susceptible to developing age-related medical conditions. One particularly common age-related illness is canine osteoarthritis, also referred to as degenerative joint disease (DJD).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1155,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,22,27,28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1153","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aging-pets","category-common-pet-health-concerns","category-dogs","category-joint-disease"],"yoast_head":"\n