If your dog is a larger fellow, perhaps reaching his golden years (which unfortunately happen sooner than if he’s a little guy), you may notice with the cooler weather approaching that he’s beginning to have some mobility issues. Perhaps it’s taking him a little longer to get up out of his bed in the morning, or he seems to be climbing the stairs more slowly these days. Maybe he tires more quickly on those extra-long walks that the two of you enjoy together so much. Or maybe you’ve noticed that he seems a little tender around some of his leg joints. If any of these have happened, your CBF (canine best friend) is likely developing arthritis.

Arthritis, a degenerative inflammation of one or more joints in the body, is as common in dogs as it is in humans. And just like humans, the older the dog, the more likely he is to develop this condition–although it can also be caused by a prior injury to a limb, such as a broken leg or a luxating patella (kneecap out of joint), or in dogs whose joints are already compromised from a genetic condition such as hip dysplasia. The disease is diagnosed via x-rays which show bone spurs developing at the site of the joint. There may also be some narrowing of the joint space and abnormal bone growth in the area.

Arthritis is not curable, but there are several different treatments which aid in keeping the dog more comfortable and maintaining some degree of mobility. Probably the most important thing to to do is to get your dog to a normal weight as extra weight causes extra strain on the dog’s joints and ligaments. Even better, ‘err on the side of caution’ and get the dog slightly below his ideal weight (unless he has a prior health issue that would be exacerbated by the weight loss) so you have some ‘wiggle room’.

As an example, our Golden Retriever Cosmo is 9 years old and his weight at his last vet visit was 63.8 lbs–about 4 lbs short of his ideal weight. Although he’s at an age where many large-breed dogs develop arthritis, Cosmo shows no sign whatsoever of any joint problems. He has no problems climbing stairs or getting in and out of his bed in the morning (and he still gets up on the couch with no problem). He runs and wrestles with his ‘little sister’ Tara, an 18-month-old Border Collie mix, as if he were half his chronological age. His movements are fluid and graceful (although sometimes he IS a bit of a klutz).

On the other end of the spectrum, Cosmo’s best friend is Hunter the Chocolate Labrador Retriever. Although Cosmo and Hunter are the same age and same height, Hunter outweighs Cosmo by approximately 30 lbs. Hunter takes supplements for his arthritis and is very stiff getting out of his bed in the morning. He also walks much slower than Cosmo and seems much older. He’s a very sweet boy but would definitely feel better at a lower weight.

One of the most popular over-the-counter supplements for arthritis is glucosamine, which is often combined with chondroitin. This supplement is reputed to help repair existing joint issues and prevent further damage; however, glucosamine only works for about fifty percent of dogs diagnosed with arthritis. Analgesics, such as aspirin, or NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), such as Rimadyl, are also available through your veterinarian. Moderate (and we mean ‘moderate’–no 10k runs here) exercise is helpful in maintaining mobility and preserving muscle mass. One of the best exercises for arthritic dogs is swimming. Not only is it a terrific cardiovascular workout, the dog’s natural bouyancy means no weight or stress is placed on the joints. Alternative therapies include acupuncture and massage. These methods promote the body’s release of endorphins, which have a calming, soothing effect, as well as stimulating the body’s natural ability to heal itself.

And now for my personal experience with an arthritic dog…we used to have a Golden Retriever-Collie mix named Buster who unfortunately passed away in November 2007 at the age of 10 from adrenal cancer. (One of the saddest days of my life…) Buster came to live with us at age 2 1/2 and had a myriad of chronic health issues caused by abuse and neglect from prior owners–in fact, he already had arthritis (despite his young age) due to being beaten as a puppy. It wasn’t particularly problematic for the first couple of years that Buster was with us, but the older he got, the worse his arthritis became.

We tried glucosamine, but unfortunately, Buster was one of the fifty percent that was unaffected. We discussed Rimadyl with our vet, but this medicine has been known to cause liver toxicity with long-term use. Given Buster’s relatively young age (and the fact that I hate using chemicals on my pets), Rimadyl wasn’t an option. On to Plan B…we already had him at an ideal weight (in fact, he was such a picky eater that we nicknamed him ‘Fussy Bussie’), so we began taking him to a vet who practiced acupuncture and acupressure (which is much like acupuncture, but without the needles).

Buster seemed to enjoy these treatments, and they actually did help…for awhile. Over time, the acupuncture was less effective, so then it was on to Plan C. I did some research online and found a substance called Trixsyn, whose primary ingredient is a substance called hyaluronan (hyaluronic acid), which is naturally produced by the body and is present in cartilage and also in the synovial fluid which cushions the joints. It’s colorless, odorless, and tasteless, which means that Fussy Bussie wouldn’t detect it in his food. It also wasn’t very expensive. We bought some, and this proved to be the ‘magic bullet’ we’d been looking for. It was wonderful to see the ‘real’ Buster come back out to play.

And just because I like hammering home a point that is near and dear to me, please note that most of the cheaper dog foods contain ingredients (such as corn) that cause overall inflammation. Feeding your dog a higher-qualify diet may also help his joints.

Here’s to your happy, mobile, pain-free dog!!