Arthritis dogs and cats is a very common and painful medical disorder.
The increase of its appearing is bound to an increase of dogs’ and cats’ average age and to a renewed owners’ respect towards their pets.
Just like arthrosis, arthritis modifies the normal stance in cats and dogs, impeding movement.
Even though the symptoms may be similar, arthritis and arthrosis are very different in both recovery and causes.
Arthritis and arthrosis in dogs and cats: what are the differences?
Arthritis is an inflammatory process caused by infection or an immunological alteration from which you can recover with the right therapy.
Arthrosis, on the other hand, is a degenerative disease: treatable but not curable.
Treatments are mostly aimed at preservation, avoiding the usage of joints and minimizing the pain.
What are the causes of arthritis in dogs and cats?
The disease is much more common in older patients as they age, while in younger subjects it’s usually caused by wounds and other diseases that will damage the cartilage.
Regarding to this, we have different kinds of arthritis.
Septic arthritis in dogs and cats
This kind of arthritis is caused by infectious agent:
– Bacteria
– Virus
– Fungi
– Parasites
Septic arthritis can develop when the infection spreads through the body by the blood flow, reaching the joints.
Same thing when germs enter the joint through a wound.
Arthritis diagnosis in both cats and dogs is performed after blood and synovial liquid test samples.
Synovial liquid can be found in the membrane that limits the friction between joints.
A large number of white blood cells implies that the body is currently facing an infection.
Rheumatoid arthritis in dogs and cats
It’s an autoimmune disease in which the starting event is still pretty much unknown.
Basically, the immune system attacks cells and joint textures if its own body.
Like before, rheumatoid arthritis in cats and dogs can be diagnosed through blood and anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) tests.
The spreading of arthritis is sudden and the pain is sharp
Symptoms vary based on what joints are hit by the disease.
If it’s in the limbs, you’ll have a case of lameness.
If it’s in the spine, you’ll mainly see backpain and sometimes even neurological disorders.
Other symptoms:
– Swellness
– Rise of the temperature
– Reddening of the skin
With cold weather and high humidity, the pain can be even sharper the usual; although, cats need a different approach.
Cats with arthritis don’t show lameness, but behaving disorders
Arthritis in cats is very common.
Supposedly, 9 cats out of 10 suffer from it and it’s considered the main cause of problems during their “old age”.
Still, it’s barely treated, because, unlike dogs, cats tend to hide the problem by avoiding the pain.
The symptoms include a raise in aggressiveness towards people or other animals, jumping difficulties, loss of interest, loss of energy and loud noises.
The main symptom, tough, is the fact that the cat will no longer use the cat litter due to the pain of entering and exiting it.
In the end, another symptom may be a difficulty in grooming the pet.
The first step: Schedule a visit with your orthopedic veterinary doctor for a complete test
After a thorough examination, your doctor will give you the best therapy for your pet.
The therapy will take in consideration age, strength of the symptoms’ disease, progression and other unknown problems.
Therapy against arthritis in dogs and cats
Vet therapies include:
– Painkiller and anti-inflammatory drugs in order to lessen the pain and help the joints
– Food supplements
There are 3 important things you must do if you want your pet to be healthy
-Check the weight
This is the most important.
Overweight pets put their joints under much higher stress and this can lead to specific inflammation and help the spreading of the disease.
– Grant some environmental comfort
Some small changes in your house can lead to a less painful experience for your pets.
Make sure that your dog or cat sleeps in a comfy and warm place, away from wind drafts.
Give your cat a litter with an easy access.
– Schedule the doctor’s visits
Be diligent and responsible towards your pet and schedule the appointments around the obligatory shots and plan a routine of medical visits.
Prevention is the only sure way to grant your pet a wonderful life at any age.
