What Are Common Dog Arthritis Symptoms?

It’s essential to know dog arthritis symptoms so that if your pooch begins to display these, you don’t wait for a long time to seek some sort of arthritis treatment for them. Sure, dogs get old and with age come aches and pains, but you need to know that arthritis in dogs can be much more severe than just aches and pains. By knowing some of the most common symptoms of this condition, you will be able to properly treat it and help your dog live a longer, healthier life.

About Dog Arthritis

Arthritis in dogs is fairly common and much like people, age has a lot to do with whether or not your dog will suffer. However, if your dog has had any kind of injury, it’s also likely that she will wind up with this condition. You should know that most often, the arthritis that dogs wind up with is the same kind that people have and working to ease the pain might only be half the battle.

In fact, there are things which you can do that will help to reduce the number of painful bad days your dog has and it doesn’t have anything to do with over the counter pain medications. By properly identifying the condition early on, you will likely have better arthritis pain relief results.

Common Symptoms

Since dogs cannot talk, it’s very important to learn to read their body language. This is especially true if you are trying to figure out what’s wrong with your pet. So, here are some common symptoms of dog arthritis and joint pain which you might want to watch for.

• Any change in activity or visible slowing in daily activity is something to look out for. When your dog hurts, she may be less likely to run and play as much as she used to. She may also stop climbing on furniture or up the stairs. This can be very painful for them.

• Your dog’s personality may also change due to the pain her arthritis is causing her. Sometimes, this can mean that she will growl or snap at people when they come too close to her. This is because of the pain which she is feeling and her inability to move quickly if needed.

• Sickness or refusal to eat or drink. Sometimes, your dog might run a fever. This is from your dog’s immune system trying to heal the arthritic joint.

• Licking of the affected joints. Often, when a dog is hurt, they will lick the affected area to help it heal and you may see your dog doing this. You might also notice that the area is hot to touch.

If you notice any of these arthritis symptoms in your dog, it might be time to seek treatment for her so that she can begin feeling better again. Don’t mistake your dog’s discomfort for aging, because she could really be hurting.