Dysplasia means improper growth and in the dog’s hip this tends to mean the hip socket becomes too shallow and doesn’t hold the head of the femur (thigh bone) firmly in place. This then means there is too much movement in the joint which can wear away the cartilage and cause arthritis and pain and […]
Archive | Arthritis in Dogs
Arthritis in Dogs – 10 ways to help
Yes dogs get arthritis too, in fact it is estimated that 4 out of 5 dogs over the age of 6 have some degree of arthritis. Here are 10 ways to make life easier for them. Give your dog a soft bed. Memory foam mats are particularly good for dogs with arthritis as they are […]
Arthritis in Dogs
The word arthritis comes from the Greek – arthro meaning joint and itis meaning inflammation. Studies show up 4 out of 5 dogs over 6 years of age have arthritis. This means over 1 million dogs in the UK have arthritis. Arthritis in dogs is a progressive disease – i.e. it gets worse over time […]
Joint Pain – 5 clues to help you spot the signs
Joint pain is generally caused by arthritis. Arthritis occurs following damage to the joint and causes extra bony growths to form which wear away the cartilage which usually protects the joint. The surfaces of the bones which form the joint then rub against each other during movement and that causes pain. The damage to […]
All About The Environment For Arthritic Dogs
Previous blogs have talked about the importance of pain control and body weight in order to manage arthritis in dogs. Another important consideration is the dog’s environment. This means looking at your home and the things your dog needs to be able to do and seeing if you can change anything to […]
Arthritis, Body Weight and Massage
Arthritis is a painful joint condition caused when a joint gets damaged, sometimes just through everyday activities. All parts of the joint can be affected and it tends to get worse over time. There is no cure for arthritis so managing it is key. Joints are part of the skeleton which supports the body so […]
A Comfortable Old Age
Dogs, Like people, are living longer and also like people there is a desire to ensure that that longer life is active and comfortable. 80% of dogs over the age of 8 years are thought to have some degree of arthritis in one or more joint. Arthritis begins when a joint gets damaged and is […]
Massage – Proactive or Reactive
There are 2 aspects to massage. The proactive aspect where massage is used when your dog doesn’t have any mobility issues and the reactive aspect where massage is used to address mobility issues resulting from old age, joint problems or accidents. Massage is used proactively from puppyhood right through a dog’s life. With puppies massage […]
All in a Day’s Work
When I first started using massage with dogs I tended to see elderly dogs with signs of arthritis. They were struggling to walk as far, were stiff in the mornings or after lying down, and were generally becoming less active or sociable. The use of massage with these dogs aims to improve mobility and well […]
How do you know if your Dog is in pain?
I see a number of dogs with conditions such as arthritis or hip dysplasia where the owners say their dogs are very stiff when rising from lying – particularly first thing in the morning, or they limp when they’ve been for a walk but they say they don’t seem to be in pain because they […]