Signs of Dog Arthritis and Joint Pain

The basic difference in canine and human arthritis is that in case your pet is suffering from dog arthritis, it will not wail in pain. Hence, if you do not watch for subtle signs and changes in your dog, it may be too late for the dog to be cured.

Let us have a look at some of the vital signs that could lead to possible dog arthritis:

* Inactivity: Your dog is not active as before. It spends more hours in bed.
* Licking: You find your dog licking the legs more often than not.
* Slow: Your dog takes time in climbing or getting up.
* Lazy: Your dog feels lazy to go for regular walks.
* Jumping: Your dog keeps both the rear legs together while jumping. This could be due to dysplasia, which can later lead to dog arthritis.
* Shifting weight on the front legs: Your dog keeps rear legs close to each other while standing. It does this to shift the body weight to the front legs in an attempt to ease pain.
* Elbows: Normally, the elbows of the dog remain under the body. In case the elbows spread outside, it could be an early signal to dog arthritis.
* Loss of weight: If you feel that your dog has become lean, in spite of eating properly, it could be due to muscle atrophy.

Unfortunately, your dog cannot communicate its discomfort to you. Therefore, you need to be vigilant about its health. Approximately, 20% of the dogs suffer from arthritis. Hence, if you see any of the subtle signs mentioned above in your dog, do not ignore it as aging signs or feel that your dog is being lazy. Consult your vet immediately and get an X-ray done.

Maintain a healthy routine for your dog and put him on joint supplements before it gets late.