Do you know the signs of arthritis in older dogs?  Asking for a friend.

by Cameron Ross

I’m a young pup who keeps my humans entertained with my cute antics.  My big brother used to play with me every day. Lately, I have noticed that he seems like he is either not feeling well, or that his body is hurting.  My humans love us both so much, but I think they don’t recognize that my big brother is not feeling well. I miss my old playmate. I decided to learn about what might be going on with my big brother so I could help him get the help he needs.


After my research, I learned that my big brother might have this thing called arthritis.  

I learned that arthritis is one of the most common ailments seen in middle-aged to older pets.  I also learned that even younger dogs can suffer from arthritis.

Did you know that arthritis causes changes within the affected joints that are painful for the affected dog?  Neither did I!

Did you know that the pain caused by arthritis is responsible for many of the signs of suffering in older dogs? Neither did I!

I may be just a young pup, but I think I solved the puzzle about what has been ailing my big brother.  I am convinced that my big brother is suffering from arthritis. It is up to me to show my humans what I have learned and to help other humans know the signs of arthritis so they can help their fur babies as well.

There are 7 signs that your fur baby might be suffering from arthritis:

1. Limping - You might see your fur baby favoring one leg over another.  The limb may seem worse when your fur baby first gets up and slowly goes away when he gets moving.
2. Difficulty Moving - Your fur baby may also become reluctant to do things that used to be easy for him to do.  Things like getting in and out of the car and walking up stairs used to be easy, but are now noticeably difficult and painful to do.
3. Spinal Issues - A sore neck, abnormal posture like a hunchback, or lameness of one or both legs.
4. Tiredness - Walks become more exhausting and he spends more time sleeping than he used to.  
5. Irritability - Your fur baby may seem grouchy.  He might snap and/or even bite if he feels pain when he gets petted or touched.
6. Muscle Atrophy - With less activity because of pain and tiredness, your fur baby may begin to lose muscle.  A leg that has atrophied will look much thinner than the other, normal leg.
7. Licking, Chewing, Biting - Fur babies with arthritis will begin to lick at, chew or bite areas that hurt.  This often leads to inflamed skin and hair loss where he chews.

Now that I understand the signs of arthritis and how common it is in older dogs, I can alert my humans.  The sooner my humans know about the signs of arthritis, the sooner my big brother can get help and get back to running amuck with me.

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