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Lameness and loss of mobility in pets can be taken as symptoms of an arthritic condition. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritic ailment in both humans and animals but consulting with a veterinarian may introduce you to other forms of arthritis that your pet may be suffering from.

Types of Arthritis in Pets

Osteoarthritis – The most prevalent form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is associated with a the deterioration of cartilage in the joints often owing to ageing and normal wear and tear from strenuous and repetitive activities as well as traumatic injuries involving the joints. Affected joints are usually the weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips but may affect other bodily joints as well.

Auto-immune Arthritis – This is a type of arthritis commonly associated with rheumatoid arthritis where the animal’s immune system wrongly attacks the body’s joints causing the inflammation of the joints’ synovial membrane.

Acute Traumatic Arthritis – Unlike osteoarthritis which is often a slow progressing joint disease occurs as a consequence of traumatic injuries to the joints. Loss of mobility due to pain and inflammation is often taken as a symptom. In most cases, surgical therapy is suggested or required to prevent the onset of permanent osteoarthritis.

Hypertrophic Arthritis - Generally a result of traumatic injuries or osteoarthritis, hypertrophic arthritis is signified by the formation of bone spurs in the animal’s joints as a result of eroded cartilages. Bone spurs affects the animal’s mobility because of pain which results from the friction produced as bones rub one another.

Shoulder Degeneration – Sluggishness in pets in performing usual and easy activities may be signs of shoulder degeneration. This type of arthritis affects the sliding joints of the shoulder and has multiple causes but is often due to joint injuries or the proliferation of infectious agents eroding the cartilage of the joints in the shoulders

Hip Dysplasia - A common derivative of osteoarthritis, the condition affects the hip joints of the animal owing to injury, wear and tear or infection.

Knee Stifle and Knee Dislocation – Lameness signals these two conditions. The former is caused by an injury in the animal’s knee joints due to torn ligaments causing the body part to weaken with continuous use. Lack of treatment may result in the dislocation of the kneecap or malformation that leads to the second condition and will severely impair the animal from moving with usual ease.

Common Treatments of Arthritis in Animals

The most ordinary treatments have to do with palliative drugs known as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that swiftly reduces and relieved pain. Though widespread use of NSAIDs along with corticosteroids is believed to alleviate the signs of arthritis in both pets and humans, it does little to no help in treating the ailment and is more often than not coupled with gastrointestinal side effects.

Modern scientific research introduced sufferers of arthritis to dietary supplements that have glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in its formulation. An example is Flexicose Liquid JointCare for Pets that combines the two ingredients. Anecdotal evidences and some clinical trials have shown the efficacy of Flexicose’s dietary supplement. Glucosamine has been known to aid in the building and repairing of joint cartilages with the help of chondroitin. Moreover, Flexicose Liquid Glucosamine also relieves pain and inflammation with its anti-inflammatory ingredients such as yucca and bromelain.