Dogs live their lives in motion and they need healthy joints to do so. Whether they are working dogs like herders and protectors, agility or dog sports stars, or companion animals that simply relish the opportunity to run on the beach or at the dog park, joint problems can end the fun and enjoyment of our four-legged friends. A dog with impaired mobility due to joint pain will have a reduced quality of life. 

What are the joint problems that dogs can experience? Which dogs are more at risk of joint issues? What can be done to treat the joint issues or lessen their impact? And what can pet owners do to minimise the risks of your dog suffering from joint pain and other issues? We’ll explore these topics in this article.

Types of joint problems in dogs

Joint issues are separated into two camps: those that arise during the development of the joint, and those that arise as a result of joint degeneration. Some joint issues are inherited or congenital, while some progress over time due to overuse, trauma, infection or because of an autoimmune problem. 

The following are the main types of joint issues that dogs can develop.

Osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease)

Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease (DJD) is one of the most common orthopaedic issues that vets treat in older dogs. However, it is not only an ailment in older dogs, but also in highly active dogs, and obese dogs that have additional strain on their joints. Large breed dogs are also more susceptible to osteoarthritis than smaller dogs are, because of their bigger stature. The large breeds that are more likely to develop this condition include Labradors, Rottweilers and German shepherds. Rhodesian ridgebacks are highly likely to develop arthritis as a secondary condition resulting from their proneness to hip dysplasia (which we will discuss below). 

Osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage in the joints breaks down (degenerates) or is worn away and is no longer able to cushion the bones. The adjacent bones are exposed to each other, causing friction, inflammation and pain, and making mobility painful and difficult. When a dog is in constant pain as a result of something as simple as getting up, lying down, ascending and descending stairs or even walking, it can have a devastating effect on their mood and quality of life.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis

Dogs are usually quite stoic and resilient when it comes to showing that they are in pain, so by the time these symptoms show, it’s likely that they have been in pain for a while and will require urgent treatment:

  • less active than usual
  • reluctance to play
  • reluctance to ascend/descend stairs or jump up onto/down from furniture
  • limping
  • stiff gait
  • lameness
  • slow to get up from their bed
  • tendency to flop down instead of gradually lying down
  • licking or biting ankle joints
  • yelping when making sudden or strenuous movements

Diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis

It is important that your dog has an annual check-up with the vet, who will perform the physical examination that enables early detection of joint problems. Discuss your concerns with the vet and if necessary, they will recommend a joint health supplement that contains ingredients like glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, omega-3 fatty acids and green-lipped mussel extract. Together, these ingredients help to reduce pain and inflammation, and slow the breakdown of the joint cartilage. If your dog is of a breed and size susceptible to osteoarthritis, they can be fed a diet containing the ingredients for joint health even before the clinical signs appear, as this may delay the onset of pain and other symptoms. 

If your dog is overweight, the vet will first recommend that they be placed on a weight management diet to take the additional pressure off and reduce the wear-and-tear of their joints. Pain management can be administered with prescription medications as well as physical therapy, to help maintain muscle mass, which supports ailing joints. Surgery for osteoarthritis is costly and rehabilitation may take a long time. Surgery is only considered as a last resort and, depending on the severity of the condition, can include stabilising and fusing the joint, or replacing it altogether.

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is one of the most common inherited orthopaedic conditions in dogs, but it can also be caused by nutrient imbalance in the dog’s developmental years. It is characterised by a femur that does not fit comfortably or properly in the hip socket, and the inflammation and arthritis that results from this developmental issue. If a dog that is predisposed to hip dysplasia consumes too much calcium and too many calories, which causes them to grow too fast or gain too much weight during their first 12 months, they may end up with hip problems. Owners of large- and giant breed puppies are urged to very carefully monitor their puppies’ nutrition and exercise and to neither overfeed nor overexert their puppies before their bones and joints have fully developed. Ask the vet to recommend the best puppy food for your large breed puppy, and to confirm the amount of exercise your individual pup should get during their ‘growth spurt’ months. They should, ideally, not play or run on slippery floors, to protect their hips and other joints. 

Symptoms of hip dysplasia

The symptoms of hip dysplasia can appear similar to those of osteoarthritis, but some are quite specific to dysplasia:

  • reluctance to get up from a lying position, especially in dogs less than 24 months old
  • weakness
  • progressive exercise intolerance
  • progressive lameness
  • decreased range of motion
  • muscle atrophy in the hind legs
  • stiffness
  • pain
  • reactivity to being touched near the hips

Diagnosis and treatment of hip dysplasia

There are physical examination and palpation tests (the Ortolani test and Bardens’ test) that can be performed to see how the head of the femur moves or doesn’t move in the hip socket. These joint laxity tests are not conclusive for hip dysplasia, but can assist with a diagnosis, along with X-rays or CT scans performed while the dog is anaesthetised. Hip dysplasia is diagnosed based on a grading scale from healthy to severely dysplastic. 

Each case of hip dysplasia will be treated based on its severity and the level of discomfort the dog is in. In severe cases, surgery will be necessary to either completely replace the hip, replace the head of the femur (femoral ostectomy), or restore the joint’s function by resurfacing the bones (arthroplasty). In many cases, however, an effective treatment will combine the use of anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and other medications, joint supplements, injections, and physical therapy. 

Dogs with hip dysplasia should be exercised only moderately to protect the hip joint while maintaining the muscle mass of the hind legs. They must avoid high-impact activity and – most importantly – must maintain a healthy weight to not place unnecessary stress on the joints. Regular vet check-ups are required to monitor the health of their hips.

Elbow dysplasia

Similar to hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia is the abnormal development of the elbow joint in dogs, comprising disordered growth of the bones or joint cartilage, or general stress on the joint. It is most commonly seen in young, large breed dogs that are growing or have grown very rapidly. Due to this inability for the bones to fit together perfectly, joint laxity (looseness or movement), or other stressors, the elbow joint becomes arthritic and painful. The large breeds that are most genetically susceptible to elbow dysplasia include German shepherds, golden retrievers, Bernese mountain dogs and Labradors.

Elbow lameness can develop progressively over a few months, with young dogs being diagnosed with dysplasia as early as five months old. The symptoms of elbow dysplasia can include stiffness, a reduced range of motion, and even a refusal to walk or exercise.

Diagnosis and treatment of elbow dysplasia

The vet will perform a physical examination and take X-rays of the dog’s elbows. The dog will show pain symptoms (yelping or retracting their limb) when their elbow is extended or bent all the way. X-rays will reveal the lack of bone fusion as well as the presence of bone fragments, which make movement of the joint extremely painful. The vet will also want to observe the dog’s gait to see how the elbow dysplasia affects their ability to walk. 


The treatment for elbow dysplasia will be determined by the severity of the disease, and can involve surgery to repair or replace the joint. Surgery is highly recommended in the early stages of dysplasia, before the elbow is affected by arthritis. Prognosis is good if the disease is diagnosed and treated early, with recovery involving two to six weeks of rest and confinement to allow the joints to heal.

Osteochondrosis

Also affecting young large-breed dogs that grow rapidly, osteochondrosis is the disordered growth of bone and cartilage, in which the joint cartilage is damaged and separates from the bone it should be attached to. The joint cavity fills with fluid and can also contain loose bits of cartilage. The resulting cysts, inflammation and joint degeneration have a severe effect on the joint’s range of motion. Osteochondrosis can affect the shoulder, elbow, knee (stifle) and ankle (hock). A link has been made between over-supply of nutrition and minerals (the dog having too much energy and growing too fast) and osteochondrosis. It can also be caused or exacerbated by trauma to the joints, hormonal influence, genetics and a lack of adequate blood flow. 

Symptoms of osteochondrosis

The disease in the cartilage will have an impact on the dog’s ability to walk, so the symptoms are typically indicative of this:

  • progressive lameness
  • holding or repositioning the affected limb
  • pain, yelping when leg is touched
  • swelling in the affected joints

Diagnosis and treatment of osteochondrosis

The vet will perform a physical examination and if they suspect osteochondrosis, X-rays will be used to look at the cartilage and bones. If the bones are difficult to view due to the puppy’s current growth, the vet may also use ultrasound or even place the dog under anaesthetic to perform an arthroscopy (using a surgical camera to look inside the joint).

Treatment of osteochondrosis will depend on the severity of the disease and by how much the cartilage has detached from the bone. If the condition is mild, the vet will teach you how to perform range of motion exercises with your puppy in between long bouts of strict rest, aided by medication to help the cartilage to heal and grow normally. If the condition is severe, the puppy will need to undergo surgery to either remove or repair the defective cartilage. In some cases, the joint will need to be replaced or the joint surface reconstructed. The earlier on the disease is diagnosed and treated, and the better the recovery is managed at home, the better the long-term prognosis will be.

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear

The cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is to dogs what the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is to humans. A ruptured canine CCL occurs in the same way as a human ACL tear: a sudden change in direction that twists the knee joint while simultaneously putting a tremendous load on the ligaments, causing them to rupture. It is very painful and renders the knee joint unstable, causing lameness in the limb. 

While sudden trauma is the main cause of ACL rupture in humans, it is more often the progressive degeneration, gradual weakening and repeated exposure to joint stressors that eventually damage the CCL in dogs. Within this context, even a minor trauma like a sudden stop or change in direction while chasing a ball can tear the CCL and cause the dog to yelp and remove all weight from the limb. 

CCL tears are most commonly found in Newfoundland dogs – a giant breed that is genetically predisposed to this condition. The risk increases when the large- or giant breed of dog is overweight. If a dog has other knee issues like slipped stifles (patellar luxation – see below), they will have a greater risk of tearing their cruciate ligaments.

Symptoms of a cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear

  • sudden lameness during play/exercise
  • swelling of the joint
  • excessive joint laxity (movement)
  • clicking sound in the knee if the meniscus is damaged

Diagnosis and treatment of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear

The vet will examine the dog’s joints and take X-rays, which should show arthritis in the joint and fluid build-up. Sometimes an arthroscopy (under anaesthetic) will be necessary to look inside the joint. Treating a CCL tear involves surgery to repair the ligament as well as medical treatment with anti-inflammatories and pain medication. Physical therapy is essential for full recovery and to regain use of the stifle. With the correct treatment, the prognosis for a CCL rupture is generally good.

Patellar luxation

It’s not only large breed dogs that suffer with hereditary joint problems. Patellar luxation (or luxating patella – dislocating kneecap) is a joint affliction that is more common in small and toy breed dogs than in other breeds. The breeds with a predisposition for patellar luxation include Chihuahua, miniature poodle, Bichon frisé, Maltese, West Highland white terrier, Pekingese and Yorkie. 

The thigh (femur) and shin (tibia) bones are connected to the kneecap (patella) by the patellar ligament, which is kept in place by the trochlear groove. When a healthy dog flexes and extends their hindlegs while walking or running, the kneecap moves up and down along the trochlear groove, thanks to a healthy patellar ligament. In a dog with patellar luxation, however, the kneecap shifts out of the trochlear groove while the dog is in motion (mild) or is permanently dislocated (severe). 

Patellar luxation involves a number of deformities in the bones and joints of the back legs, which ultimately result in a kneecap that dislocates and relocates continuously during normal movement. In some dogs – particularly those that are bow-legged – the patellar ligament is not attached to the centre of the shin bone, but rather closer to the inside of the leg. This means that when the leg muscles contract and the knee bends, the ligament is pulled out of the trochlear groove and it gives the dog a little skip in their back legs. Up to half of the dogs with patellar luxation in one knee will have it in both knees.

Some dogs with mild patellar luxation can live with it for most of their lives without it affecting their quality of life, but if they are affected by arthritis later in life, it could severely impact their mobility. Patellar luxation also increases the likelihood of other joint injuries like a torn cruciate ligament, because the knee isn’t functioning the way it should and it affects the entire joint complex. 

Treatment for patellar luxation usually involves surgery to correct the joint complex, and can include: 

  • relocating the point of attachment of the patellar ligament to the centre of the shin bone
  • deepening the trochlear groove so that the kneecap can’t slide out of it so easily
  • tightening the joint capsule to keep the kneecap in place
  • cutting and reshaping the femur or tibia (osteotomy)
  • fusing the femur and tibia to stabilise the knee (arthrodesis)

In severe cases where the function of the knee can’t be saved or the luxation is too severe, the last resort may be to amputate the limb. 

If patellar luxation is diagnosed and treated with surgery early enough (before arthritis or any other injuries are sustained), the prognosis for full recovery and normal functioning is good. It is important to manage the health of the dog’s joints with a prescription mobility diet, joint supplements, anti-inflammatories (where necessary) and physical therapy to retain a full range of motion. It is also essential for the dog to maintain a healthy weight, as even slightly overweight dogs will place a lot more stress on their joints.

Conclusion

Dogs’ joint issues can be debilitating, but they can be diagnosed and corrected if addressed early enough. Veterinary medicine has also advanced to the point where supplements, physical therapy, surgery and medication can be administered to either slow the progression of joint diseases or to repair them altogether. 

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