Arthritis is a disorder characterized by inflammation in the joints. There are three primary types of arthritis that can affect your pet – rheumatoid arthritis, septic arthritis, and OsteoArthritis, with the most common being OsteoArthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by a malfunctioning immune system, septic arthritis is caused by an infection, and OsteoArthritis is caused by the bones.
Side Effects of OsteoArthritis
A pet with OsetoArthritis has damaged bones that have caused the cartilage to wear away. The cartilage is important because it provides a natural barrier to prevent the bones from hitting each other every time the joint moves. If the cartilage becomes dry, chipped, or too rough, the bone becomes exposed and can be very painful for the pet
As the problem persists, the exposed bones flatten out become less resilient. This makes the joint move less smoothly and the pet’s movement becomes jerky and creaky. To fix this problem, your pet’s body will send out white blood cells. But, instead of making the joint better, this causes free radicals to be released in the pet’s body. As a result, the problem becomes worse and the special joint lubricant, called synovial fluid, becomes damaged. This causes the area to become inflamed and even more painful.
Risk Factors for Arthritis
OsteoArthritis is the most common form of skeletal disease effecting dogs and it is very common in many other types of animals as well. In fact, dinosaur fossils even show signs of arthritis. Most dogs will eventually develop OsteoArthritis, as will approximately 20% of cats
Obese dogs and dogs that are very athletic have a greater tendency to develop OsteoArthritis. Those with diabetes, Cushing’s disease, hip dysplasia, and hip dysplasia also have problems with the disorder. Certain injuries or trauma can also cause the problem to occur. Adding certain products, such as Ecovet PR, can help prevent or even reverse the effects of arthritis because of the benefits of the natural glycosamines found in the pills.
