Dogs get arthritis too – and now’s the time to look out for it
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Winter weather spells aching, painful joints for thousands of arthritis sufferers. But as the country wraps up against the frost and ice, spare a thought for man’s best friend who can also suffer terribly when the temperature plummets.
Arthritis is a common condition that affects thousands of dogs of all breeds and ages. And a canine health expert - who successfully treats scores of arthritic dogs every year – is calling on pet owners to consider whether their four-legged friends could be suffering this winter.
Julia Robertson is the founder of Galen Myotherapy, a unique hands-on manual muscle treatment that helps dogs suffering from arthritis, compensatory issues and underlying pain. She is calling on dog owners to look out for arthritic symptoms over the winter months, so they can make early inroads to prevent the condition from worsening.
Julia, who has a background in veterinary nursing and farming, said: “As man’s best friend dogs only want to please their owners and this ingrained devotion means they will often suffer in silence, not wanting to cause a fuss.
“They can also struggle to communicate their pain so they may not start to show the physical effects of arthritis, such as a limp or reluctance to walk, until they are in agony.”
Tell-tale signs of arthritis in your dog
- Uneven walking – are they avoiding putting weight on a particular leg?
- Stiffness, especially when getting up after they’ve been laying down /sitting for a while
- Persistently licking or chewing their feet – to distract from the pain
- Avoidance of grooming, stroking or being touched in a particular area
- Lameness or limping
- Irritability
- Difficulty/reluctance to do a physical activity they never struggled with previously
- Change in body shape – neck (collar size) and shoulders becoming larger, hind quarters looking ‘smaller’, and a hunch developing
As with humans, canine arthritis can also be prevalent in young dogs. Osteoarthritis can be brought about by previous damage to a joint so, Julia warns, if your pet suffered an injury or accident as a puppy or teenager, they could be susceptible in years to come.
Julia is making her call as she launches a Crowdfunder campaign to support a trip she is taking to India in the spring, where she will be teaching myotherapy to a vet and a dog trainer. India is a new audience for myotherapy and Julia will be providing all her training and expertise - including how to spot signs of arthritis - for free.
She added: “Now is the time to start looking for tell-tale signs they could have arthritis as the cold, wet weather will aggravate any problems they may have been able to hide or ignore earlier in the year. Spotting arthritis early and getting a plan in place to manage their pain will help in the long term and stop the condition becoming unbearable.
“I developed Galen Myotherapy to give dogs a better quality of life and I am determined that no animal should suffer in silence.
“One of the main steps to fulfilling this is ensuring people have as much knowledge as possible to support their pets and that is why I’m calling on all dog owners to keep a close eye on their animals this winter.”
For more information about canine arthritis, how Galen Myotherapy can help and Julia's Crowdfunder campaign visit www.caninetherapy.co.uk
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