Osteoarthritis

The word arthritis is a generic term and encompasses many different types of conditions of the joint.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and is present in 20% or 1 in 5 dogs over one year of age. When the term arthritis is used it will generally refer to OA, which is also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD).

Arthritis is a slow progressive disorder of one or more joints. It involves the deterioration of normal chemical and physical processes. Those processes affected by arthritis include;

• Blood flow – blockages of the blood vessels prevent good nutrition of
 the joint
• Joint fluid – the body’s natural joint lubricant is of a poor quality
• Joint cartilage – the body’s natural shock absorber breaks down
• Immune response – the body’s response to abnormal processes, such
 as joint inflammation

Arthritis typically leads to pain, lameness, joint inflammation and reduced mobility, resulting in a reduced quality of life.

The diagram below provides a comparison of a normal joint and a joint affected by arthritis.