Arthritis

arthritis

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which can be due to wear and tear on joints from over use, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as which occurs with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee.

The chronic form of this disease is called degenerative joint disease (DJD). It is estimated that 20% of dogs older than one year of age have some form of DJD. One study showed that 90% of cats over 12 years of age had evidence of DJD on x-rays.

Other causes of the inflammation can be infectious. Septic arthritis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. Lyme disease or Ehrlichia infection can also cause arthritis. Auto-immune diseases, or what is now called immune- mediated diseases, such as Lupus can cause swollen, painful, inflamed joints. More rarely, tumors can cause arthritis.

Treatment for arthritis should be directed to the inciting cause if possible. Surgery may be needed to stabilize a joint. DJD may be treated with NSAID's, pain medication such as Tramadol, cartilage protective agents such as glucosamine or Adequan, acupuncture, or as a last resort, steroids. NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have many types. In general, it is recommended to use NSAID's developed for pets, and not ones made for use in people as those are highly likely to cause ulcers in dogs, and most NSAID's can't be used in cats.

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Testimonials

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  • "The care we receive at West Yukon is second to none! Their compassion they show to our animals keeps us coming back to them over the years."
    Chris and Serena Parker
  • "The staff have always been excellent at takin care of my 4 legged boys. This is my Bichon's home away from home; we are here numerous times a month. They are always able to take care of him and answer all of my questions. There is nowhere better than West Yukon Animal Clinic!"
    Debbie Hill
  • ""Dr. Epperson has always gone above and beyond for the care of our family's pets for several years.""
    Mike Self / Yukon, OK