Dog arthritis can be caused by injury, congenital defects, or ageing. Surprisingly, injury is a major cause of arthritis in dogs, and therefore affects many younger dogs. Quite minor injuries can result in the condition. A predisposition to conditions such as hip dysplasia can cause early onset of an arthritic condition in dogs. Older dogs who have never suffered an injury are likely to develop arthritis as they age.

There are many forms of arthritis in dogs that can create pain. As in the case of humans, dog arthritis is an inflammation of a joint or joints. Anywhere a dog has a joint they can have arthritis. The cartilage in the joint may be inflamed, but it can also be joint fluid causing the issues within the bones. The main types of arthritis in dogs are osteoarthritis, immune mediated, infective, and idiopathic arthritis.

Arthritis in dogs is usually first manifested as a slow and gradual limpness in the limbs. Lameness will be the result and may reach the point where the dog has a hard time walking. This will lead in most cases to the dog being less active in play, walks and even moving about the home. Stiffness is likely to be more severe in the morning or after a nap but the stiffness is often minimal in the daytime, however.

A dog with arthritis will also feel pain in the joints when you touch their limbs near the affected area. Another symptom may be swelling of the limb around the joint. This may not be visible to the naked eye, however.

Arthritis medicine is available for dogs who suffer from the condition ? this can treat the inflammation. Many dog owners instead opt for more natural methods of treatment for their pet, finding them more helpful in many cases. Glucosamine and MSM are two popular natural dog arthritis treatments (they are also used in humans with arthritis). A lot of experts in the field think that arthritis is best treated by a combination of MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that occurs naturally in the body. However, the ageing process is thought to diminish the body's ability to produce sufficient glucosamine for the body's needs. Glucosamine is not found in any primary food source, but is derived from the shell of shellfish. It has anti inflammatory properties that can be very effective in managing osteoarthritis in both humans and animals.

Depending on the cause of the arthritis in dogs a change to a healthier diet may be all that is needed. Some types of arthritis can be taken care of with a healthy diet and exercise. Obesity in dogs is one cause of arthritis. By helping the dog to maintain a natural weight for their size and eating a healthy diet it is possible to eliminate the pain of arthritis.

However, arthritis remedies of various sorts may be needed along with a change of diet in order to manage the pain and other symptoms of dog arthritis.