My 9-month-old hound has trouble walking. Is it early arthritis?

Some causes of hindlimb lameness in growing dogs that are less than 12 months of age include: Hip dysplasia, Avascular necrosis of the femoral head - Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, where the ball of the thighbone in the hip doesn't get enough blood, causing the bone to die Osteochondritis of stifle - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the knee joint Patella luxation - medial or lateral disorder, in which the kneecap dislocates or moves out of its normal location Osteochondritis of the hock - fragments of cartilage or bone have become loose within the hock, the joint of the hind leg Panosteitis – inflammation of the bones Hypertrophic osteodystrophy - a disease characterized by decreased blood flow to the part of the bone adjacent to the joint Trauma to the soft tissue, bone, or joint Infection – may be local, or generalized (systemic) Nutritional imbalances Congenital abnormalities (present at birth) If the lameness persists, even if she seems better afterward, I recommend getting her seen by your vet as soon as possible to check for one of these conditions and get her started on treatment if need be.

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. I suspect Hank may have some arthritis. It is very common for dogs of all breeds, shapes, sizes to get arthritis as they age. The only true way to definitely diagnose arthritis would be with x-rays. I suggest you take Hank to your vet for an examination - there may be obvious clues to the vet that arthritis (or something else) is present. In the meantime you can try using a joint supplement that is made for dogs (not humans). I would use one that has the following ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM). The MSM is very important as it is a natural anti-inflammatory. I would suggest one of the following products; ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=118402 ) ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=115737 ) ( https://worldtails.securevetsource.com/itemView/view/198943_Home.pml?productId=116465 ) It usually takes 6-8 weeks before you notice any difference once you start giving it to him so it use for a minimum of 2 months. If after that he does not seem to be doing much better you should really take him in to your vet for an exam. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

You are correct this could be due arthritis or hip dysplasia. I see that Spike is an older boy, and arthritis is common in older dogs. I would recommend taking him into the vet for an exam. The vet can do a physical exam and x-rays to determine if he has hip dysplasia or arthritis. He could benefit from pain meds and glucosamine and chondrotin sulfate supplements. Please do not give him any human pain meds, many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I would take him into the vet today or tomorrow during normal business hours.

This sounds suspicious of arthritis. In a younge dog this often indicates a defect in cartilage or other soft tissue. These injuries are often difficult to detect, but can be narrowed-down with an exam and possibly x-rays. Considering this has been going on for a month, it's best to have a vet evaluate him sometime soon. Once the cause of this is identified, the appropriate treatment can be recommended. For now, it's best to restrict his exercise and keep him from running and jumping until he is seen by a vet. I hope that helps and Rio gets better.

There are a number of possibilities including developmental joint disease, infectious arthritis such as lymes disease and nutritional imbalance. I strongly recommend a full physical exam and possibly xrays by your vet as soon as possible, they can also prescribe pain relief as appropriate

It could be that Buddy is suffering from arthritis, and that's causing him to limp in pain. Arthritis is common in older dogs. I would take Buddy into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose if he is suffering from arthritis, and can give him some pain meds for it. Rimadyl (an NSAID) is a good drug to give to help with the symptoms of arthritis. I also recommend giving him glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate supplements. They provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Use of them helps relieve some of the symptoms of arthritis, and you can use it in conjuction with Rimadyl to help maximize relief from his symptoms.

The growths you are seeing on Pico can be unrelated to the lameness. It is not uncommon for older dogs to get arthritis similar to humans. They make several classes of medication to help with pain in older animals. It is worth consulting your vet to see which Pico is a candidate for to extend his quality of life.