My senior German Shepherd is limping. What is severe elbow arthritis?

This X-ray shows she has poor hip conformation or hip dysplasia and hip arthritis. Unfortunately this is a common orthopedic problem in German Shepard dogs and othe large breeds. Most dogs respond well to weight loss if needed and dog arthritis medication prescribed by your veterinarian. By keeping her active and moving she will maintain her muscle mass which will support her hips so there is less bone rubbing, which will result in less pain. Giving joint supplements like Dasuquin or Cosequin can help in addition to Omega 3 or fish oil which will reduce some of the inflammation. Physical therapy with a rehab veterinarian is effective in maintaining her muscles and help reduce the limping. Hip dysplasia can’t be cured but it can be managed so Bella can continue to live an active life. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bella.

I would consider at his age a referral to a veterinary surgeon to discuss any surgical options particularly for his hips. This might delay the onset of arthritis in the future. Depending on what's causing his elbow dysplasia surgery may be an option there as well. You could also get the advice of a surgeon as to which is more likely to cause issues the elbows are the hips. I would also recommend starting him on a joint supplement now and potentially omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. All supplements and physical therapy are great surgery might be your best bet at long-term comfort.

I do see some abnormal opacity in the elbow joint where the arrow is, so I would have to agree with your vet here. It is not possible to zoom in on x-rays that are copied here however, so its best to get a copy of the x-rays on a CD and then having them reviewed by a 2nd opinion doctor that way. Or you can ask your vet to send these to a radiologist who is well trained on picking up on small details that the untrained eye can miss. Another option is to treat medically for a minimum of 2 weeks, and if there is no improvement, then you know that is not just a muscle sprain or mild injury, and that elbow dysplasia is more likely the underlying cause. Doing a process of elimination, while still treating the pets pain, is a common thing that owners do when they are looking for a more conservative approach. If this is indeed elbow dysplasia, then I would recommend a referral to an orthopedic specialist if you want to pursue treatment. Treatment for this condition is often surgery. Poor guy. I hope that you can get him some relief soon. Best wishes and take care!

Hello, sorry to hear about Baloo. His elbows definitely show signs of arthritis. Elbow arthritis is common in Rottweilers has 3 components to it. 2 of these components, a fragments coranoid process and an ununited anconeal process can cause moderate to severe pain. The therapy for this disease includes surgery to remove the chipped bone fragments in the joint. You should consult with an orthopedic surgeon regarding Baloos elbow disease so that his problem can be addressed. In the mean time, you can ask your veterinarian for additional pain meds to try and help keep Baloo as comfortable as possible. Hope this helps and best of luck

It sounds like Damian may have cauda equina syndrome. It could be arthritis in the hips but I think cauda equina is more likely. This is an extremely common problem in German Shepherds. Here is a link to an article about this problem: https://bluepearlvet.com/medical-articles/cauda-equina-syndrome/ I suggest you bring this up to your vet or get a second opinion from another vet. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It certainly could be a fracture and yes surgery is the only option for cure of her limping. However arthritis will still persist so long to her management of that will still be needed. However given Athena's age and breed I would be very concerned about a possible neoplastic/cancerous process. It is much less common in the elbow but I would discuss this with your veterinarian prior to surgery.

Thank you for posting this question about Rex. I’m so glad cosequin has worked so well for him. I would be suspicious that the arthritis could be getting worse, however there could also be other possibilities. I would highly encourage you to have him evaluated by your veterinarian soon. If they think it is the arthritis acting up then they prescribe some additional pain medication. They may also recommend an x-ray to look for other problems such as cancer. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.