Rheumatism tablets for dogs. Rheumatoid polyarthritis

Dogs, oddly enough, often suffer from the same diseases as people. However, “human” diseases do not have the same symptoms in animals, and they also need to be treated completely differently. One of these diseases is rheumatism, which occurs in animals almost the same as in people, the only difference is that people suffer from rheumatism only in old age, and dogs can be sick from six months.

Causes of the disease

Rheumatism is inflammatory disease connective tissues of all organs and systems of the body. As a rule, pets that have weak immunity , since the main cause of the disease is the common cold. Sometimes it's enough wet dog just lie in a draft. However, the main causes of rheumatism are:

• Large fluctuations in air temperature.
• Air humidity is too high.
• Moving to other climatic conditions.
• Poor living conditions for the dog.
• Frequent colds and viral diseases(pharyngitis, sore throat).
• Poor quality food.
• Genetic predisposition.

The development of the disease occurs due to penetration streptococcal infection into the muscles and joints, thus beginning the destruction of these tissues. This disease is not infectious and cannot be transmitted to other animals.

Any breed of dog can suffer from rheumatism, but the most susceptible are Chow Chows, Pekingese, Poodles, South American Staffordshire Terriers and fighting dog breeds.

Symptoms

Rheumatism in dogs occurs in two forms - muscular or articular.

Manifestations of the disease can appear completely unnoticed and disappear just as imperceptibly. The first sign is the appearance of the dog causeless lameness after physical activity or upon waking up. Sometimes it’s even difficult for a pet to just stand on its paws. With muscular rheumatism, the dog’s pain gradually disappears during movement, and after rest it appears again. If a dog suffers from articular rheumatism, then one or more joints are affected at once.

The dog may whine when walking on uneven surfaces or when someone touches the joints. The dog begins to hunch over, refuses to climb the steps, begins to move very slowly and carefully, and does not wag its tail. The dog develops anxiety, tremors, the joints gradually swell, the dog refuses food, stool retention may occur, sometimes purulent cystitis occurs against the background of rheumatism, and the animal may develop a fever.

Rheumatism in dogs gradually develops into chronic form , with aggravation acute symptoms several times a year. It is especially difficult for dogs to tolerate wet weather during the spring thaw and heavy slush in the fall. During such exacerbations, the pet experiences very severe pain, which causes aggression in him, the dog does not allow himself to be touched.

To diagnose rheumatism, as a rule, veterinarians use aspirin - if the dog becomes cheerful within 1-2 hours after taking it, it means that it suffers from rheumatism.

It is very important not to confuse rheumatism with discospondylitis, which has similar symptoms: apathy, decreased dog mobility, but is a more serious disease.

Treatment

If an attack of rheumatism occurs in a puppy, or young dog up to three years of age, then there is a high probability that you can achieve complete cure. Dogs over five years old cannot be cured at midnight; the symptoms of the disease can only be alleviated.

Chronic manifestations of rheumatism should be monitored by a veterinarian, since the older the dog, the more pain it endures. To treat and alleviate the condition of the animal, as a rule, drugs are used that relieve swelling of the joints, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as analgin, spazgan, Rimadyl, prednisolone, ketofen and others.

It is very important to get it right calculate the dosage of the drug, which will correspond to the dog’s weight and age. As a rule, when using painkillers, the animal is not given a full dose; the pet should feel slight pain so as not to harm itself during games and walks. Therapy usually lasts 6-8 days. In case of acute illness, the dog is additionally prescribed antibiotics. wide range actions, probiotics, to restore intestinal microflora and B vitamins.

After completion of the main therapy, the animal mandatory medications are prescribed to improve vascular function and circulatory system: dibazole or trental.

Also, to treat rheumatism in dogs, veterinarians can use corticosteroids; such drugs reduce the inflammatory process and reduce tissue swelling. This therapy lasts 10-14 days; longer treatment with these drugs is not permissible, as they can lead to stomach ulcers, blood clotting disorders, and joint destruction.

Prevention

It is very important to avoid hypothermia of the animal; in the off-season you should not bathe the dog too often; it is advisable to dry the dog with a hairdryer immediately after bathing; in the cold season, it is better to take the dog outside dressed. It is very important to monitor your pet’s body weight, as obesity puts extra stress on the joints. If your dog’s rheumatism has become chronic, then it is very important to rub and wrap the animal’s sore joints and muscles.

Dogs suffer from the same ailments as people, so it should not be surprising that your four-legged pet develops musculoskeletal diseases. The most common joint disease found in pets, even in early age, is rheumatism.

Causes of the disease

Rheumatism is an inflammatory disease of the connective tissues of organs and body systems. The following factors provoke this pathology are identified:

• violation of the dog's living conditions (wet bedding, poor kennel with drafts, etc.);
• temperature fluctuations and high humidity;
• unbalanced diet, poor nutrition;
• frequent bathing and lack of drying of the coat;
• regular colds, viral infections and lack of treatment;
• heredity.

Rheumatism does not apply infectious diseases, therefore, a healthy individual cannot become infected from a sick one, although its causative agent is beta-hemolytic streptococcus. Essentially, it can be compared to autoimmune disease, since the body is attacked by its own leukocytes.

Yard dogs are more adapted to the harsh realities of life, and their immunity is stronger than that of domestic dogs, so they rarely suffer from rheumatism. The same cannot be said about pampered pets, for whom a slight draft is enough to acquire an acute form of joint disease. Representatives of miniature decorative breeds are most prone to rheumatism.

However, this does not mean that such animals will necessarily develop rheumatism.

With good care, it is quite possible to avoid illness. In addition, this disease can be diagnosed in representatives of fighting and hunting breeds, as well as in poodles, chow-chows, Rottweilers.

Main symptoms

Since rheumatism affects muscles, tendons, joints and deals a devastating blow to the entire body, clinical picture the disease is extensive.

The main symptoms that may indicate rheumatism in a dog include:

• lameness after sleep or exercise in the absence of injury;
• decreased activity, apathy, anxiety;
• reluctance to follow familiar commands;
• decreased appetite;
• swollen joints;
• the dog is hunched over and does not wag its tail;
• when moving, the dog whines;
• problems with stool (delayed bowel movements);
• painful sensations when feeling the joints;
• fever (in some cases);
• increased urination.

If left untreated, the acute form of rheumatism becomes chronic, with relapses occurring several times a year, mainly during the off-season. Animals endure wet, chilly weather especially hard.

Diagnostics in a veterinary clinic

So that the doctor can put correct diagnosis and, accordingly, to prescribe adequate therapy, he must conduct a diagnosis. The most common and simple method One way to determine rheumatism is to prescribe aspirin to the dog.

The doctor gives the animal aspirin (the dose is calculated by weight), and if 1-2 hours after taking the drug the dog’s condition improves, then the problem is rheumatism.

For a favorable prognosis, it is important to exclude other diseases, for example, discospondylitis, which has symptoms similar to rheumatism, but is a very serious illness.

Treatment method and prognosis

Treatment of rheumatism is carried out in a complex. The dog is prescribed anti-inflammatory, painkillers, anti-swelling agents, broad-spectrum antibiotics, probiotics for recovery normal microflora intestines. The course of treatment is at least 7 days.

Most often, the doctor prescribes Analgin, Baralgin, Rimadyl, Spazgan, Ketofen, etc. Compliance with the dosage is an indispensable condition for treatment.

The dog is required to be prescribed medications that include B vitamins, as well as agents to stimulate the activity of the circulatory system and blood vessels (Trental, Dibazol).

If a dog’s rheumatism has become chronic, it must be constantly under the supervision of a specialist, since with age the symptoms are very difficult to tolerate.

As for prognosis, it all depends on timely treatment and the age of the animal. So, puppies and young individuals have a much greater chance of recovery than older ones (after 5 years). In older dogs, you can only reduce the symptoms, but not completely cure the disease.

What to do at home

As first aid for symptoms of rheumatism, you can use drugs such as Pentalgin, Spazgan and other painkillers, but in no case should you give the dog a full dose - the animal should feel slight pain. This measure is due to the fact that without testing pain syndrome, the animal stops protecting the damaged area and is injured.

Before visiting the veterinarian, it is advisable to limit the dog's mobility, perhaps even placing him in a crate.

If your dog has contraindications to taking traditional medications, homeopathic remedies are prescribed: Traumeel, Discus compositum. On acute stage they are taken daily, for chronic disease - once a week.

For chronic rheumatism, it is important to rub the dog’s sore joints and wrap them warmly.

Possible complications

Rheumatism is not a life-threatening disease, but if not properly treated, the consequences can be very serious.

The most common complications of rheumatism are erosive arthritis, glomerulonephritis, rheumatic carditis (inflammatory heart disease), lesions of the central nervous system, polyarthritis. It is very important to prevent the development of these diseases, as they lead to disability and even death of the dog.

Prevention measures (diet)

Prevention of rheumatism can be primary and secondary. The primary goal is to avoid the disease itself. Under no circumstances should your dog be allowed to swim in ponds during the off-season to prevent hypothermia. After water procedures Be sure to thoroughly dry the wool with a hair dryer.

It is better to take your pet for a walk in a warm overall.

It is extremely important to monitor your pet’s weight to avoid stress on the joints, this is especially true for representatives large breeds. The diet must contain the required amount of fats and carbohydrates.

This problem can be solved by medicinal special feeds in which this ratio is optimal. If the dog eats natural food, it should receive vitamin supplements to strengthen the immune system and general vitaminization of the body.

Secondary prevention is applied to animals that have already had rheumatism, but, of course, it does not cancel the primary one. So, if a dog catches a cold, additional antirheumatic therapy is given to prevent a relapse.

Veterinarians have identified quite a few causes of rheumatism. First of all, these are external factors:

• sudden changes in weather that affect weather-sensitive dogs,
• unfavorable living conditions outside in a damp kennel.

An animal that was bathed after one walk and did not have time to completely dry before another, and it is a rainy autumn or spring day outside, also falls into the risk group. However, the most main danger Doctors think it's a streptococcal infection. The risk of developing rheumatism increases most after suffering from pharyngitis or tonsillitis.

Although not every dog, having had a sore throat, develops rheumatism. There is a predisposition of the body to streptococcal infection. There are also genetic predisposition to rheumatism, which is inherited in some breeds.

Poodles, Pekingese, Chow Chow, and South American Staffordshire Terrier have a genetic tendency to this disease. The body also weakens poor nutrition, reducing its natural resistance.

The main reasons that provoke the development of the inflammatory process in the joints, veterinary specialists include:

According to veterinary experts, keeping animals on cold and hard surfaces can provoke the development of arthritis in dogs. Slippery floors make the situation worse. Stress – common reason development of joint pathology in dogs. Arthritis often occurs when your pet is overweight.

Veterinary experts note that dwarf and miniature breeds dogs are susceptible to rheumatoid arthritis in to a greater extent than medium and large ones. Dalmatians, Chow Chows, Bullmastiffs, Bulldogs, American Staffordshire Terriers - these breeds are more likely to get sick when they get older.

Types of disease

In veterinary practice, it is customary to distinguish the following types of arthritis in dogs:

• Rheumatoid. This type pathology is due to the fact that the animal’s body produces antibodies to its own protein structures. Cartilage tissue is under attack immune system, thins and collapses.

• Purulent. Inflammation develops in the joints due to the penetration of pyogenic microorganisms into the tissue. This is one of the most dangerous types of illness. If professional assistance is not provided in a timely manner purulent form arthritis can lead to life-threatening sepsis.
• Medicinal. This type of pathology occurs as a complication during vaccination, the use of medications (cephalosporins, macrolides, etc.).
• Traumatic. Arthritis develops due to damage to the joint itself and periarticular tissues.
• Dystrophic. The cause of the disease is metabolic disorders, metabolic disorders, and vitamin deficiencies. Metabolic arthritis is more often diagnosed in young pets due to an unbalanced diet.

According to the form of the inflammatory process, acute and chronic forms of the disease are also distinguished.

Symptoms in a dog

Doctors call an exacerbation of the disease a rheumatic attack. It begins to manifest itself in the form of intermittent claudication, stiffness or weakness of the pelvic limbs. soreness of individual muscle groups. The animal clearly does not want to move, often stops during walks, does not go up the stairs, does not jump on the sofa, the dog limps on one or different paws, and yelps when it moves awkwardly.

The dog has difficulty standing up, does not wag its tail, and may tremble. At the same time, her appetite may be the same or slightly reduced. All of these symptoms can occur with to varying degrees expression and in various combinations.

Rheumatism often occurs with acute pain, the dog is restless and whines. She cannot find a place for herself, takes a forced position - “hunched over”, tries to move carefully. Often the disease is accompanied by purulent cystitis. More often rheumatic diseases are recorded in the off-season - autumn and spring in wet weather.

“Muscular” rheumatism is characterized by flying pains with intermittent claudication. Symptoms may disappear on their own for a few days and then return again.

Because symptoms may indicate various diseases, important correct diagnosis. Previously, it was enough to give an aspirin tablet to stop the symptoms of rheumatism, which means to find out that it is this particular disease. Corticosteroids are now more commonly used.

If after a couple of hours the dog is frolicking as if nothing was hurting, then the symptoms pointed specifically to rheumatism. First aid for exacerbation of rheumatism is provided by using painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs:

• baralgin,
• pentalgin,
• piroxicam,
• analgin,
• spazgan,
• Rimadyl and others.

It is better to give an incomplete dose, because without feeling pain at all, the dog stops protecting the damaged area and an injury may occur that will cause irreparable damage to the spine. After this, you need to consult a doctor to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Uncomplicated rheumatic attack is quickly relieved by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs:

1. prednisolone,
2. dexamethasone,
3. piroxicam,
4. ketofen,
5. baralgin,
6. pentalgin N,
7. analgin with diphenhydramine.

A course of 3-5 days is required using B vitamins and broad-spectrum antibiotics. If the ability to move or sensitivity of the limbs is impaired, the course of treatment includes: vascular agents: trental, dibazole. Prevention for rheumatism involves preventing the dog from getting hypothermic. In damp weather, it is better to wear overalls for a walk, not to bathe the animal in the cold season, or to immediately dry it with a hairdryer.

The following symptoms indicate the development of arthritis in your four-legged friend:

• Decline motor activity. The animal is less likely to take part in active games with the owner and brothers. Long walks become beyond the strength of a sick dog; it often stops, reluctantly follows its owner, and sluggishly follows commands.
• Pain syndrome. The inflammatory process is accompanied painful sensations. After sleep and rest, the dog moves carefully. The animal tries to avoid stairs, especially when going down. When feeling the limbs and pelvic joints, anxiety is observed on the part of the pet. The inflamed tissues are hot to the touch.
• Increase in body weight. Obesity is associated with physical inactivity.
• Lameness. More often observed after sleep and rest.

A sick animal is often in a depressed, lethargic state, and there may be a decrease in appetite.

Diagnostics

To study a disease in veterinary practice, in addition to a clinical examination of a sick animal, puncture is used followed by bacteriological analysis the resulting intra-articular fluid, as well as cytological and laboratory research methods. Laboratory diagnostics allows us to identify, as a rule, the infectious nature of the disease.

An effective method for recognizing destructive processes in a joint is radiography. X-ray images can reveal deformation of bone tissue, assess the localization of inflammation, and identify narrowing of the joint space. On x-rays with arthritis, thickening and processes of mineralization of soft tissues are observed.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Treatment of the disease is both conservative and surgical. Most forms of the disease, including rheumatoid, respond well to drug treatment.

Glucocorticoids are effective medications for inflammatory processes of the musculoskeletal system. In addition to a powerful anti-inflammatory effect, the drugs also have immunosuppressive properties, which is important in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Dexamethasone and Prednisolone are used to treat the disease.

Successful treatment inflammatory processes in the joints is unthinkable without changing the conditions of keeping the pet. First of all, the owner must provide the dog with a warm and dry room. A bed for a sick dog should be dense and made of heat-insulating materials. Equip sleeping place necessary in a part of the room protected from drafts and dampness. The pet bed should not be placed under air conditioning systems.

Drugs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which also have analgesic and anti-edematous effects, are widely used in veterinary practice. Medicines this group are prescribed and used only under the supervision of a veterinary specialist, as they have many side effects. To treat arthritis in dogs, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, and Ketoprofen are prescribed.

At acute form arthritis, a sick pet is prescribed strong painkillers - Tramadol, Butorphanol. Analgesics such as Spazgan and Baralgin are ineffective for this disease.

Many veterinary specialists note a positive effect when using chondroprotectors. Medicines slow down the destruction of cartilage tissue, improve trophism. Chondroitin sulfate and Glucosamine are used for dogs.

Prevention

TO preventive measures To prevent the development of arthritis in dogs, veterinary experts include the following:

• A diet balanced in nutrients, vitamins and microelements.
• Equipment for a warm and dense sleeping area.
• Keeping the dog indoors without drafts or dampness.
• Non-slip carpeted floors.
• Prevention of injuries.
• Moderate physical activity in accordance with the age and development of the pet.

Rheumatism (or Buyo-Sokolsky disease) is a disease connective tissue all organs and systems. It affects animals from 6 months to old age.

Often the puppy outgrows rheumatism and after strengthening the immune system, the symptoms often do not return. But in middle-aged and older dogs the disease becomes chronic, worsening in cold and wet weather or after swimming in cold water in hot weather.

Causes of rheumatism in dogs

Veterinarians have identified quite a few causes of rheumatism. First of all, these are external factors:

• sudden changes in weather that affect weather-sensitive dogs,
• unfavorable living conditions outside in a damp kennel.

An animal that was bathed after one walk and did not have time to completely dry before another, and it is a rainy autumn or spring day outside, also falls into the risk group. However, doctors consider streptococcal infection to be the main danger. The risk of developing rheumatism increases most after suffering from pharyngitis or tonsillitis.

Although not every dog, having had a sore throat, develops rheumatism. There is a predisposition of the body to streptococcal infection. There is also a genetic predisposition to rheumatism, which is inherited in some breeds.

Poodles, Pekingese, Chow Chow, and South American Staffordshire Terrier have a genetic tendency to this disease. The body also weakens poor nutrition, reducing its natural resistance.

Symptoms of rheumatism in dogs

Doctors call an exacerbation of the disease a rheumatic attack. It begins to manifest itself in the form of intermittent claudication, stiffness or weakness of the pelvic limbs. soreness of individual muscle groups. The animal clearly does not want to move, often stops during walks, does not go up the stairs, does not jump onto the sofa, and squeals when it moves awkwardly.

The dog has difficulty standing up, does not wag its tail, and may tremble. At the same time, her appetite may be the same or slightly reduced. All these symptoms can appear with varying degrees of severity and in various combinations.

Rheumatism often occurs with acute pain, the dog is restless and whines. She cannot find a place for herself, takes a forced position - “hunched over”, tries to move carefully. Often the disease is accompanied by purulent cystitis. More often, rheumatic diseases are recorded in the off-season - in autumn and spring in wet weather.

“Muscular” rheumatism is characterized by flying pains with intermittent claudication. Symptoms may disappear on their own for a few days and then return again.

Diagnosis and treatment

Since symptoms can indicate different diseases, correct diagnosis is important. Previously, it was enough to give an aspirin tablet to stop the symptoms of rheumatism, which means to find out that it is this particular disease. Corticosteroids are now more commonly used.

If after a couple of hours the dog is frolicking as if nothing was hurting, then the symptoms pointed specifically to rheumatism. First aid for exacerbation of rheumatism is provided by using painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs:

• baralgin,
• pentalgin,
• piroxicam,
• analgin,
• spazgan,
• Rimadyl and others.

It is better to give an incomplete dose, because without feeling pain at all, the dog stops protecting the damaged area and an injury may occur that will cause irreparable damage to the spine. After this, you need to consult a doctor to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Uncomplicated rheumatic attack is quickly relieved by the use of anti-inflammatory drugs:

1. prednisolone,
2. dexamethasone,
3. piroxicam,
4. ketofen,
5. baralgin,
6. pentalgin N,
7. analgin with diphenhydramine.

A course of 3-5 days is required using B vitamins and broad-spectrum antibiotics. If the ability to move or sensitivity of the limbs is impaired, vascular agents are introduced into the course of treatment: trental, dibazole. Prevention for rheumatism involves preventing the dog from getting hypothermic. In wet weather, it is better not to bathe the animal in the cold season or immediately dry it with a hairdryer.

When your dog becomes less active, he lies down more and loses the desire to play. When you see that it has become difficult for your pet to overcome obstacles and he refuses long walks. All these symptoms are harbingers of joint diseases. Later, the dog's owner may notice more severe symptoms such as lameness, pain when standing up, and stiffness of movement. In some cases (infectious arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis), the temperature may rise. The dog owner may notice a decrease or lack of appetite.

Arthritis (Arthritis; from the Greek arthron - joint), a group of joint diseases of inflammatory (infectious), rheumatoid and mixed nature.

Osteoarthritis- a disease of the joints in which pathological process hyaline cartilage and subchondral bone are involved. Some doctors also call osteoarthritis osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis is a disease that primarily affects articular cartilage and also causes changes in the synovium and subchondral bone. In veterinary practice, we often encounter osteoarthritis rather than arthritis.

Causes of arthritis in dogs

The causes of osteoarthritis (osteoarthrosis) in dogs are quite varied.

1. Idiopathic (primary) osteoarthritis. This form of osteoarthritis is rare in dogs. The factors causing primary osteoarthritis are poorly understood.

2. Secondary osteoarthritis (degenerative). It is the most common form of osteoarthritis (Fig. 2 and 4). Appears after damage to ligaments, joint dislocation, intra-articular fractures. Separately, we can distinguish Legg-Perthes disease, a disease in which aseptic necrosis heads femur. (Fig. 5).

In addition, this also includes the so-called evolutionary osteoarthritis(disturbances in the formation of cartilage and subchondral bone as a result of disturbances in evolutionary development). Such pathologies include dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans (Fig. 6), and congenital dislocations of joints. Immune-mediated polyarthritis. This is a systemic inflammatory disease of the joints. A feature of these arthritis is the inability to identify microbial etiology on a conventional culture of synovial fluid. In addition, when prescribing immunosuppressive therapy, we observe a clinically positive response. The causes of this group of diseases are poorly understood. These arthritis include:

a) erosive type:

• rheumatoid arthritis,
• greyhound polyarthritis,
• Felty's syndrome (rheumatoid arthritis with splenomegaly and leukopenia).

b) non-erosive type:

• idiopathic
• systemic lupus erythematosus
• vaccine-associated
• caused by drugs (trimethoprine, the use of sulfur-containing drugs, cephalosporins, macrolites and penicillins).
• polyarthritis/polymyositis (spaniels)
• polyarthritis/polymyositis (boxers, Bernese Mountain Dog, Pointer)
• Sjögren's syndrome (arthritis, keratoconjunctivitis, xerostomia)
• arthritis in Akita Inu puppies
• Shar Pei fever syndrome (amyloidosis often affects the hocks)
• lymphocytic-plasmacytic inflammation of the knee joints

3. Erosive (atrophic) osteoarthritis. This osteoarthritis is characterized by local erosive formations. The cause of this form of osteoarthritis is not known.

4. Infectious arthritis. It is a purulent-inflammatory disease of the joints bacterial etiology. An example of such arthritis is diseases of the joints due to brucellosis, when the joint capsule is injured (bites, punctures, cuts).

The etiology of infectious arthritis is more often associated with representatives of nonspecific, less often - specific infection. The most common pathogens of nonspecific infectious arthritis are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus spp., Enterobacter, Salmonella spp., Candida albicans. B-haemolytic streptococci, Staphylococci, haemolytic E. coli, Erysipelothrix, Corynebacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease). Leishmeniasis A specific infectious arthritis caused by Brucella canis.

5. Neoplastic arthritis (osteoarthrosis). Primary neoplastic arthritis almost never occurs. Most joint neoplasias are malignant. These include synovial sarcomas, fibrosarcomas, osteogenic sarcomas. Most often they develop from extra-articular tissues. These types of tumors must be differentiated from benign ones.

Diagnosis of arthritis in dogs

Diagnosis is complex and often requires special methods research. Such a diagnosis is only possible in veterinary clinic.

The first thing the animal owner should do is contact a veterinarian. Veterinarian will collect a medical history. Conduct a clinical examination. During the examination, the veterinarian evaluates the dog’s movement and activity. Draws attention to the presence or absence of lameness. Next, the doctor performs palpation, assessing the condition of the joint (size, symmetry, shape, local temperature, crepitus). Assess the condition of muscles and tendons (tone, symmetry, soreness).

The next stage of diagnosis will be radiography. Reviews must be obtained x-rays all pathologically expressed as a result of examination of the joints. As well as other joints on the affected limb and joints on the opposite limb (conditionally healthy).

Based on the x-ray, the following is assessed:

• presence of joint effusion
• presence of loose bodies inside the joint
• bone sclerosis, the presence of sequestra, exostoses
• evaluate the anatomy of articular structures (intra-articular fractures, damage to the subchondral bone, deformation and destruction of joint elements)

In most cases, this is enough to make a diagnosis. If the doctor suspects the presence of infectious arthritis, it is necessary to examine the synovial fluid and conduct laboratory blood tests.

In cases where we are dealing with dysplasia, it is often necessary to plan therapeutic measures arthroscopy and computed tomography are necessary.

In cases where doctors at our clinic suspect a neoplastic process, we conduct a cytological or histological analysis of the pathological tissue.

Treatment of arthritis in dogs

To our great regret, at the moment osteoarthritis cannot be completely eliminated. In our veterinary clinic, we have achieved good results in improving the quality of life of patients by prescribing symptomatic treatment.

Depending on the type of osteoarthritis, in our practice we use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Previcox, Rimadyl, Loxicom, etc.), steroid drugs(kenalog, dexafort.), antibacterial agents. Purpose antibacterial drugs carried out on the basis of bacterial culture of synovial fluid and titration to antibiotics. In some cases of osteoarthritis, in addition to therapeutic treatment necessary surgery. In our opinion surgical treatment necessary for Legg-Perthes disease, dissecting osteoarthritis, purulent osteoarthritis, deforming osteoarthritis, and secondary post-traumatic osteoarthritis, joint dysplasia.