Arthritis, Bone and Joint Disease in Protection Dogs

Health problems like arthritis often referred to as degenerative joint disease affects not only humans, but also dogs as well. Arthritis is the breakdown of cartilage, which causes the bones to rub against each other. This will cause stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joints. As a protection dog owner hopefully you do everything in your power to keep them healthy. Including things like giving them medicine to prevent things such as heart worms, making sure they have good nutrition, and have a loving home. You will also naturally notice changes in their mood and behavior. Your guard dog will become like another one of your children, and if they begin to act differently in the slightest way, you will be able to tell. If you notice your protection dog not feeling too well, there is a possibility it could be arthritis. Arthritis affects one out of every five dogs in the U.S, and is a source of unbelievable chronic pain.

Being that your personal protection dog will not be able to verbally tell you what is wrong with them, it is your responsibility to look for signs of arthritis. Some signs that your dog will show you is favoring a limb and difficulty sitting or standing, these symptoms obviously result from the chronic pain they are in. Also, their joint deterioration will cause them to have stiff or sore joints, and also a hesitancy to jump, run or climb stairs. If your guard dog, for example your Belgian Malinois has arthritis they will have a large decrease in activity and will begin to sleep more and be a lot less alert. If your dog experiences these symptoms for more than two weeks, take them to the vet to be evaluated for arthritis. Therapies for arthritis may include a healthy diet and regular exercise to maintain a proper weight. Drug treatments will also help relieve some of the constant pain your dog is experiencing. The most common treatment for arthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Also over-the-counter treatments, such as pills or foods which contain glucosamine and fatty acids have been known to relieve symptoms of dog arthritis. Regardless of how it's done, making sure that your protection dog is happy and free of pain is the most important thing.