Some of the signs your dog may have arthritis are lameness in limbs, limping, swollen joints, pain on palpation of joints and stiffness. Stiffness in joints is normally worse in the morning and progressively gets better as the day goes on. Your dog may not want to go for walks as often and might not climb stairs anymore. Or he will lag behind on walks. He may also go through a personality change where the dog doesn't want to be touched anymore and yelping in pain when he touched.

Obesity in dogs can cause arthritis. It can also be caused by a traumatic injury that may have occurred and created joint stability. Tearing a ligament can cause it too. Genetics can cause joints to weaken and become unstable, this happens in hip dysplasia. Sometimes young dogs develop joint problems and it is created from improper bone development.

Canine hip dysplasia is a type of degenerative joint disease. It can cause abnormal development of the hip joints in younger dogs and most are born with normal hips. Hip dysplasia is created by laxity of the muscles, connective tissue, and ligaments that support the joints. Abnormal developments create changes in the bone where the bones are not held in place and actually move apart. The joint capsule and the ligament between the bones stretch creating more instability of the joints. This is called subluxation.

Dogs of all ages can get hip dysplasia. Mostly dogs in the middle years or older but it has been reported in young puppies as young as 5 months old. The disease is more common in large breeds and giant breeds, however, mixed breeds are more prone to getting hip dysplasia. It can occur in smaller breeds as well. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers, and Saint Bernards are the breeds that most commonly get hip dysplasia.

There are treatments available for arthritis and hip dysplasia. One thing that will help with your dog's arthritis if he is overweight is to put him on a diet and exercise him everyday. Surgery may be required to repair ligaments and stabilize joints.?For hip dysplasia a total hip replacement may be needed. Acupuncture can help in pain management and decrease the amount of medication that may be needed.

Anti-inflammatory medications can provide relief from pain and reduce inflammation. There are also herbal medicines that are all natural that have a lot of great benefits for your dog. Hip and Joint Support for Dogs by Eniva has pure and high potency nutrients to support healthy hips and joint mobility for dogs. It will help with cartilage health and bone and tendon strength as well. This product is a liquid and contains no fillers, binders, and coatings that tablets have. Tablets and capsules can also cause allergies and sensitivity which slow down absorption of nutrients. You can find this at Alternative Health Supplements.