Diagnosis & Treatment of Canine Degenerative Arthritis:

DJD, or Degenerative Joint Disease, can have a lifelong impact on dogs. For many canines, DJD often begins by affecting the joint's synovial lining, the soft tissue that covers the joint, leading to inflammation. This inflammation prompts the affected tissue to release certain chemical mediators, which in turn cause the cartilage to degrade.

Primary cartilage damage can also trigger a cascade of diseases, leading to further cartilage injury and synovial membrane inflammation. This creates a vicious cycle of cartilage deterioration, continuously releasing degenerative factors and perpetuating the condition.

Normal cartilage is composed of cartilage cells and the matrix, a supportive substance produced by the cells. DJD disrupts the metabolism of cartilage cells and alters the matrix.

Signs of Canine Degenerative Arthritis:

Limping

Joint swelling

Muscle atrophy

Cracking sounds during joint movement

Diagnosis of Canine Degenerative Arthritis:

Veterinarians use a variety of diagnostic tests to identify DJD and rule out other conditions. These may include:

Comprehensive medical history and physical examination

Thorough orthopedic examination. The hallmark of DJD is a gradual onset and softening of the affected joint. Dogs may experience pain, swelling, and rubbing, depending on the duration and severity of the condition.

Xrays of suspicious joints. This examination can provide evidence of joint degeneration. In some cases, DJD may be a secondary issue, and the veterinarian may discover more serious underlying causes on the xray. Arthrography, the injection of contrast material into the joint, can sometimes help identify a primary problem. Advanced imaging techniques, such as CT, MRI, or bone scans, may also be more diagnostic.

Force plate analysis. This test measures a dog's walking force on a specialized instrument, helping to assess subtle lameness.

Analysis of joint fluid. This test can help differentiate degenerative joint disease from other inflammatory joint diseases, such as canine rheumatoid arthritis and infectious (bacterial, fungal, etc.) arthritis.

Treatment of Canine Degenerative Arthritis:

Treatment for DJD may include one or more of the following:

"Medication" and "weight management" are often the initial treatment plans for DJD. Weight reduction can alleviate joint stress, and various older and newer medications can be used to relieve symptoms associated with DJD. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have been used for years since Bayer introduced aspirin in 1899. All medications have potential side effects, but newer NSAIDs seem to have fewer side effects in animals. Corticosteroids (cortisone) can be used to reduce inflammation in DJD, but longterm use can lead to cartilage damage and should not be used for longterm treatment.

For DJD caused by traumatic causes (such as a torn cruciate ligament in the knee), surgery is recommended. Surgery can significantly slow the progression of the degenerative process. Whether it's joint fusion or other joint reconstruction surgeries (such as joint replacement or excision), the success rate is typically very high.

Home Care and Prevention:

After surgery, strictly follow your veterinarian's instructions regarding medication, care, and followup appointments. In addition, appropriate activity and physical therapy are often beneficial.

Since some developmental orthopedic conditions that contribute to DJD have a genetic component, selective breeding of unaffected animals can help reduce the incidence of the disease in the overall dog population. This can also reduce the incidence of many congenital orthopedic problems.

Proper nutrition is important to achieve normal weight gain during a dog's development. However, overfeeding and excessive supplementation can increase the incidence of hip dysplasia and other orthopedic diseases in large breed puppies.

Further Information on Canine Degenerative Arthritis:

It is estimated that up to 20% of dogs over one year of age suffer from DJD. DJD primarily refers to the degeneration and damage of joint cartilage—where the cartilage loses its elasticity and becomes soft. Subsequently, cracks form, leading to fibrous tremors and cell death. Additionally, abnormal cartilage cells release certain mediators (mainly enzymes and other substances), causing the cartilage to selfdestruct and enter a degenerative cycle.

Here's a brief overview of the physiological information of the joint:

Normal joint cartilage covers the bones on both sides of the joint, providing nearly frictionless joint movement and offering "shock absorption" protection to the joint and related bones. When the cartilage structure changes, the biomechanical properties of the joint also change.

Normal joint cartilage is composed of cartilage cells, extracellular matrix, and water. Cartilage cells produce a large amount of extracellular matrix. The matrix is composed of tiny fibers called collagen, which provide structural support to the cartilage matrix and a complex biochemical "gel" called proteoglycan. Chondroitin sulfate is an important component of proteoglycans.

The tissues surrounding the joint are called the joint capsule, which contains a thick fluid (hyaluronic acid) that serves one of its functions as joint lubrication. DJD can cause inflammation of the joint capsule, leading to a decrease in the quality of the synovial fluid, and causing abnormal cartilage.

Many congenital orthopedic diseases in dogs can lead to DJD, including:

osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), a disease that can affect the shoulder, elbow, knee, or patella in dogs and can cause joint inflammation and secondary DJD in early stages.

Fragmentation of the medial coronoid process (FCP) in the elbow of puppies at 6 months of age can lead to secondary elbow disease.

Elbow dysplasia (UAP) can cause severe elbow joint disease.

Canine hip dysplasia (CHD) begins with hip looseness and can develop into secondary DJD.

Joint injuries can also lead to secondary DJD, including any fractures involving the joint surface. In this case, precise reduction and stabilization of joint fractures are necessary to effectively prevent the occurrence of DJD, and any malalignment during the healing process will lead to joint degeneration. Additionally, hip and elbow fractures are relatively common in dogs. If not handled properly, traumatic joint dislocation can lead to severe DJD.

Dogs are prone to ligament injuries, especially the cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in the knee, which is the most common knee injury in dogs. A cruciate rupture can lead to varying degrees of DJD.