JOINT PAIN AND MOBILITY IMPAIRMENT

A major reason for mobility impairment is osteoarthritis which is a chronic joint disease

Dr. Jyotika Sangale, Deputy Manager & Dr. Dibyajyoti Kalita, Head of Department Technical and Regulatory Affairs Zenex Animal Health, Ahmedabad

Companion animals commonly suffer from mobility impairment, especially canines. The major reason behind the mobility impairment is osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease with a high prevalence in dogs, almost 20% of canine pets spontaneously develop osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage of the bone joints gets damaged. As cartilage provides cushions to the bones of the joint, its damage causes friction between bones, leading to pain and decreased mobility in affected joints. Taking preventive action for joint health is, therefore, very important to protect the joints and give them quality years of active life.

Risk Factors: Factors for Osteoarthritis includes genetics, obesity, large or giant breeds, such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherd, Age (particularly middle age to geriatric dogs), injuries such as fractures or ligament tears, prior diagnosis of hip or elbow dysplasia, improper nutrition, poor conformation and repetitive stress from athletic activities such as flyball, agility or diving etc.