Common Indicators of Dog Joint Issues

Recognize symptoms of arthritis on the spot. What behaviors to look for and how do you know what you are looking at?

Many of the signs of joint problems and arthritis are the same, so paying attention to where your dog is showing signs can be so important. For example, does your dog hold his front leg up all the time? Not putting too much weight on the back leg? Sucking on the ankle? Be sure to examine your pet closely so that you can better explain to your veterinarian what signs of joint pain or inflammation are present. Joint pain can be correlated with a physical injury whereas arthritis can come with aging; both require completely different treatment plans.

Additional symptoms to recognize in your pet:

  • Swelling at the joint
  • Signs of pain
  • Licking leg joints
  • Limping
  • Lameness
  • Whining
  • Redness around the joint
  • Unwillingness to do their favorite activities
  • Laying down a new way or for longer/ frequent periods of time

How to support an injury versus arthritis you may ask? Balto® braces offer a variety of veterinarian-approved orthopedic bracing wither specifically for injury or arthritis to appropriately support your pet.