Arthritis in a dog can be heartbreaking for any pet owner, but particularly when the animal suffers from a form of rheumatoid arthritis known as Juvenile Onset Polyarthritis Syndrome which strikes early and cripples the dogs’ limbs causing severe pain and lameness. Polyarthritis usually begins with an abnormal immune cell response which results in an excessive amount of white blood cells invading the joints and releasing chemicals that cause swelling, joint pain and fever. Over time, it deforms the bones causing them to be unable to support the dogs weight.

Polyarthritis can be difficult to diagnose when the joints are not obviously swollen, as symptoms are often similar to other ailments and can appear quickly or gradually and may affect one or multiple joints. A severe fever in combination with the lameness, is a good indicator of an arthritis-related problem and will require the dog to undergo multiple tests to rule out other potential causes.

Arthritis is generally believed to be a disease that affects ageing dogs as a result of wear and tear on the joints, injury, disease and poor nutrition. However, with the juvenile form, the symptoms appear early. The condition is normally treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and may also involve anti-rheumatic and analgesic drugs, plus a steroid like cortisone to treat the underlying disease in addition to pain relief medications. In the juvenile form of the disease, the success rate with medication-only treatment is much lower. In more severe cases, arthroscopic surgery may be necessary to remove debris from the joint and repair the cartilage or complete joint replacement.