A Guide to Recognizing Orthopaedic Problems in Pets

The playful vigor of pets, as in the case of kids, adds life to home. They are supposed to play around and have a happy and healthy life. It is a grim picture to see them lying without much movement in a corner of their couch.  Such an image is brought to life by orthopedic problems that inflict them with severe pain and discomfort. It could be their body weight or a sudden jump which causes dislocation of a disc or joints. In short, these are problems that affect the hips, joints, or muscles of your pets. It can affect any animal. But when we say pets most of us mean a dog or a cat. The remaining part of this writing will be in this angle.  Orthopedic issues that pester the pets include Arthritis, hip and elbow dysplasia, cruciate ligament tears, and luxating patella. We will have an idea about symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of orthopedic problems in pets in the following sections. A brief insight into solutions will also be provided.

Symptoms of Orthopaedic problems 

• Disagreeing to move or inability to rise.
• Abnormal gait
• Intermittent or regular lameness
• Loss of appetite
• Weight gain
• Joint inflammations.

These points along with stiffness and lethargy are symptoms to be concerned about. There is a high chance that your dog or cat is suffering from an orthopedic problem. Consult with a veterinary doctor immediately and do some veterinary Xray Dubai to confirm the condition. Since there are a couple of diseases that show similar symptoms it is better to rely on an X-ray for proper identification of the problem.

Major orthopedic diseases and causes

• Hip and Elbow Dysplasia:  These are abnormal development in either hip or elbow joint. These overgrown joints over time grind against each other and break down eventually. The result is severe pain and restricted movement.

The major cause for these growths is said to be genetic factors found in large to giant breeds. A Veterenary surgical treatment after analysis by veterinary Xray Dubai is necessary to cure this issue.

• Inflammatory and Osteo Arthritis: Inflammatory arthritis is caused by infections whereas the latter is a type of degenerative disorder. As a result of this orthopedic condition, your pet can go through fractures and dislocations of bones.

• Cruciate Ligament Tears: Here cruciate ligaments in either side of the knee tear causing extreme pain. 

• Luxating Patella: Simply, this is the falling out of the knee cap from grooves that hold it. Since smaller animals have grooves without much depth, this is a condition mostly found in them.

These diseases are often caused by genetics, poor nutrition through the development stage, and gaining weight in large to giant breed dogs. The diagnosis of these often involves veterinary Xray Dubai along with blood tests and biochemical profiling to rule out infections. Even if it is a mild laming it is important to visit the veterinary surgeon if it persists for more than 48 hours. As mentioned earlier most diseases have similar symptoms. It can be cancerous or a bone degeneration. To confirm these conditions imaging using the advanced veterinary Xray Dubai is required.  The treatment of these conditions has to be done after proper imaging using X-ray technologies. Medication, physiological activities, and surgery are the treatment methods. A proper choice of treatment will depend on the expertise of the medical team who evaluate your pet. An experienced medical team with advanced technology and a holistic approach to pet care is something you need to provide the best treatment for your pet. This is something offered by the Canadian Veterinary Clinic in Dubai. Reach out to us for further queries.