Your gut sinks when you notice something might be wrong with your dog, especially a joint-related issue. Unfortunately, these ailments are all too common among our four-legged friends. The question is, what exactly is the problem?
Two of the most common conditions we see in canine companions are hip dysplasia and arthritis. While they are commonly lumped together, they’re actually not as similar as you may assume.
They affect different joints, have unique causes, and present their own specific symptoms. So, how do I know if my dog has arthritis or hip dysplasia? We’ll compare and contrast dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis below to help you narrow it down.
That being said, a veterinary visit is your best bet for diagnosing the issue. They’ll also be able to better guide you through the next steps. But no matter what’s causing your pet grief, our hip and joint supplements for dogs can be their saving grace. Learn more below!
Overview of Canine Arthritis
Arthritis is a common but often misunderstood condition in dogs. This progressive joint disease is characterized by inflammation, stiffness, and pain that makes movement more and more difficult as time goes on.
It’s typically associated with older dogs, and it’s true that age is a risk factor. However, even younger pets can develop arthritis from injuries, overuse, or genetic predisposition. That being said, what exactly is arthritis?
This is the end result of the cartilage within a joint wearing down. That cartilage is a cushion for bones to glide smoothly over one another. But, bones begin rubbing directly onto each other as that cartilage deteriorates.
That’s when the pain, swelling, and mobility problems arise. Here are all the warning symptoms of dog arthritis you need to watch out for:
- Stiffness, especially after resting or waking up
- Hesitation to jump, climb stairs, or engage in play
- Limping or favouring certain legs
- Decreased activity levels
- Swollen joints or sensitivity to touch
The problem is dogs tend to be pretty good at masking pain, so you may not notice changes until the condition has gotten pretty bad.
This is important to keep in mind, because early intervention can go a long way in slowing progression and in turn, improving your pet’s quality of life and prolonging their time on earth.
What is Dog Hip Dysplasia?
Now, let’s introduce the other half of the dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis comparison. This condition is a developmental disorder that impacts the hip joint.
The ball and socket don’t fit together properly. So instead of moving smoothly, the joint is loose and unstable. This leads to abnormal wear and tear over time.
It’s one of the common orthopaedic conditions in dogs, particularly in large and giant breeds. It’s typically hereditary, but other risk factors include rapid growth, poor nutrition, and excessive exercise during puppyhood.
What makes it really unique from arthritis is that it can start manifesting itself in the form of symptoms as early as a few months into a dog’s life. It’s a structural issue from birth. But, symptoms become more and more apparent with age. These include:
- A wobbly or swaying gait
- Stiffness or reluctance to move after activity
- Difficulty standing up or climbing stairs
- Bunny hopping (moving both hind legs together when running)
- Audible clicking or popping sounds from the hip joint
It’s worth noting at this point that left unchecked, hip dysplasia can actually progress into arthritis. We have a separate guide on how to tell if your dog has hip dysplasia, but how do I know if my dog has arthritis or hip dysplasia? We’ll show you where they differ below.
How Do I Know if My Dog Has Arthritis or Hip Dysplasia? Comparing Dog Hip Dysplasia vs Arthritis
Differentiating between dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis is actually pretty simple. They do share a few similar symptoms, like stiffness or reluctance to move, and difficulty moving up stairs or climbing onto things.
However, there are quite a few distinct symptoms each is characterized by, and narrowing your focus to these makes it easy to distinguish between dog arthritis vs hip dysplasia.
Symptoms
Arthritis starts as a gradual stiffness that slowly progresses. It tends to be more pronounced in the morning or after long periods of rest. You may notice swollen joints that are sensitive to touch, or your dog might limp as a way to keep weight off their joints.
The pain associated with arthritis tends to be generalised - it can affect multiple joints, not just the hips. That’s one of the easiest ways to differentiate between dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis.
Hip dysplasia is centralised to the hip joint exclusively. You’ll see your pet have visible difficulty with hind-leg movement, especially when trying to climb stairs or jump. Their gait will look weird, almost like a bunny hopping around.
You can see hip dysplasia as it progresses, too, because your pet’s hind legs will begin losing muscle mass. You might even hear an audible clicking or popping sound coming from the hind legs.
Causes
Arthritis is mostly caused by wear and tear over time. There are cases where previous joint injuries might bring it out or where obesity can make it worse. Because it’s caused by joint inflammation, some autoimmune diseases can lead to arthritis as well.
On the other hand, hip dysplasia is passed down through breeding and tends to be most prevalent in large breeds. There’s a much larger genetic factor at play for this condition.
However, high-impact activities at a young age can put stress on underdeveloped joints and make a dog more susceptible to developing hip dysplasia as well. Some pet parents overfeed puppies. This leads to rapid, uncontrollable growth that can lead to hip dysplasia as well.
While arthritis can occur in any dog, hip dysplasia is more commonly diagnosed in breeds such as Labradors, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, and Golden Retrievers.
Affected Joints
The biggest difference between arthritis and hip dysplasia in dogs is where the condition develops. Arthritis can affect the hips, knees, elbows, shoulders, and even spine.
In contrast, hip dysplasia is specific to the hip joint, though arthritis may later develop as a secondary condition. We’ll talk more about that in a moment. Just know that if your dog is showing discomfort in multiple joints, it’s probably arthritis - not hip dysplasia.
When it Appears
You can also narrow down whether your dog has dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis based on when the symptoms start popping up. Arthritis develops later in life, often in dogs over the age of 7. However, some breeds may show the warning signs sooner.
Meanwhile, hip dysplasia is present from puppyhood, though symptoms may not be obvious until the dog is older and the condition progresses. A dog might compensate for weak hips in early life by overutilising other joints, which leads to arthritis.
This is to say that a young dog showing mobility issues is more likely dealing with hip dysplasia, while an older dog experiencing progressive stiffness may have arthritis.
Can a Dog Have Both Hip Dysplasia and Arthritis?
We hope you have a better understanding of whether you’re witnessing dog arthritis vs hip dysplasia in your pet at this point. But here’s the problem - there’s a chance it could be both conditions wreaking havoc on your pup’s joints at the same time.
Wait, can a dog have both hip dysplasia and arthritis? Definitely, and it’s more common than most pet parents realize. Let’s take a look at how this happens below.
How Hip Dysplasia Contributes to Arthritis in Dogs
Hip dysplasia and arthritis are closely linked because the structural instability caused by hip dysplasia accelerates joint degeneration, setting the stage for arthritis to appear later in life.
A healthy hip joint functions like a well-oiled machine. The ball and socket fit snugly for smooth, controlled movements. That joint is loose and unstable in dogs with hip dysplasia, though, and the body has to compensate in ways that strain surrounding muscles and ligaments.
This wears down the cartilage over time, creating friction and inflammation. Now, acute inflammation isn’t necessarily a bad thing - it’s part of the body’s natural healing process.
However, chronic inflammation does more harm than good. It breaks down cartilage faster than the body can rebuild it. This leads to pain, stiffness, and reduced mobility as the bones rub against each other.
Basically, dogs with hip dysplasia adjust their posture and movement to avoid discomfort, placing more weight on their front legs. This puts stress on otherwise healthy joints and can lead to problems in the knees, elbows, and even the spine down the line.
But whether your dog is suffering from arthritis, hip dysplasia, both, or you’re just here because you’re worried about the early warning signs - there are steps you can take to manage and prevent joint problems.
Preventative Measures and Treatment Methods to Keep Your Dog’s Joints Healthy
While some joint issues are genetic, many can be managed - or even delayed - through proactive care. We’ll share some insights on how to help a dog with arthritis naturally along with some dog hip dysplasia home treatment tips.
Feeding a Joint-Friendly Diet
The right diet keeps inflammation at bay and supports cartilage regeneration, all while keeping your pet at a healthy weight to minimise unnecessary stress on joints. You can ask your vet if there’s a specific food they recommend, but these are the most important nutrients:
- Omega-3 fatty acids: These are the stars of the show in fish oil. They support a healthier inflammatory response to help slow down joint degradation.
- Glucosamine and chondroitin: These naturally occurring compounds support cartilage repair and joint lubrication.
- Collagen: Helps strengthen connective tissues while keeping joints nimble.
- Antioxidants: Blueberries and turmeric can help fend off oxidative stress, which would otherwise lead to inflammation and take a toll on joint health.
Many of these ingredients are found in common dog supplements in Australia as well - but we’ll talk about that in just a moment.
Regular, Controlled Exercise
Motion is lotion, so make sure your dog gets plenty of movement - without overextending themselves, of course. High-impact activities (like repetitive jumping or intense running on hard surfaces) can cause more harm than good. Here’s what we recommend instead:
- Short, frequent walks provide movement without overexertion. They’re good bonding time for you and your four-legged friend, too!
- Swimming is a great low-impact exercise that strengthens muscles without straining the joints.
- Gentle stretching to keep ligaments flexible and support mobility.
Just be careful about doing too much. Watch for the signs of discomfort (limping, resistance to move, etc.) if your dog is already experiencing joint pain.
Joint Supplements
Even with a balanced diet you’ll need to fill in the gaps with certain supplements, including:
- Glucosamine & Chondroitin: Support cartilage health and joint lubrication.
- MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane): Reduces inflammation and supports tissue repair.
- Collagen: Strengthens tendons and ligaments, helping stabilise joints.
- Hyaluronic Acid: Helps cushion joints by improving synovial fluid production.
You may have your doubts - do hip and joint supplements really work for dogs? Yes, just ask your vet! The key is to get your hands on high-quality supplements, be it collagen for dogs or fish oil for dogs. The good news is you don’t have to look far.
The best natural joint supplement for dogs is just a few clicks away at Mighty Munch. We’ve developed vet-recommended solutions to improve your pup’s quality of life. Whether you’re looking for a preventive measure or want to breathe fresh life into your dog’s joints, shop now!
Pain Management
Pain management is essential to preserving your pet’s quality of life if arthritis or hip dysplasia have already set in. So can I give my dog aspirin for pain? Definitely not.
Dog-specific non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should be prescribed by your vet to manage pain and inflammation safely. Another option is cold laser therapy, a non-invasive treatment to stimulate healing.
We’ve also heard success stories associated with acupuncture to boost circulation and alleviate aches and pains in the affected joints. Let’s look at some other treatment options worth looking into for either hip dysplasia or arthritis in dogs.
Hydrotherapy & Physical Therapy
Hydrotherapy is one of the best options for dogs with joint issues. Water takes a lot of stress off your dog’s joints while still allowing them to move through some form of resistance, leading to:
- Increased muscle strength without joint strain.
- Improved circulation, reducing inflammation.
- Enhanced mobility through controlled movement.
There may come a time when you need to look into physical therapy for your dog. This could include a combination of massage, stretching, and controlled exercises to maintain flexibility and range of motion.
Surgical Options
Be clear - arthritis and hip dysplasia are not curable. However, surgical options do exist:
- Femoral head ostectomy (FHO) removes part of the hip joint to reduce pain.
- Total hip replacement (THR) replaces the joint with a prosthetic to restore function.
- Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive way to clean damaged cartilage and slow arthritis progression.
Each of these is seen as a last resort for alleviating pain and improving mobility in dogs with advanced joint disease. But if you catch the issue early enough and follow our tips above, you shouldn’t need to consider surgical intervention.
Bringing Our Dog Arthritis vs Hip Dysplasia Comparison to a Close
There you have it, everything you need to know about the differences between dog hip dysplasia vs arthritis. So, how do I know if my dog has arthritis or hip dysplasia?
Hopefully this guide has helped you narrow it down. It’s just a matter of narrowing down the symptoms. While arthritis is a progressive joint disease that develops over time, hip dysplasia is a structural issue that often leads to arthritis if left unmanaged.
Either way, the right approach to prevention and management involves a combination of joint-friendly nutrition, supplements, and pain management. So, take the next step here at Mighty Munch to give your pup a fighting chance at a pain-free life.
Don’t wait for joint issues to slow your dog down. Protect their joints before problems start with vet-recommended supplements at Mighty Munch!
