Arthritis

arthritis

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which can be due to wear and tear on joints from over use, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as which occurs with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee.

The chronic form of this disease is called degenerative joint disease (DJD). It is estimated that 20% of dogs older than one year of age have some form of DJD. One study showed that 90% of cats over 12 years of age had evidence of DJD on x-rays.

Other causes of the inflammation can be infectious. Septic arthritis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. Lyme disease or Ehrlichia infection can also cause arthritis. Auto-immune diseases, or what is now called immune- mediated diseases, such as Lupus can cause swollen, painful, inflamed joints. More rarely, tumors can cause arthritis.

Treatment for arthritis should be directed to the inciting cause if possible. Surgery may be needed to stabilize a joint. DJD may be treated with NSAID's, pain medication such as Tramadol, cartilage protective agents such as glucosamine or Adequan, acupuncture, or as a last resort, steroids. NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have many types. In general, it is recommended to use NSAID's developed for pets, and not ones made for use in people as those are highly likely to cause ulcers in dogs, and most NSAID's can't be used in cats.

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Tutu Location

Monday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Red Hook Location

Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

9:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

9:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "Dr. Reynolds and her team take excellent care of all five of my pets. I have two dogs and three cats and they always receive exceptional care. My pets range from a six pound cat to a 100 pound dog. I know that whenever I bring them in they will be well cared for by a staff who truly likes fur babies..."
    Anna C.
  • "Dr. Reynolds and her staff saved our puppy, Chombo's, life. After finding him abandoned on the street in front of our house, we noticed he was very sick. We immediately brought him to the Veterinary Centers, and he was diagnosed with parvo. We thought it was a death sentence, but after just four days with Dr. Reynolds, Chombo was stable. Eight months later, he's thriving, happy, and very healthy. We know it is all because of the care he got with Dr. Reynolds and her caring team!"
    Cara W.
  • "February 24, 2018, I had an emergency with my dog, Flake. I would like to once again give a great thank you to Dr. Laura Boshulte and her staff at the Weymouth Rhymer Clinic for the exceptional and professional services that I received. Flake was very sick and I was so afraid he would die, but thanks to Dr. Laura Boshulte and her staff he's alive today. I highly recommend Veterinary Services of the VI!"
    Debbie D.