Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our pets could let us know when they were feeling ill? Unfortunately they cannot speak, so we have to watch them for signs of illness. One of the most common ailments in a dog is arthritis. Arthritis in a dog is common as they age, especially if they suffered from an injury when they were younger.

Does your dog seem to have trouble getting up after being asleep or resting? When he does manage to get up, does he walk like he is stiff and uncomfortable? What about personality changes? Is Spot not behaving as he once did? Is he uninterested in the toys he used to play with and does he spend his day lazing around? While pets do spend more time resting when they age, those with dog arthritis may have no choice but to lie around.

Dog arthritis may also bring about changes in your dog’s temperament. If he was once sweet and even natured, he may become grouchy and irritable or snappish and unfriendly. Let’s face it folks, dog arthritis is as uncomfortable on a canine as osteoarthritis is on a human. What if everyone was oblivious to your pain? Wouldn’t you try to convey to them that something was wrong so they would get you some help?

The first thing you should do if you suspect your pet has dog arthritis is to take him to the vet. Your vet will be able to confirm to you if Spot has arthritis or not. He may even prescribe something to ease your pet’s pain. There are many natural medicines which may also benefit Spot and ease the pain of dog arthritis. Ask your vet about them, or do a search on the Internet.

The most important thing you can do if your Spot has dog arthritis is to convey to him that you understand. You can give him extra attention and if he will let you, you can apply compresses to his afflicted joints. Your dog will take comfort from your attention and be able to relax once he feels you are finally aware of his discomfort.