Arthritis

IS IT ALL IN THE GENES?

TEXT: DR MEGAN ESTERHUYSEN (BVSC)

In my previous article, we discussed how arthritis is not just an 'old dog disease'. We explained that many breeds are predisposed to certain juvenile orthopaedic diseases and could be suffering from the effects of progressive arthritis from an early age.

The question we will tackle today is whether arthritis is all about your dog's genetics or if there is anything you can do to lessen the impact of this chronic and progressive condition? The good news is that certain other factors also play a role in your dog developing arthritis, and these are within your control. So, don't despair! There is plenty you can do to increase the chances of your dog living a long and healthy life. So, let's dive in and see where you can have a significant influence:

We need to be careful with how much exercise we allow our young large breed dogs to do.

NUTRITION

Firstly, let us discuss an essential, everyday factor in your pet's life, and that is nutrition! Not all dogs are the same; hence they all have very different nutritional needs. Developmental orthopaedic disease refers to a group of skeletal abnormalities primarily affecting fast-growing, large and giant breeds such as Rottweilers and Labradors. Yet, I often hear clients complain about the price of diets, which are specifically formulated for large breed puppies. My advice to these owners is always the same, "Rather spend the money on an excellent quality food until they are fully grown than have a dog that cannot enjoy walking or playing when they are only two years old". The most frequent problems we encounter regarding the nutrition of these larger dogs are nutrient excess (calcium and energy) and rapid growth due to overfeeding or feeding a diet that is too high in calories. Diets tailor-made for these breeds are lower in energy and calcium and higher in protein, so they help to reduce the risk of these early-onset arthritic issues.

Smaller dog breeds are less likely to encounter these issues, but it is still advised to feed them puppy specific food until they reach adulthood.

PORTION SIZE

We need to be careful with portion control for our dogs.

Next, let us discuss whether it really matters if your pet always has access to food (ad lib) or is fed according to the feeding guideline on the packet. Does it make a big difference?

The answer is simple and is a resounding 'yes'. A longterm study conducted on 48 Labrador Retrievers fed the same diet showed the vast difference that restricted versus non-restricted feeding had on these dogs. Dogs in litters from seven dams and two sires were paired according to sex and weight and randomly assigned to one of two groups. The non-restricted group could eat as much as they wanted, whereas the restricted fed group received a calculated amount of food each day. The radiographic evidence of arthritis in X-rays taken when the dogs turned eight years old was more prevalent and severe in the nonrestricted diet dogs when compared to the restricted diet dogs. In conclusion, the study revealed that by maintaining a dog in optimal or a slightly lean body condition, they might be at a lower risk of developing arthritis and a delay in onset of clinical signs of arthritis.

Rottweilers are particularly at risk of developmental orthopaedic disease.

STERILISATION

Another factor which could play a role in the development of arthritis in large and giant breed dogs is at which age where they are sterilised. Growth plates are areas within the bone where growth occurs, and the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen influence the time at which these growth plates close. As a dog reaches puberty, the level of these specific hormones increases and induces closure of the growth plates, thereby halting further growth. However, when a dog is sterilised, these hormones stop being produced; hence the growth plates stay open for longer. This results in sterilised dogs being taller, changing their conformation, joint biomechanics, and joint stability, leading to an increased incidence of orthopaedic problems.

This problem can be avoided by delaying sterilisation until after skeletal maturity has been achieved. At this stage, the dog is no longer dependent on the sex hormones as the growth plates have closed. The recommendation is to sterilise large breed dogs at 11-12 months of age or after their first heat and giant breeds only at 14 months of age or after their first heat.

Sterilised dogs are also more likely to be overweight or obese, which increases their risk of developing arthritis. After sterilisation, the dog's metabolic rate can decrease by up to 30%, so they frequently require a diet which is lower in calories.

EXERCISE

Finally, let us talk about exercise. We all tend to think that the more exercise your dog does, the better, but this is actually not the case – particularly for puppies. A link between the month that your puppy is born and the chance that they will develop orthopaedic diseases has been found, which suggests activity has a sizeable effect. The observed effect was felt to be due to the differing exercise regimes of a puppy born in summer compared to those born in winter. Puppies born during the warmer months are more at risk of exercising too much and being exposed to runs or walks which are too long. Whereas puppies born in the colder months tend to spend the first few months of life snuggled under a blanket with you.

By being patient early on we are likely to have long active lives with our dogs.

Growth plates which are responsible for bones becoming longer and denser, are very soft when the dog is young and too much exercise, or the wrong type of exercise, can have devastating effects on these areas. If the growth plate is injured whilst the dog is still growing, it can lead to delayed or complete premature closure of the growth plate, causing one leg to be shorter than another, and predisposing the dog to orthopaedic diseases. Large and giant breeds, as mentioned previously, only reach skeletal maturity around 12 to 18 months of age. They, therefore, require gentle exercise until this time to protect their growth plates. Long runs, ball chasing, and activities requiring sharp turns should be avoided until this point. All exercise should be consistent with only mild to moderate exertion and mainly consist of leash walking until the growth plates are closed.

I know that this means delaying those amazing runs together, but if you start too early, you may only enjoy them for a while. Overdo it when they are too young, and you may end up with a young dog in the prime of their life who can hardly manage a walk around the block.

TAKE-HOME MESSAGES

So, in conclusion, you may not be able to change your dog's genetic makeup, but you can monitor their diet, weight, exercise and make a plan to only sterilise them when they are fully grown. These may seem like minor things, but they could make a huge difference to your furry friend's quality of life.