The clinical signs associated with joint disease are basically the same.  Stiffness or lameness involving one or more limbs is often the most obvious sign of a joint problem, usually aggravated by cold weather and/or exercise.  New medications and surgical techniques have been introduced in the treatment of canine joint disease.

Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, describes the condition in which a cartilage defects or erosion occurs.  It can be inherited but is usually a part of the normal aging process in older dogs.  Infectious arthritis is caused by bacteria that gain entrance to the blood stream causing inflammation in one or more joints.  Bacteria from the gums, periodontal disease, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease can cause damage to the cartilage and joint structure.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune-related disease seen frequently in toy breeds.  Caused by an overactive immune system, antibodies coalesce within the joints causing inflammation.  Fever and depression are also features of these diseases.  Hip dysphasia refers to a hereditary arthritic condition which begins as a partial dislocation of the hip joints. In time the cartilages lining the joint surfaces wear down because of abnormal strain on the joints.

The key to lessoning the effects of any form of arthritis is early detection and treatment.  Your veterinarian can prescribe antibiotics, immunosuppressive drugs, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as vitamins and supplements, and even cortisone if needed.  The real key is you and your observations to your veterinarian

1. When your pet has a bandage, it should always be clean and dry. So it’s pretty important to make sure your pet stays inside most of the time when it has a bandage. To prevent the bandage from getting wet when the pet goes to pee or poop, a trash bag or plastic covering should cover the bandaged leg. You may use empty bread bags. When your pet has wet or dirtied up the bandage, it would require changing. Make sure to check the bandage twice a day to see if it is clean and dry. Check also for foul odors or discharge and if there is any, call your veterinarian immediately.

2. After bringing home your pet from the veterinarian make sure that the bandage is still in place. Your pet might have been irritated by it and has chewed or tried to scratch it off. Look closely at the position and the location of the bandage when you do check. Look at the toes of the pet, the bandage might have slipped up making the toes stick out. Also look at the size, if the bandage has become loose. This should be taken into account when a dog has been bandaged in the abdomen or leg area. This is because one end will be bigger than the other and eventually become narrower. When the bandage telescopes down the limb of the dog it may bunch up and abrade the limb. When that happens, the bandage should be changed as well.

3. If the dog is bandaged up in the leg make sure it isn’t too tight. Observe how the toes will appear at the bottom of the bandage at least twice a day. This is done to check for sweating, swelling, or pain. Check for skin chaffing, redness, discharge or swelling before and after the bandage has been applied.

4. To prevent the pet from chewing the bandage because of the bothersome experience it gives, put an Elizabethan collar. If you have observed that the pet is chewing or scratching it excessively, ask the vet if there might be problems.

These are the times that you should already be taking the pet back to the veterinarian:

• Swelling above or below the bandage
• Chewing the bandage
• Bandage becomes wet
• Bleeding or discharge above, below or through
• Scheduled bandage changes

In such a relationship the dog is guided and not pushed to understanding himself naturally. By doing this, a pet owner is committing themself into truly understanding who the dog species really is. This is first developed by understanding the dog and its history.

Within a dogs pack are its inner circle of friends. This consists of both human, the pet owner and family, and dogs, either friend or sibling. We know this because all dogs are derived from the wolf, who are social-pack animals. By understanding and studying the wolf, we gain a deeper knowledge of the dog’s human relationship; where the canine views those humans he lives with as pack members. By recognizing and understanding this simple yet crucial fact you now understand and know 95% more about the true dog than the average pet owner. This will lead to the best possible training of a puppy through the inclusion of the dog in the pack and naturally developing a pecking order with your dog.

What about the alpha dog? Is this for real or is it another dog myth? By all scientific documentation the alpha male is for real and is a common fact. All wolf packs have an alpha male that can be seen as the head boss. They can take on single or multiple roles depending on each pack that can be: leadership, setlling fights between pack members, dictator, etc… All other wolves look to the alpha male dog for leadership and guidance and therefore create a stable “family pack relationship.” If you’ve got a dog who hasn’t be trained properly and is the alpha of your house a change is needed. There should be no question in your dog’s mind tha you are the alpha and he is the subordinate. You must present yourself as a leader starting with the first impression.

When dealing with your dog, an enormous amount of communication is sent through body language. One important way alphas command respect is with authority in their eye contact. Gentle looks will signify acceptance and stern dominant expressions will demand respect and compliance. This is done through various training techniques to aid the dog in establishing and making eye contact with its owner. Training in general should start the day the little puppy enters the world. Dog training should be a complete life experience for the dog focusing on the big picture and the human dog relationship. This is different than the basic sit, roll over, shake, stay and find commands and requires much more than breaking a dog through disciplinary actions and reward systems. When the inner pack relationship is established between owner and dog, an unbreakable and non-duplicated bond is formed. This bond is not done justice with words but is known by many pet owners throughtout our world.