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Infectious Arthritis: A Disease That Often
Affects Both Cats And
Dogs
Have you seen your cat limping? Have you noticed that your pet
dog is rather dragging its feet in a painful manner? Check it
out – your pets might be suffering from infectious
arthritis.
What Is Infectious Arthritis?
This is a type of arthritis that can affect both humans and
animals. It is caused by specific bacteria that enter the blood
and directly attack joints. As a result, the joints become
stiff, swollen and extremely painful. When it comes to animals,
this disease can even result dislocation of joints,
particularly that of the hip. This condition is known as hip
dysplasia and it affects both big and small dogs and cats. It
is more common with larger dogs than smaller dogs, though.
The main outward symptoms that can help you diagnosing whether
your pet suffers or not from infectious arthritis are fever,
sudden mood swings, snapping (in dogs), hissing and scratching
(in cats) when you touch them around the affected joints (or
the hip), lack of appetite, total disinterest to move from the
place that they are sitting, and so on.
If you have any doubts that your pet is suffering from
infectious arthritis, then you should immediately consult a
veterinarian doctor, who would be able to prescribe the right
treatment to curb the pain and prevent further damage of bone
and/or cartilage. There are many types of drugs that work very
well in controlling this disease. Some examples of the drugs
used for treating infectious arthritis, are the Non-Steroidal
Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) combined with a number of
immunosuppressive drugs and cortisone (as a last-resort
remedy).
You can also help reducing the pain by providing your pet with
healthy food, vitamin supplements and a lot of love. Some pets
also tend to suffer from depression during this time, and
hence, you would do well if you can pet them a lot and talk
with them. Keep the animals around you – pets seldom like
solitude and ensure that they eat sufficient for their body
mass.
It is important to explain to the children, if you have any,
that the animals need rest so they would not bother them during
the treatment. The infectious arthritis is slow to heal and any
sudden movement and jerks can cause a great deal of pain –
which with a little care and understanding can be avoided.
Since this type of arthritis is infectious, you should take
care that healthy pets are not exposed directly to the ones who
are sick, lest they will get the disease transmitted onto
them.
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