Category: Joints

My dog seems sore in its front leg

My dog seems sore in its front leg
Elbow dysplasia in dogs
What is elbow dysplasia? Elbow dysplasia is the collective term that describes a number of conditions that affect the growth and development of a dog’s elbow. It is most commonly seen in large and giant breed dogs. Labradors, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds an...
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My cat is damaging my furniture by scratching it

My cat is damaging my furniture by scratching it
Should I declaw my cat?
Many people think that declawing a cat means that you cut the nails really, really short so that they do not have the capacity to grow again. Nothing could be further from the truth. When a cat is declawed, the greater part of the last digit of its toe is amputated. Cats’ nails are attached...
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My dog did not go out of the yard and is now limping lame on one of his hind legs

My dog did not go out of the yard and is now limping lame on one of his hind legs
Anterior cruciate ligament rupture in dogs
Often time vets are confronted with this situation in veterinary clinics. As far as the owner knows their dog would not have been subject to any trauma, yet they can hardly take weight on one of their back legs. There are many possible causes but by far one of the most common reasons for this sit...
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Lameness in old dogs

Lameness in old dogs
Lameness
As a dog gets older, he or she may start to struggle to get up or get a little slower on walks. You may notice that they are worse in winter than in summer or after resting for a prolonged period. Sometimes they may not to be able to place any weight on a leg at all and this may happen quite sudd...
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Lameness in young dogs

Lameness in young dogs
Lameness
Getting home to find your puppy or young dog not placing weight on a leg is always a concern. There are many different reasons why a young dog may limp, some more serious than others. Causes of lameness can be broadly placed into three different categories: ...
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What causes back pain in dogs?

What causes back pain in dogs?
Disc disease in dogs
Introduction Intervertebral disc disease is a term that describes the condition in which the softer cartilage like material in between the bones of the spine, called an intervertebral disc, pushes onto the spinal cord, causing clinical signs that varies from slight back pain and discomf...
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Why is my dog limping with his hind leg?

Why is my dog limping with his hind leg?
Patellar Luxation
Patellar luxation is a condition where the knee cap does not run in its groove but slips off to the side. Luxation is a learned word for “slipping”. It is a condition which is regularly encountered in dogs and more commonly in toy breeds. The condition can be developmental or traumati...
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Battle of the Bulge

Battle of the Bulge
Obesity
Most people, at some point in time, struggle to shed some extra weight. Obesity in humans has reached epidemic proportions and in a study released two years ago, South Africans were classified as the third fattest people on earth. Worse than this, is the fact that obesity in pets is following thi...
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Arthritis Treatment and prevention - Part 2 of 2

Arthritis Treatment and prevention - Part 2 of 2
Arthritis
In part one of this two-part article, we looked at the signs and diagnoses of arthritis in pets. In this part of the article, we will look at the treatment and prevention of arthritis in pets. With the advancement of technology and medicine, arthritis is no longer a death sentence. Our beloved ...
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Arthritis Signs and Diagnoses - Part 1 of 2

Arthritis Signs and Diagnoses - Part 1 of 2
Arthritis
So what happens when your beloved canine friend does not want to go for his walk anymore because he is too sore the next morning? Unfortunately, older pets, and these days even puppies, get afflicted by a condition commonly known as joint disease. This is the same problem we as humans suffe...
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