Arthritis

arthritis

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis which can be due to wear and tear on joints from over use, aging, injury, or from an unstable joint such as which occurs with a ruptured ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in the knee.

The chronic form of this disease is called degenerative joint disease (DJD). It is estimated that 20% of dogs older than one year of age have some form of DJD. One study showed that 90% of cats over 12 years of age had evidence of DJD on x-rays.

Other causes of the inflammation can be infectious. Septic arthritis is caused by a bacterial or fungal infection. Lyme disease or Ehrlichia infection can also cause arthritis. Auto-immune diseases, or what is now called immune- mediated diseases, such as Lupus can cause swollen, painful, inflamed joints. More rarely, tumors can cause arthritis.

Treatment for arthritis should be directed to the inciting cause if possible. Surgery may be needed to stabilize a joint. DJD may be treated with NSAID's, pain medication such as Tramadol, cartilage protective agents such as glucosamine or Adequan, acupuncture, or as a last resort, steroids. NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have many types. In general, it is recommended to use NSAID's developed for pets, and not ones made for use in people as those are highly likely to cause ulcers in dogs, and most NSAID's can't be used in cats.

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Office Hours

Our Regular Schedule

Monday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Wednesday:

11:00 am-5:30 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-5:30 pm

Saturday:

8:00 am-12:00 pm

Sunday:

Closed

Testimonials

Read What Our Clients Say

  • "They came highly recommended by my aunt and she was right. Very kind, gentle with my old fella and compassionate about our situation. Very helpful and fairly priced"
    James Woodruff
  • "Great place to take your pets. Dr. Karl is fantastic! I highly recommend Free Home Animal Hospital"
    Carol Wade
  • "Freehome Animal Hospital is the B-E-S-T! They are so professional and friendly. The hospital is super clean and Dr. Karl is a stellar veterinarian. I can't say enough about this animal hospital. I am very picky about my dog and wouldn't take her anywhere else. I travel 30 minutes to go to this vet."
    Laura Cegala
  • "We brought our precious Golden Doodle to Free Home when she had a mysterious illness of being lethargic and was not eating. The doctor and the entire team where fantastic - they provided a tremendous amount of love and caring for our Bella as well as compassion for me with my worries. Although the cause was out of the ordinary, they were able to identify the problem and within days, our little girl was back to herself.

    The price was fair, the service fantastic and the outcome perfect. We will not go anywhere else now even though we live in Alpharetta and this is out of our way."
    Mark Goodman
  • "This is the best animal clinic I have ever taken my dog to. I love the staff and vet. They truly loves animals! Reasonable prices too."
    Mallory Smith