How to Test a Pet for Arthritis

By eHow Health Editor

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Humans are not the only ones who can get arthritis. Animals can get arthritis, too. As your pet gets older, its chances of developing arthritis increase. Help your pet be at its best for as long as possible by learning how to test it for arthritis.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Notice your pet's behavior. If your pet seems more tired than usual or has a change in temperament, it could be because it is in pain from arthritis.

Step2

Watch your pet as it walks. A pet that limps has trouble with stairs—or cannot walk as quickly as before—may be developing arthritis.

Step3

Feel your pet's joints. Pay special attention to the joints in your pet's legs and feet. Any joints that are swollen and feel hot to the touch could possibly be arthritic.

Step4

Take note of unusual licking of a joint. This could be your pet's way of trying to make the pain of an arthritic joint go away.

Step5

Be aware of any loss of abilities. For example, a cat that used to jump up on your bed every night, but now has trouble doing so, may be an arthritic cat. A dog that can't run as fast as before may have arthritic paws.

Step6

Take your pet to the veterinarian if you suspect arthritis. Your veterinarian will be able to order the right tests for your pet, including x-rays and a blood test. These tests can give a definitive diagnosis of arthritis and let you know if your pet has some other condition.

Step7

Give your pet its medication according to your veterinarian's instructions. By keeping your pet on a regular schedule of arthritis medication, you will have a better chance of keeping your pet pain-free and mobile, well into its old age.

Tips & Warnings

Do not be upset if your pet growls or bites at you when you touch its joints. If your pet has arthritis, touching its joints could cause it significant pain, particularly if the arthritis is flaring up. Remember that your pet cannot speak and must use these other forms of communication to let you know how it feels.
Never medicate your pet without advice from your veterinarian. You run the risk of giving your pet something to which it is allergic or even something that is detrimental to its health.