Question submitted during Session I of The Arthritis Summit:
"I have a dog with advanced degenerative joint disease in the hips and in the spine, and the dog seems to be more comfortable when it's very active - like running. But when it comes to lower level activities, he's reluctant to do them. He doesn't want to jump on the couch. Is this an anomaly or is there an explanation for this?"
- Answer provided by Dr. Marie Bartling:
Yeah, I love this question. So, dogs have four legs and when they're moving they can use all of their body to balance and compensate. So, they can actually look great when they are in motion. If they have one or two joints that are painful - in slow movement (just like a person who is trying to get out of a chair), it's a different movement. It involves different physics and can result in pain in a different way. The other thing we have to remember is that pain is not necessarily constant. Thank goodness! So - you can have good days and bad days - whether you're a person or animal with arthritis.
