Arthritis injections for dogs

By Corinne Wigfall BVMedSci(Hon) BVMBVS(Hons) MRCVS 

Arthritis affects many dogs in their older years, and pet owners are faced with a wide variety of treatments from medications, injections, supplements or alternative medicine. Choosing the right one for your dog can be tricky, especially when you aren't sure what the difference between the different treatment options are. We hope to help with that, by explaining the different types of injections a vet can give for treatment of osteoarthritis.

What are the signs of osteoarthritis in dogs?

Well, signs of arthritis can often be mistaken for ‘just getting old’. Dogs can become stiff to get up in the morning, become less enthusiastic for walks, become slower and even sit down to rest. Arthritic dogs avoid jumping up on sofas, or using stairs to avoid causing pain on their aching joints, and will often sleep a lot more than they used to. So as you can see, it's easy to put these subtle signs down to ageing.

Injection types

Arthritis injections in dogs can be split into two categories, injections that get given under the skin, and injections that are given into joints. Let's look at each type in more detail.

Subcutaneous injections (injections under the skin)

Cartrophen

Cartrophen contains Pentosan Polysulphate Sodium, a helpful molecule that has anti-inflammatory properties that work well in the joint. Cartrophen helps regeneration of cartilage tissue, and aids in the production of synovial fluid, the liquid that cushions the joints.

This injection is given once weekly for four weeks and topped up as needed.

Librela  

Librela is a newer drug, and whilst costly, can provide dogs with good relief of sore joints. It acts by blocking the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a key molecule in pain conduction. By blocking NGF, dogs can have improvement in pain scores and mobility. The injection lasts roughly four weeks, so regular top ups are needed. 

NSAIDs

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been used for a long time in veterinary medicine, and injections can provide excellent short term relief. An injection can provide up to 24 hours of analgesia, so whilst not a long term solution to joint pain, it can be useful for an acute flare up of arthritis. Long term NSAID use needs regular blood work to monitor for potential side effects on the kidney and liver, so pet parents may feel more comfortable with other treatment options. 

Intra-articular joint injections

Injections into joints is a specialised procedure, and often needs to be done under sedation. The benefits over subcutaneous injections is that the medication is applied directly to the area of pain, increasing its overall effect. There is a small risk of introducing infection after joint injections, so it's really important to keep the area clean if your dog is going to have intra-articular joint injections.

Corticosteroids

This medication type has been used for a long time to provide strong anti-inflammatory treatment to the joint itself and effects can be rapid and dramatic. The effects can last up to a few months. Injections can be repeated as needed, and are relatively cheap compared to other options.

Platelet rich plasma

Vets take a blood sample from your dog, and separate out the platelets, a portion of the blood that contains lots of growth factors. This is then injected into the joint in the hope of regeneration and reduced inflammation in the affected area.

Hyaluronic acid

Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that is excellent for lubricating joints. In arthritis, there is a lack of synovial fluid, important for adding cushioning to the joints. Hyaluronic acid injections help increase the lubrication between the joints, which decreases pain levels and increases your dogs willingness to move and play.

Stem cell therapy

Stem cells are taken from your dog's fat and cultured in a lab. They are then injected into the painful joints. Stem cells are your dogs own cells, and are one of the few treatment options that actually repair damaged tissues in the joints rather than just treat the symptoms. Stem cell therapy is expensive but the effects can last up to two years per treatment.

Risks vs benefits of arthritis injections

Arthritis injections have many benefits. They are non invasive compared to surgical options, often have limited side effects, and are well tolerated by dogs. The improvement in mobility, joint health, pain and quality of life through using these medications is often significant. You can use more than one injection type at the same time to provide multiple treatments for the treatment of arthritis. 

Cost is always a consideration, and there are risks of side effects from injections such as infection, or very rarely anaphylaxis. Your vet will discuss the possible side effects of a medication before starting any treatment. It is important to always consult with your veterinarian to determine the best treatment option for your dog.

Some non medical options have been proven to be more effective than injections, such as weight loss if your dog is overweight. This is one of the single best things you can do for your arthritic dog and involves no medication at all. Always look for non medical ways to support your dog's arthritis as there are a lot of small changes you can make to diet, exercise and lifestyle that can have big impacts on your dog's quality of life.

Summary

Arthritis is a painful inflammatory joint condition that can be managed in a variety of medical and non medical ways. It really is a disease that needs a rounded approach to management for the best results to be seen, especially long term. 

With the advancement of new medications, vets are seeing dogs live far more comfortably in their old age than they ever have before. If you think any of the treatments above may be helpful for your dog, reach out to your veterinarian for a health check and some advice. 

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