Secondary osteoarthritis appears after a triggering factor (sprain, fractures, birth defects. etc.) that causes the affected joint to stop functioning normally.Another very common cause that causes secondary osteoarthritis is obesity: if you do not control your diet, it causes your joints to have to sustain an overload of pounds and thus more easily deteriorated. Unlike primary arthritis, secondary arthritis can affect animals of all ages and usually affects only one joint.

How to detect.
At first, canine arthritis is difficult to detect because DOGS compensate for the changes suffered by the affected joint by shifting weight to another healthy one or avoiding exerting too much pressure on it. He can still go for long walks, throw the ball, swim or pick up a stick, hiding the pain he suffers. But as arthritis progresses, the situation worsens and the problem becomes evident when you start limping and give signs of pain with simple palpation of the affected joint. Also, keep other symptoms in mind:

Difficulty in standing, sitting and lying down;
Does not want to leave the house to walk, and if you do go out, you have difficulty keeping up;
Decreased appetite (general malaise can lead to inappetence)
Changes in behaviour: irritability, nervousness and even aggressiveness, not wanting to be touched, especially near the affected joints.

Treatment.
After being diagnosed by a veterinarian, the treatment must pass, above all, by changing the rhythm of life of your dog. You should limit his physical activity to some extent in order to stop the pace of wear and tear on the joints. But this does not mean that you have to completely eliminate going out, as this would only increase the degree of muscle atrophy. Always follow the guidelines and medical treatment prescribed by your vet, try to follow these recommendations:
- Strict control of his diet: if your dog is obese, it is imperative that you submit him to a diet so that he loses a few pounds;
- Regular physical exercise: it is very important that he does not lose too much muscle mass (DOGS with osteoarthritis generally have weak muscles due to lack of use, and this weakness and muscle atrophy only worsens the scenario);
- Provide him with a cushioned bed, isolated from humidity and heat;
- Avoid exposure to cold and sudden changes in temperature: blankets to protect them from cold and damp can be of help.

This condition often generates osteoarthritis lesions, causing severely affected animals (stage D or E) to have a gradual pain, which requires, in the most severe cases, the intervention of the surgeon.

The best way not to have to face this type of situation is prevention.

- A certificate from your vet, signed and dated.
- A photocopy of the pedigree certificate or birth certificate (or tattoo cards for DOGS that do not have lop).

Secondary osteoarthritis appears after a triggering factor (sprain, fractures, birth defects. etc.) that causes the affected joint to stop functioning normally.Another very common cause that causes secondary osteoarthritis is obesity: if you do not control your diet, it causes your joints to have to sustain an overload of kilos and thus more easily deteriorate. Unlike primary arthritis, secondary arthritis can affect animals of all ages and usually affects only one joint.

How to detect.

At first, canine arthritis is difficult to detect because DOGS compensate for the changes suffered by the affected joint by shifting weight to another healthy one or avoiding exerting too much pressure on it. He can still go for long walks, throw the ball, swim or pick up a stick, hiding the pain he suffers. But as arthritis progresses, the situation worsens and the problem becomes evident when you start limping and give signs of pain with simple palpation of the affected joint. Also, keep other symptoms in mind:

- Difficulty in standing, sitting and lying down;
- Does not want to leave the house to walk and, if he does, has difficulty keeping up with his pace;
- Decreased appetite (general malaise can lead to inappetence)
- Changes in behaviour: irritability, nervousness and even aggressiveness, not wanting to be touched, especially near the affected joints.

CARDIOMYOPATHY

Dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs.

Dogs most affected by dilated cardiomyopathy are large or giant dogs, such as Bordeaux Dogues. Most affected animals are elderly dogs. In most breeds, males are more affected than females.

Overview:
The term cardiomyopathy literally means "heart disease". Dilated cardiomyopathy occurs when the heart muscle is thin, weakened, and does not contract properly. It commonly affects large or giant dogs, but can also be found in smaller dogs, such as cocker spaniels, and mutts. The disease can lead to congestive heart failure, with fluid accumulation in the lung, chest, abdominal cavity or subcutaneous tissue.

Due to reduced blood flow to the rest of the body, dilated cardiomyopathy can also cause weakness, faintness and exercise intolerance. Abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, is often associated with dilated cardiomyopathy and can complicate the treatment of dogs affected by the disease.
In rare cases, supplementation with substances such as l-carnitine or taurine can dramatically reduce the signs in individual patients, but for most dogs the primary goal of treatment is to ameliorate the signs arising from congestive heart failure and to try to improve the heart's ability to pump blood.
The long-term outlook is generally pessimistic, as most dogs end up dying from dilated cardiomyopathy. Despite this, however, many dogs affected by the disease can benefit from medical treatment that helps in controlling the symptoms.

Symptoms:
The signs correspond to insufficiency on the right, left, or both sides of the heart. Signs of right-sided insufficiency include abdominal distension due to ascites, engorgement or pulsation of the jugular vein, hepatomegaly, pleural effusion, oedema, pericardial effusion and weight gain due to fluid retention. Signs of left-sided insufficiency include cough due to pulmonary oedema, difficult breathing, tachypnea and dyspnea. Some signs may be seen on both sides, such as fatigue or weakness, exercise dyspnea, tachycardia, pallor, increased capillary refill time, cyanosis, cooling of the extremities and weight loss.

Prevention:
Early monotoring of dogs of large or giant breeds, in order to avoid breeding animals carrying or with a family history of dilated cardiomyopathy, may be helpful in reducing the incidence of the disease.