What should I do if my Redbone Coonhound has rheumatism? Rheumatism is an acute or chronic non-suppurative inflammation that often recurs. Muscles, joints, and heart are the most common sites. It occurs more often in dogs.

【Cause】The cause of rheumatism is still unclear. It is currently thought to be an autoimmune disease. That is, the hemolytic Streptococcus that invades the body of a sick dog can cause the body to produce corresponding antibodies. When the Streptococcus invades the human body again, the immersed Streptococcus acts as an antigenic substance and combines with the anti-Streptococcus antibodies present in the body. An antigen-antibody complex is formed, and this antigen-antibody complex can cause rheumatism. Wind and cold, dampness, coldness, rain, overwork, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, etc. are all causes of rheumatism.

【Diagnostic Key Points】It is characterized by sudden onset, local redness and swelling, migration and recurrence.

(1) Muscular rheumatism often occurs in the muscle groups of the shoulders, neck, back, waist and thighs. The affected muscle groups are swollen and painful, and the muscles are hard when touched. It can cause motor dysfunction and gait stiffness. Inflexibility, with the increase of exercise five t and the prolongation of time, the symptoms will be reduced or disappear. From the perspective of the entire course of the disease, the affected area has the characteristics of migration. The body temperature of sick dogs can increase by 1°C to 1.5°C, and their breathing and pulse may also change slightly. If the muscles of the whole body are rheumatism, the affected dogs will have straight muscles and difficulty walking. They often lie down and cannot move.

(2) Articular rheumatism often occurs in joints with high mobility, such as shoulder joints, elbow joints, hip joints, knee joints, etc. The diseased joint capsule and surrounding tissues are edematous, and the joint appearance is swollen. There is evidence of swelling during palpation. Heat and pain. The affected dog has difficulty getting up and lying down, and exhibits limping and stiffness when exercising, especially in the early morning or when lying on the ground and just standing up. With the increase in the amount of exercise and the prolongation of time, the lameness symptoms can be reduced or disappeared.

Based on the medical history and the above symptoms, the diagnosis can be made.

【Treatment】

(1) Drug therapy can be treated with antipyretic, analgesic and anti-rheumatic drugs, such as sodium salicylate, aspirin, etc., which have certain effects on acute rheumatism. The dosage is 20 ml of 10% sodium salicylate, intravenously injected once a day; aspirin 0.2 to 0.5 g/time, taken orally, 2 times a day, for 7 days; chlorfenamic acid (anti-rheumatic acid) 0.05~0.4g/time, taken orally, 2~3 times a day; meclofenamic acid (anti-inflammatory acid). .1～0.25g/time, taken orally, 3-4 times a day; Caipusheng (Methodol), the dog takes 5mg/kg body weight orally for the first time, and the maintenance dose is 1.2～2.8 mg/kg/time, once a day.

　(2) Strengthen care, pay attention to heat preservation, keep the kennel dry and have enough sunlight, change the bedding frequently, strengthen outdoor exercise, and eliminate various inducements in time.