Distinguishing immune-mediated polyarthritis from infectious septic arthritis in dogs is critical for appropriate treatment and preventing welfare-compromising mismanagement.
Dogs with polyarthritis experience significant pain from multiple simultaneously inflamed joints, making even comfortable positioning difficult. Treatment of immune-mediated arthritis with immunosuppressive drugs when septic arthritis is actually present can be catastrophic - accelerating joint destruction and sepsis. Conversely, treating immune-mediated disease with antibiotics alone fails to control inflammation. Accurate diagnosis through joint fluid analysis directly determines welfare outcomes.