How young can a dog get arthritis?

Dogs can get Arthritis at any age, but the cause varies. In puppies (less than one year of age), the cause tends to be infectious - bacteria get into the blood stream and then cause arthritis in multiple joints. In young dogs (older than puppies, younger than senior dogs), the cause tends to be autoimmune disease

• the dog's own immune system starts attacking the tissues of the

joint, resulting in arthritis. In older dogs, the cause tends to be degenerative - the cartilage and joint fluid wears out and isn't replaced, resulting in arthritis from the exposed bone ends rubbing against each other.