Treating And Preventing Arthritis In Dogs

What you need to know about arthritis in dogs, treatment options and nutritional support.

THE ESSENTIAL STEPS
by J.R. Rogers

To provide you with an overview, I will be covering some simple yet highly effective steps that you can take to keep your beloved pets' joints healthy and effectively treat arthritis and hip dysplasia in both dogs and cats. You would be the first to agree that when our pets are suffering, so are we.

Primary Arthritis and Secondary Arthritis in Dogs

When pets suffer from joint pain, it is just as excruciating for them as it is for a human. Although veterinarians call these (joint) conditions by different names, they all come down to being an arthritic-type of condition. The following are the typical names a vet will use in describing the particular condition your pet is suffering from.

Primary Osteoarthritis is a naturally occurring condition that involves the breakdown of cartilage and surrounding areas. It is that "sponge-like" cartilage that protects your pet from experiencing "bone-on-bone" contact that is so painful.

Secondary Osteoarthritis is essentially the same condition but this condition develops as a result of trauma. When we say trauma, we are talking about any kind of injury and in many cases, it does not take very much to cause the condition to develop. This is an extremely important point that needs to be made clear. A human being may experience some kind of traumatic injury and the secondary osteoarthritis may not develop for 5-6 years. Unfortunately, even a simple traumatic injury in your cat or dog can result in osteoarthritis developing with a matter of weeks.

Getting a Diagnosis for Arthritis in Dogs

If you begin to see some signs that things are not quite right with your pet, there is usually something wrong. In a perfect world, you would be able to take your cat or dog to the vet immediately to get a clear diagnosis. Unfortunately, that is out of the question for many simply because as a practical matter, a visit to the vet costs money. If you are in that situation, you are going to have to rely on some "self-help."

How Do I Know My Dog Has Arthritis?

Since pets can't "verbalize" their pain, you have to look for other symptoms and signs that something is not right. Now, as a practical matter most pet owners become aware that something is wrong without having to visit the vet. When there is joint pain, some of the symptoms to watch for are. Some are obvious and others not.

1) Limping, even slightly
2) Difficulty rising from a resting position
3) Changes in behavior (including aggression)
4) Resistant to touch (pulling away from you)
5) Reluctance to play or climb stairs
6) Personality changes*

* Pets will often display their discomfort by behaving in a manner
that does not seem normal. Sometimes, there will be something as simple as a "sad" look in their eyes. Most pets, whether cats or dogs will begin finding a quiet place and spend more and more time there. (This is usually an indication that they want your attention.)

Obviously, outward symptoms such as limping are easy to spot. However, the less obvious symptoms are those that you are simply going to have to be vigilant about. In other words, try to be alert to even subtle changes in behavior.

Before you get to the vet for arthritis in dogs.

Not every medical condition involves a "joint" problem. (Usually, a pronounced limp or difficulty rising from rest are pretty clear.) However, if you suspect one try to do some visible inspection of your animal. Lightly touch and massage the areas where you suspect a problem and see how your pet reacts. If you have even a "suspicion" that there is an osteoarthritis (joint problem) involved, there are some preventive steps that you can take.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

Since we know that pets develop secondary arthritis very quickly, what are the odds that your pet has or will have this debilitating disease? All pets are very active by nature and that constant physical activity, whether at play or just by and through their normal behavior is going to cause constant trauma. The odds are high that your pet has or will have this condition in one form or another.

Human beings take dietary supplements on a regular basis. So should pets. Beyond the basic Vitamin C, there is also a very important supplement that all pets who have arthritis or are at risk for developing it should take. This is glucosamine.

Using Glucosamine in the Treatment of Arthritis in Dogs

Glucosamine has now been clinically proven to do three things: 1) Eliminate the pain of osteoarthritis, 2) Halt the progression of the disease, and 3) rebuild damaged cartilage.

Now that you are aware of the power of glucosamine and that pets are subject to developing secondary osteoarthritis within a matter of weeks, doesn't it make sense to use preventive steps to keep your pet safe from pain and suffering? The only question that you should be asking yourself is which product to use.

We recommend a high quality liquid glucosamine product that also incorporates other beneficial nutritional ingredients like Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Manganese, Boswellin, Yucca, and Omega 3 & Omega 6 as synergistic ingredients.

This information is supplied by The Pet Arthritis Resource Centre to help provide a better understanding of arthritis in pets. If you suspect your pet is suffering from arthritis consult your local veterinarian.