Arthritis in Dogs
Dogs are a man’s best friend because they simply make excellent companions and remain constantly loyal. They share many of our joys and can alleviate our sorrows. However, that is not all they share with humans. Just like humans, dog’s can have arthritis too and it is just as painful and as debilitating for dogs as it is for humans.
Arthritis in dogs is an ailment that greatly challenges a dog’s quality of life because the joint
Dog arthritis is especially common in dogs of a large breed. Arthritis in dogs can set in with age, especially if your pet is over weight, and dog arthritis can also result from physical trauma. The pain your pet experiences from dog arthritis is due to the breakdown of cartilage surrounding his or her joints that cause extreme discomfort during movement. The same thing happens to humans who have arthritis.You may begin to suspect arthritis in your dog if he or she begins to exhibit signs of difficulty in jumping or climbing steps. Arthritis in your dog will also pose a challenge for your dog to get up from resting and will begin to make your pet reluctant to walk or play. The pain that your pet experiences from dog arthritis is comparable to those in humans because the cause is pretty much the same. This is why medications for dog arthritis can be similar to those for humans.
You will need to check with your vet and work with him on the best medication for the arthritis in your dog. Keep in mind however that these medicines can be quite costly and some may have side effects on your beloved pet. It is therefore very important to understand and discuss these at length with your vet so that together you can decide the best treatment for your pet’s dog arthritis.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin are both found in supplements that have become widely used in treating both animals and humans for osteoarthritis. Because of the massive success in treating patients with osteoarthritis, these products have come to the forefront of therapy for both humans and pets and are the most popular products for managing arthritis today.
Glucosamine is important in the maintenance of cartilage in the joint. Studies have shown that Glucosamine helps to improve cartilage generation. Chondroitin is found in articular cartilage. Chondrotin improves the synthesis of glycosamine and inhibits damaging enzymes in the joint. These together essentially help to rebuild and lubricate joints.
When a dog has hip dysplasia or other osteoarthritis, the joint wears away and the bone-to-bone contact creates pain. Glucosamine and Chondroitin give the cartilage-forming cells what they need to build new cartilage and to repair the existing damaged cartilage. These products can help ease pain, but primarily work by actually healing the damage that has been done.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin products generally take at least six weeks to begin to heal the cartilage, and most animals need to be maintained on these products the rest of their lives to prevent further cartilage breakdown. These products are very safe and show very few side effects. There are many different glucosamine/chondroitin products on the market, but the best results are from products that contain pure ingredients that are human grade in quality. Joint Supplements such as Joint MAX, Synovi and Glyco-Flex fit this category. If you’re going to give your dog a treat, make it a healthy, low calorie treat like Joint Treats also with Glucosamine, Creatine & MSM that helps keep joints healthy and dogs happy.
Aside from medication, there are other ways that you can help alleviate your pet’s suffering from dog arthritis. You can start by making sure that your pet has a very comfortable bed. The hard floor or a stiff and rigid place of rest can further aggravate the pain that your pet goes through because of dog arthritis. It would also be advisable to raise your dog’s bed appropriately to prevent your pet from bending his or her joints too much.
You should also watch your dog’s diet and maintain a healthy weight. The heavier your dog, the more impact his or her joints have to endure which causes more pain in the case of dog arthritis. You should discuss certain food products that are good for your dog’s diet and weight and also have ingredients that help alleviate the symptoms of dog arthritis.
Once you find out that your pet has dog arthritis, you should also begin ton minimize his activities and provide for gentler exercise rather than a rigorous routine. It is still advisable that exercise be continued provided that you can observe that your pet can tolerate the activity. If you stop his exercise and activities altogether, your pet may gain weight and further increase the gravity of his or her dog arthritis.