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| Dealing with Canine Arthritis |
Arthritis
in dogs can be difficult to diagnose as it can affect any breed
of dog at any age. It is incredibly easy to put the symptoms down
to something else such as old age, laziness or even growing pains.
Even dogs as young as 6 months can suffer from arthritis. Canine
arthritis occurring outside of old age can be the result of an injury
or an inherited condition.
Arthritis
is a degenerative joint disease whereby pain and stiffness develop
as a result of wear and tear to the joints involved. Any joint can
be affected by arthritis but your dog's hips, knees and elbows are
the most susceptible joints.
Dogs
with arthritis may find it difficult to move about freely and may
limp or show other signs of pain and discomfort. A sufficient diagnose
of arthritis can often be made by your vet while your dog is still
awake. During this exam your vet should also be able to identify
which joints are affected. Sometimes the vet may need to sedate
your dog to do further manipulation or x-rays in order to confirm
the diagnosis.
There are a number of things that can be done to help dogs with
arthritis and a combined approach usually works best.
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older dogs or dogs suffering from arthritis, make sure their
bed is comfortable. Orthopaedic
dog beds with memory foam are ideal for arthritic pain.
Also make sure that your pets bedding is warm. Flectabed unique
thermal
bedding works by reflecting lost body heat back to your
pet. |
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Joint
problems are aggravated by excess weight. If the dog is overweight
then weight loss will go some way towards helping. Arthritis and
the associated pain can make exercise difficult so the most effective
method of weight reduction is to reduce fattening food intake. You
could switch your dog to a low fat version of the food you feed.
Alternatively, reduce the amount you feed and add extra raw vegetables
to the meals. See if your vet runs weight clinics. You can get nutritional
advice and have your dog’s weight monitored. It is very important
that a dog with arthritis has a normal body weight.
Many dogs will respond well to an improved diet containing raw vegetables.
Carrots are often a particular favourite. A balanced home-prepared
diet, as opposed to many commercial dog foods, will be free from
artificial colours and preservatives.
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Reduce
the amount
you feed and add
extra raw vegetables
to the meals. |
Having
mentioned that exercise can be uncomfortable, it is important to
point out that regular gentle exercise will help to maintain mobility.
Joints that do not get regular exercise may stiffen up, making the
symptoms of arthritis worse. Short sessions of exercise a few times
a day will be beneficial. Gentle on-lead walks are best as a daily
form of exercise. Hydrotherapy or other swimming could also be considered
as this type of exercise is kind to the joints and non-weight bearing.
Many
dogs benefit from non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines which
help to keep the dog comfortable by reducing joint inflammation
and stiffness. However, some dogs do not tolerate non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory medicines so well and may experience vomiting
or stomach ulcers.
Alternatives
include pentosan polysulphate injections and glycosaminoglycan (GAG)
joint supplements. Fish oils such as cod liver oil can help but
supplementation with omega 3 essentail fatty acids (EFAs) would
be of greatest benefit. When using supplements, quality is very
important so do your research or consult your vet for advice. Other
alternative treatments include acupuncture for pain relief, herbal
medicine, homoeopathy and as mentioned above, hydrotherapy.
Remember
that arthritis is a progressive disease and regular assessments
by your vet are essential to ensure that your pet is receiving the
best possible treatment and care. |
| ©
D for Dog www.dfordog.co.uk |
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