Arthritis Dog Pain Relief"Arthritis Dog Pain Relief can come from treatment options such as prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, nutraceuticals, dietary change, exercise, weight loss and surgery." Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis seen in both people and pets. It is a condition in which the cartilage between bones wears down. Without the cartilage padding, bone rubs against bone, causing inflammation and pain. Signs of arthritis include reluctance to walk, run, climb stairs, jump, or play. Other symptoms include limping, difficulty rising from a resting position, yelping when touched or avoiding being touched. Arthritis Dog Pain Treatment OptionsDog Arthritis Pain Medicine - PrescrptionArthritis dog pain relief treatment often includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These help to relieve inflammation while also relieving pain. People use NSAIDS like ibuprofen all the time. NSAIDS prescribed by vets include carprofen, etodolac, deracoxib, meloxicam, tepoxalin, and firocaxib. These drugs are effective at managing symptoms of arthritis, but they don’t slow the progression of the disease.Dog Arthritis Natural Pain RelieversA variety of natural products including antixoidants, nutraceuticals and homeopathic remedies are helpful in the management of arthritis.SAMe is an antioxidant that is showing promise in recent research by the University of Illinois for helping to reduce join inflammation without the side effects associated with prescription medications such as NSAIDs. It is thought that SAMe participates in the making of genetic material, known as DNA, and cartilage. The nutracueticals Glucosamine and chondroitin are supplements often used to help rebuild cartilage for arthritis dog pain relief. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence that they are effective in dogs with most evidence supporting glucosamine over chrondroitin. They are safe to use in combination with other arthritis treatments, so there is no downside to using them except the cost. Cosequin DS is the #1 veterinarian recommended glucosamine and chondroitin supplement. Glucosamine should not be used by dogs with diabetes and chondroitin should not be used by dogs with bleeding disorders. Talk with your vet about whether or not he or she recommends these supplements for your dog. Note that these supplements will not relieve pain immediately; rather, they will help rebuild the cartilage, helping to solve the problem over time. Other natural homeopathic ingredients to consider include: A good and reasonably priced source for a supplement that combines all of these homeopathic ingredients is Muscle & Joint Support Formula, which is specifically formulated to treat symptoms, relieve pain and reduce stiffness of canine arthritis, rheumatism and degenerative joint disease in dogs. Weight ManagementDiet and weight management can be an important part of arthritis dog pain relief treatment. Excess weight puts extra pressure on joints, causing damage to cartilage and causing increased inflammation. Your vet can tell you if your dog is overweight and if so, help you develop an appropriate feeding schedule to help your dog lose the extra pounds. Losing the extra weight will not only decrease the inflammation and pain, it will slow the progression of the disease.Consider a diet rich in Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)known as omega-3 fatty acids, the type of fat found in fish oil supplements or stearic acid that can be found in a good multi-vitamin such as Pet Tabs Plus. By altering fat intake, you can impact the inflammatory effect of the diet on joints. These fats need come from supplements since your dogs body does not create them without receiving them in the diet. Research has shown improvement in dogs that were brought to within 10 to 20% of their ideal weight. A good commercial food choice is Prescription Diet Canine j/d. Exercise for Arthritis Pain ReliefExercise is another important component of arthritis dog pain relief treatment. It helps with weight loss and helps with joint mobility. Gentle exercise like walking is recommended. As muscles become stronger and joints become more flexible, pain is relieved.Surgery for Dogs with ArthritisSurgery is a last resort. It is usually used to repair hip joints that have become so severely damaged that other methods of pain relief do not help and the dog is simply unable to move about.Have a Question for our Editors and Readers about Canine Arthritis or have some helpful advice?
Do you have a story, suggestion or question about Arthritis in Dogs? Share it! Our editors select several questions a week to answer for free. Just provide your dog's breed, age, sex and medical history. SourcesPain Management for Canine OsteoarthritisRoudebush, P. Osteoarthritis and Treatment Options in Pets www.canismajor.com From Arthritis Dog Pain Relief to More on Canine Arthritis |
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