Arthritis Treatment for Dogs
Arthritis in canines is usually a disease that’s age related and is recognized to be one of the most prevalent diseases in dogs. No matter what the age of your pet it can be affected, especially if it is over weight. Arthritis is most common in larger breeds that grow to more than 60 pounds, like Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Rottweilers and German Shepherds.
The pain your pet feels from arthritis is due to the breakdown of cartilage surrounding its joints that cause extreme discomfort during movement.
Many pet owners have taken a preventative approach to try and stave off these age related issues of mobility and pain. If you want to start your dog on such a treatment program it should be done before the get to be five. The primary supplements that you would give your dog would include Chondroitin and Glucosamine. They have been shown to help promote healthy joints in not only dogs, but humans too.
If your pet starts showing symptoms of arthritis you need to take steps to help control their pain quickly. Dogs are good at masking some of the symptoms of pain so when you see it’s painful for them, believe me it’s really bothering them.
The primary thing you need to do is identify any symptoms of pain in your dog. These symptoms can range from sleeping more, walking instead of running, not wanting to play, or showing stiffness when getting up. Anything that is abnormal can be a symptom of pain and stiffness and should be evaluated quickly by your Vet. Dogs don’t generally show pain unless it’s severe. If they are experiencing moderate pain they can mask it by moving slower, looking stiff and not moving as much. Be on the lookout.
Once your dog has been evaluated by your Veterinarian you’ll know if you need to start some type of medication to relieve the pain and stiffness. Most often your Vet will recommend an NSAID, an anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drug. These drugs can usually treat arthritis effectively, but the negative is possible side effects and a high cost. There can be side effects and each animal has different levels of tolerance to each individual drug.
The potential side effects of these prescription medications might be different with each individual animal. It could take some time to find just the most appropriate drug for your pet. Many pet owners are concerned about using these drugs and have turned to using safe natural supplements that have no adverse side effects and can be taken with less worry.
Brandy, my eleven year old Labrador was showing arthritic symptoms. My Vet prescribed Metacam and it proved to be effective and allowed my dog back her mobility. The biggest side effect was the cost. The Metacam dosage that is needed to be effective is based upon the weight of the dog and since my dog weighed 75 pounds the cost per month was well over $100. This excessive cost prompted me to find an excellent and cost effective natural alternative to Metacam.
You owe it to your dog to relieve|eliminate] their pain, but you owe it to yourself to find an affordable treatment. You can achieve both as I discovered. After making the switch from Metacam to a natural supplement treatment, Brandy spent the balance of her life free of pain. You also can find that balance by not settling for a very expensive prescription medication.
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