Arthritis – DogAndCatArthritis.com

I have had many canines in my life and every one of them has suffered the effects of arthritis in dogs. In fact, almost all dogs will suffer from this disease to some degree in their later years of life. There are no cures for it. All you can do as a dog owner is to help your pet by minimizing the effects and symptoms of arthritis disease. Arthritis is a disease of degenerative joints. In time, most of us and our elderly dogs will suffer from wear and tear of cartilage. Cartilage helps protect our bones from rubbing with each other. [wp_ad_camp_2] Dog And Arthritis There is no known cure yet but there are ways to help your pet relieve the pain. This progressive disease affects joints of the spine, hip, elbow, and knee. When the cartilage fray exposing the bone, this is what causes the pain. Cartilage cannot repair itself. Liquid glucosamine is a natural supplement which when taken daily may help rebuild the tissue. It is not a quick fix but may be preferable to prescribed medication which has many side effects and in some cases could be lethal. Ask your veterinarian about this. Depending on the kind of arthritis your dog has, you may find that in a matter of months or sometimes weeks your dog will show signs of improvement and healing. There is primary as well as secondary joint disease. Wear and tear is the normal cause for the primary disease. The secondary disease has causes which are trauma, patella, hip dysplasia and the rupture of knee ligaments. Sometimes these can be surgically repaired. It is important to have your veterinarian give the correct diagnosis before any treatment is given. X-rays will also be helpful to determine which kind of joint disease your dog suffers from and whether or not glucosamine may help. Improve Your Dog's Weight Smaller breed dogs suffer from arthritis to a lesser extent than larger dogs. The reason for this is quite simple, larger dogs carry more weight and therefore have more stress placed on their diseased joints than do smaller dog breeds. So if your dog is fat or overweight, put him or her on a diet immediately. This excess weight can dramatically increase the pain suffered from arthritis in dogs. Dogs Need Exercise Too Another important thing to remember for people with older dogs is to ensure they get the proper amount of exercise. If an older dog gets too little exercise, his muscles will deteriorate and they won't be able to support the joints properly. When the joints are not supported, the effects of arthritis are again magnified as the joint is loose and allowed too much freedom to move in directions it should not. Make Things Comfortable For Your Pet Dog It is good you remember to make your dog as comfortable around the house as possible if he is suffering from arthritis. I have built a handicapped ramp for our older dogs in order that they can go up and down the porch steps easier. Steps and stairs are very difficult for dogs suffering from dog arthritis. A simple ramp made out of plywood and then covered with an old rug is a very good ramp for the older dogs to use. Another thing to remember is that older dogs enjoy sleeping much more than younger dogs. Allow them plenty of quiet time where they can sleep as much as they like. [wp_ad_camp_2] Conclusion Dog arthritis symptoms can thankfully be minimized with lifestyle and dietary changes and your dog can go on to live a happy and healthy life. The changes will take some getting used to by both parties, but the end result will be worth every bit of effort. Contributed By Ribere1