Treating Arthritis in Dogs
Like 2 Dislike 0 Published on 15 Feb 2012
Choosing Diets for Your Dog - as part of the series on dogs and pets by GeoBeats.
Arthritis is one of the most common diseases that we see in older dogs. I am just going to review a few of the mainstays in treatment currently for arthritis in dogs. The first thing that you want to do if your dog has arthritis, is make sure you keep your dog at an ideal weight. That is one of the easiest things you can do, and the most common thing that people overlook. Just remember, any excess weight that your dog is carrying around is that much more weight on arthritic joints. And it causes more pain when the dog tries to walk. And overall, can speed up the progression of the disease.
The next thing would be to talk to your veterinarian about drugs that are good for treating arthritis in dogs. The first class of drugs that we use is the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. Examples of these include Rimadyl, Deremax, and Metacam. Also, there are other drugs that can be used in conjunction with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like painkillers. Next, you can look at some alternative therapies to help alleviate your dog's pain associated with arthritis. The first is acupuncture. Acupuncture is a wonderful way to relieve pain for arthritic dogs. Another alternative therapy is herbs. Herbs can be wonderful to decrease pain. The fourth thing is to make sure that your dog is receiving consistent moderate exercise. The very best form of exercise for dogs who have arthritis is swim therapy. Swim therapy is wonderful, because there is no pressure on the joints. And this enables the dog to maintain muscle mass, which, in turn, helps support the joints.
Also, if you can take your dog to a facility where there is a water treadmill, that is also a wonderful way for your dog to have exercise. In short, the main things that you want to do is keep your dog at an appropriate weight, give drugs if need be. Explore any alternative options like acupuncture and consistent moderate exercise.