Dog Arthritis Treatment – 6 Natural Herbs and Supplements For Your Dog’s Health

Dog Arthritis Treatment – 6 Natural Herbs and Supplements For Your Dog’s Health
By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

Like humans, dogs can suffer from the pains of arthritis. If you’re a dog owner reluctant to put your loved companion through a dog arthritis treatment, we totally understand your concerns. Many dogs don’t respond positively to medications and end up feeling worse.To solve your dog’s problem, you might resort to natural methods of treatment. Let us begin by defining arthritis and its causes in the canine world.

Arthritis is the inflammation of joints and muscles usually affecting older, inactive, or overweight dogs. Unlike humans, your dog cannot define his pain but you can tell if your dog has arthritis by his level of activity and responsiveness when you call his/her name. The most common type of arthritis affecting dogs is osteoarthritis associated with overuse of cartilages. You can help your dog battle arthritis naturally using the following herbs and supplements…

Vitamin C is one of the best supplements to protect against joint deterioration. Depending on your dog’s size, you can add up to 4,000 mg of powdered Vitamin C to their meals to alleviate arthritis symptoms. You must avoid powdered Vitamin C that’s highly acidic, instead use a less acidic form — Ask your pharmacist for more details.

Mussels are essential to repairing damaged tissues. Greenlip mussels and Perna mussels are most effective in dog arthritis treatment. If you can’t find fresh mussels, you can easily find a suitable shellfish extract at your local pet store.

Vegetables are one of the top dog arthritis fighters. Your dog may not like eating vegetables, but try to mix them with his/her food for best results. Vegetables are rich in minerals and vitamins that help alleviate arthritis aches.

Alfalfa and Yucca are great in reducing arthritis pains for dogs. These herbs can be easily brewed into a tea that your dog drinks on a daily basis. The dosage depends on your dog’s size and age. For best results, try to brew the tea early morning as your dog’s joints are the stiffest then.

Stinging nettles are yet another herb that can lower your dog’s arthritic pain.You can easily make your dog a stinging nettles tea using the powdered extract. For best results, add the stinging nettles to the Alfalfa and Yucca herbal tea.

A mix of comfrey leaves, chopped rosemary, and parsley lubricate your pet’s joints. While many dogs won’t like the mix, they still love eating comfrey leaves.

Using these natural methods, you can reduce the symptoms of dog arthritis. One obstacle is that dogs can be fickle with their eating patterns. Another obstacle is the cost and availability of these natural herbs. As a solution, you can use natural arthritis relief oral drops. Such homeopathic remedies are easy to administer and have no negative side effects on your dog’s health.

Do you want an all natural joint pain relief for your pet?

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MSM for Dogs is a Natural Arthritis Remedy

By Jennefer Poultson

Arthritis in dogs can be due to several different factors, particularly common are injuries, congenital defects and simply getting older, just as in humans. In dogs, even a minor injury can lead to arthritis later in life. The conditions to which some breeds of dogs are predisposed, such as hip dysplasia can also mean a predisposition to developing arthritis as the dog ages. Even dogs who have never suffered an injury in their lives may well develop arthritis as they age.

There are different types of dog arthritis, just as with the human arthritis condition. The problem is an inflammation in one or more joints. This can be caused by an inflammation either in the cartilage in the joint or a problem with the joint’s synovial fluid. In dogs, the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis, infective arthritis, immune mediated arthritis and idiopathic arthritis.

Dog arthritis symptoms usually involve a gradual onset of limpness in the limbs. In other words, lameness will result to the point where the dog finds it difficult to walk. Most often a dog will also be less likely to be active in activities such as walks, playing, or even going up stairs. The stiffness of the limbs is likely to be more pronounced in the mornings or after long naps, but the stiffness often disappears through the day.

A dog afflicted with arthritis will tend to feel pain if their limbs are touched near to where the joint is inflamed. There is usually swelling as well, and you may be able to feel this.

Arthritis medicine is available for dogs who suffer from the condition ? this can treat the inflammation. Many dog owners instead opt for more natural methods of treatment for their pet, finding them more helpful in many cases. Glucosamine and MSM are two popular natural dog arthritis treatments (they are also used in humans with arthritis). A lot of experts in the field think that arthritis is best treated by a combination of MSM, Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

Glucosamine is an amino sugar that occurs naturally in the body. However, the ageing process is thought to diminish the body’s ability to produce sufficient glucosamine for the body’s needs. Glucosamine is not found in any primary food source, but is derived from the shell of shellfish. It has anti inflammatory properties that can be very effective in managing osteoarthritis in both humans and animals.

Many times, just a change in diet can be enough to treat the symptoms of arthritis in dogs. Especially in tandem with exercise, diet can relieve arthritis in many dogs. Just as in humans, obesity can lead to arthritis. If the animal is kept at a healthy weight, then much of the pain of arthritis will simply disappear.

However, arthritis remedies of various sorts may be needed along with a change of diet in order to manage the pain and other symptoms of dog arthritis. – 31319

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Veterinary medicine has limited answers for treating dog arthritis, but the good news is that there are natural alternatives that can even reverse canine renal failure.

Hip dysplasia- before and after chondropaw

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Natural Arthritis Treatment for Horses, Dogs, Humans

Natural Supplements for Dogs

Natural supplements for dogs have become most popular because they can’t comprise almost any bug sprays or perhaps chemicals, and irradiation seriously isn’t used from the manufacturing course of action. Your dog masters are employing natural supplements to eradicate a lot of health-related troubles within canines like arthritis, heartburn, navicular bone fractures etc. Canine could also involve supplements to manage bone fractures simply just like people dependence on its bone fractures. The in addition to health and fitness within your dog is actually most crucial for yourself as things are fashionable member of your family therefore you would likely like to accept ideal proper care of your puppy. Because of this a selection of natural supplements intended for dogs will become important as it usually takes good care of the in addition to well getting within your much loved puppy. There are lots of natural nutritional supplements for dogs you can buy, briefed below:-

Technyflex Canine

Technyflex Canine is really a organic complement used for natural arthritis treatment in dogs in addition to natural anti-inflammatory strategy to dogs. It assists in reducing the symptoms associated with musculo skeletal conditions, hip dysplasia, as well as elbow dysplasia and is good at your treatment involving damaged joints and also sore joints. If you’re recognizing that your chosen puppy has difficulties in enabling in place at a lay down location, lessened frolicsome habits and it’s lagging at the rear of or limping although strolling, then it desires Technyflex Canine. This particular pure health supplement just might help you to avoid joint discomfort in addition to arthritis pain to your pet.

Kalsytech Canine

Calcium supplements is definitely an essential mineral to get dogs plus needs to be supplied within the diet of the pet dog everyday. Some sort of dog’s diet program can frequently not have the essential nutrient elements together and vitamins wanted including Limescale. In particular young as well as ageing pets need limescale to the eating routine for bone fragments, tooth and its particular strength together with progress. Kalsytech Canine offers the correct bio-availability for too long expression navicular bone health and the entire body of one’s pet dog can certainly absorb this program.

Walkies Nutrition

Walkies Natural Nutritional Minuscule Health and fitness Treats keep your dog plus dog is provided with an equilibrium daily allowance connected with vitamins and minerals that might certainly not be present in the food they may be having. Including the a lot of fussiest eaters take pleasure in eating Walkies Nutrition for their delicate plus tender consistency. It might be served day-to-day as it would be crafted from natural ingredients similar to beef liver organ, chicken breast, species of fish, grain, soya plus kelp and so zero unwanted side effects merely healthy food choices on your beloved family pet.

Dogs also require proper stability involving nutrition in order to keep their functioning best. Sadly, almost all normal dog food can be with a lack of certain necessary materials therefore the interruptions have to be filled in using the aid of natural health supplements with regard to dogs. For more resources on the aforementioned mentioned supplements to get dogs, pay a visit to http://www.naturalmobility.com.au.

Health Supplements for Horse

Every seller prefer to keep the horse within ideal overall health condition and present best diet regime in their eyes. In case the horse doesn’to have any type of deficiency included in the entire body and it’s used by lighting style it’s essential food items for instance grass and also hay is sufficient for this. Although if the horse can be going through some sort of deficiency for instance calcium supplement deficiency or perhaps is struggle to retain its proper weight then it is diet program must be taken care of. From time to time, a mount also can experience problems such as indigestion, in that case right health supplements for horses which can easily boost that it is digestion really should be utilised. Joint lameness in horses is definitely typical presently, therefore good care should be taken up to strengthen this is overall health. There are actually diverse health health supplements pertaining to horses for various health conditions briefed under:-

Kalsytech Equine for Calcium Deficiency in Horses

Kalsytech Equine helps in maintaining healthy and balanced bones, tooth, nerves and also bone and joint program. The actual cardiac performance in horses and blood clots mechanism also gets taken care of by using this kind of product.

Colloidal Minerals for Horses

Mineral deficiency is reasonably prevalent between horses. The nice quality field and also existen must provide the mount with all the current required minerals. Nonetheless developing foals could involve more eating habits options like the Horse Supplements that may contain extra lime scale and even hardly any phosphorus. Colloidal nutrients intended for horses are crucial in order to meet the calcium deficiency in horses.

Technyflex Equine for Horses

Technyflex Equine is a natural ingredients regarding osteo-arthritis around horses. It really is for sale in powdered kind, gelatinized and also glaciers bunches and as well advances mobility around and also might increase musculoskeletal conditions, low level long-term lameness, bone bony injury treatment along with injured muscles around horses.

Placide for Horses

Placide is really a mineral dietary supplement for horses that can assist with enhancing mental faculties, muscle mass and also sensors purpose inside farm pets nearly right away.

Besides all these health supplements for the horses, there are lots of different supplements that are around for building up different parts of the body on the horses including TuffRock, Diatomaceous Earth, Black color Salve for Sarcoid treatment with horses plus Rebound Paste.  To get more information in arthritis treatment in ponies, articulation lameness in horse, treatment method of irritated joint parts around farm pets, management of lime scale insufficiency in horses, stop by http://www.naturalmobility.com.au a web keep associated with natural dietary supplements for horses.

Arthritis in Dogs | Jacqui Patersons

Arthritis in Dogs

17 December 2009
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6 Comments

Arthritis

Arthritis literally means inflammation of the joints. It is extremely common in dogs. As with humans it tends to affect them as they get older (over 8 years) and is often caused by simple wear and tear on the joint. The joints most commonly affected are the hips, the stifles (knees), the shoulders and the elbows. Initially the surface of the joint becomes inflamed and this causes pain. In an effort to stop the pain the animal reduces the movement in the joint and the body itself deposits bone around the joint causing deformity and limiting movement.

Signs of Arthritis

If just one joint is affected your dog will limp especially first thing on a morning. However, often the same joint on the other leg is affected so there is no obvious limp (both legs are equally sore). Many people simply think the animal is slowing down because of age and don’t realise that it is in pain (dogs don’t whinge and moan like us, they just get on with it). You may notice they have difficulty getting upstairs, jumping into the car or onto the sofa (not that we let our dogs sit on the sofa of course). With time the muscles become weaker and this puts more strain on the joint itself causing further inflammation and pain.

How do I know if my dog is in pain?

You don’t! Dogs are much braver than we are: this doesn’t mean they don’t suffer they just do so in silence. A vet can manipulate the joints and with experience will know if the dog resists the movement and if there is any swelling in the joint. X-rays will show severe arthritis but are seldom necessary to make a diagnosis except in unusual cases. If the dog is not keen on examination then trial therapy with an anti-inflammatory for 7-10 days will often show an improvement.

If necessary your dog can take these for life. We can choose whether or not we want to take tablets for pain relief a dog can’t – it is not humane to let your dog suffer just because you don’t like taking tablets.

Side effects of modern NSAIDs are rare.

The most common one is an upset stomach. This may be going off their food, diarrhoea or vomiting. If any of these signs occur whilst your dog is on the medication STOP THE DRUG and tell your vet – often it isn’t related to the medicine and once the problem has settled the medicine can be restarted. Occasionally these drugs will also cause gastric ulcers (just like aspirin in humans) and very rarely more serious things like kidney failure but these are very, very rare. If one type of antinflammatory doesn’t work then another may well suit an individual better.

NEVER GIVE YOUR DOG HUMAN PAINKILLERS UNLESS DIRECTED BY YOUR VET. SOME OF THESE ARE HIGHLY TOXIC OR NEED TOTALLY DIFFERENT DOSES.

What Can You Do To Help Your Dog?

Weight

Make sure your dog is slim. If your dog is overweight then this will contribute to the degree of arthritis suffered. Unfortunately by the time the dog is suffering from arthritis it will struggle to exercise and therefore weight loss can only be achieved by very strict dieting. The pay back for feeling rotten about depriving your pet of food is that it will be healthier, happier and live longer. It may even get to a stage where it no longer needs medication.

(For those of you with a sense of humour – check out RSPCA – Simon’s Sister’s Dog ‘Fed Up’ on YouTube to illustrate this point!)

Physiotherapy

This can be as simple as encouraging your dog to go for walks or as technical hydrotherapy and specialist veterinary physiotherapy. Physiotherapy helps build up the muscles that support the joint, taking the pressure off the joint. It will help to maintain and improve muscle bulk and joint range of movement and reduce pain. Canine physiotherapy is used widely to aid in the rehabilitation process and is becoming rapidly recognised in the prevention and cure of many canine conditions. Hydrotherapy allows your dog to exercise without putting strain on the joints so muscle is built and fat is lost. Make sure you choose a hydrotherapy pool where there are flotation aids and the operator understands the needs of your pet. The additional benefits are that it will also help your pet to lose weight.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture may help certain individuals but it can only be performed by a vet. It has been used in China for many hundreds of years and the traditional terms are at odds with conventional science. However modern science does agree that it works (it’s just the explanation of the mechanism that is different). It is particularly good for muscle and back pain (I can personally vouch for that). It involves placing needles in various parts of the body and although the needles look scary most dogs are very relaxed and happy about it. In our own surgery Renata has done considerable extra study on the techniques and is always happy to advise if your particular pet is likely to benefit.

Copper or magnetic collars – neither of these are proven to work but they do no harm! Some individuals do appear to benefit from them.

Oils

Cod liver oil and oil of evening primrose oil do reduce (slightly) inflammation of the joints. Some animals will respond better than others. Again, they do no harm and are certainly more cost effective than some other remedies (everything’s expensive if it doesn’t work!). A child’s dose of codliver oil is enough for an average sized dog, but scale it down if your pet is small otherwise you’ll appreciate its laxative effect! Oil of evening primrose is more expensive but your local chemist or Holland and Barrett can advise you on the cheaper brands. The active ingredient is GLA (gamma linoleic acid) and to be effective you need 105mg per 10kgs of bodyweight. This is very good for dogs with allergic skin disease also. Both of these need to be taken for continuously to have any effect.

Chrondroitin/Glucosamine

Proven to help regenerate cartilage, so in some individuals this helps.

Glucosamine hydrochlorate (HCI) is meant to be better than the sulphate. The sulphate is more likely to make your dog excessively thirsty. Again, this will not do any harm but it possibly does not represent value for money.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Most arthritis will be osteoarthritis as discussed above. Rheumatoid arthritis is much less common. It is an auto-immune disease: that is the body’s own defences begin to attack itself – in this case , the joints. It can affect any age of dog, even puppies. Any joint can be affected but often the small joints in the toes are the most noticeable. Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis often requires corticosteroids (steroids). These damp down the body’s attack on itself by suppressing the immune system. They have no direct pain relief but inducing the inflammation will reduce the pain. They do have side- effects, such as increased thirst and appetite and their use needs to be monitored carefully.

Treatment

Arthritis cannot be cured, only alleviated. The aim is to stop or reduce the pain and inflammation, allowing better movement and use of the joint and associated muscles. The number one treatment is NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). These reduce the inflammation and therefore reduce the pain. They are not simply pain killers. They require several days/weeks to fully control the pain (although they will have some effect immediately). Their effects will also linger for several days after stopping the treatment. There are several drugs available, all are prescription only and you vet will prescribe what is most appropriate for your pet. Your vet will also advise you on whether short term, long term or permanent medication may be needed. Often the inflammation is cyclical and your dog will have good times and bad.

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Arthritis Symptoms in Senior Dogs

If your senior dog is having trouble moving around, especially when he or she first wakes up, then most likely your older dog is suffering from arthritis.

Knowing the symptoms and signs of arthritis in dogs helps dog owners to treat arthritis as soon as it appears. Depending upon the severity of your dog’s arthritis, treatment involves a healthy diet, keeping the dog’s weight under control, daily exercise, over the counter supplements which support healthy joints, or adding a prescription for steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Symptoms of Arthritis in Dogs

Early Signs of Arthritis

• Lame after exercising but then recover

Moderate Arthritis

• Stiffness when first waking up


• Lame after exercising


• Slow walking pace


• Hesitant to go up or down stairs

Severe Arthitis Symptoms

• The dog needs help getting up


• Limping all the time


• Will not attempt to climb stairs or jump


• Has trouble lifting leg or squatting to urinate


• Shaking leg muscles


• Seems to experience pain when touched


• Hops rather than runs

If your senior dog displays any of these signs of arthritis, contact your veterinarian for a consultation. Sometimes, early stages of arthritis only need diet and exercise for positive results.

The later stages of arthritis in dogs often requires supplements like, glucosamine, chondroitin, and other joint products.

If your older dog is really suffering on a regular basis, a prescription for pain medication will relieve your dog’s discomfort.

Dog sling to help your dog if they have arthritis

What is arthritis in dogs?

I’m not a vet but like most owners, I love my dogs. I have worked with rehabilitating dogs for some 10 years with a great success rate and the biggest reward is seeing a dog get better. I hope this is not too boring and that this information helps. Please feel free to leave comments. Arthritis is a degenerative condition that affects one or more joints.

Most cases occur in dogs with an inherited orthopaedic disease such as osteochondrosis or hip dysplasia, or those with a joint injury.

Osteoarthritis is a common disease that affects one out of five dogs during their lifetime. The problem isn’t confined to older dogs. Hip dysplasia, ruptured cruciate ligaments, patella luxation, joint trauma, and other joint conditions can cause degenerative arthritis, even in young dogs. Some cases of arthritis are related to an immune-mediated joint disease or a joint infection. Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease (DJD), is a progressive, debilitating disorder characterized by a loss of cartilage and the death of cartilage-producing cells. It can lead to permanent loss of function. You do find that large-breed dogs are affected more often than small dogs. Heavy dogs are more likely to experience symptoms because of the extra strain placed on ligaments and joints.

The diagnosis is made by joint X-rays that show bone spurs at points where the ligaments and the joint capsule attach to the bone. There may be varying degrees of joint space narrowing and increased density of bone around the joint.

What breeds/ages are prone to dog arthritis?
Arthritis doesn’t discriminate. In most cases, DJD occurs secondarily to trauma, nutritional disorders or infections. It is prevalent in middle-aged to older dogs (and sometimes in cats). DJD may also occur in young dogs who suffer from canine hip dysplasia, a common developmental disorder of the hip joint found primarily in the larger breeds. Some of the breeds include Labradors, Retrievers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Collies and Kelpies

What medications are used to treat canine arthritis?
The goals of drug therapy for DJD are to control pain, increase mobility, slow down the destructive process in the joint and encourage cartilage repair. The drugs most often prescribed to control pain and inflammation are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

- Aspirin, a NSAID, is probably used more often than any other medication to treat DJD in dogs. Although effective in most dogs, aspirin does have gastrointestinal side effects.

- Carprofen (Rimadyl^®) is significantly more potent than aspirin and has a very wide margin of safety. Rare instances of liver toxicity have been reported in dogs receiving carprofen.

- Etodolac (EtoGesic^® has potent analgesic activity. At the recommended dosage, Etodolac presents little potential for development of stomach ulcers.

Chondroprotective agents are drugs that help protect cartilage as it attempts to repair itself. They have become increasingly popular in treating DJD.
– Two such drugs are Cosequin^® and Glyco-flex^®. They consist of glucosamine and purified chondroitin sulfate, major building blocks of cartilage. Cosequin and Glyco-flex are neutraceuticals, i.e. dietary supplements or food additives that do not require FDA approval.

-Adequan^®, on the other hand, has been approved by the FDA for the management of DJD in dogs. It works by inhibiting some mediators of inflammation, as well as enzymes that contribute to the destruction of cartilage. This chondroprotective agent is given to dogs by intramuscular injection. Successful treatment is more likely if the drug is given early in the development of DJD. For example, when puppies diagnosed with hip dysplasia were given Adequan before arthritic changes occurred, their radiographs showed significant improvement and development of DJD was delayed.

Because the drugs work in different ways, NSAIDs and chondroprotective agents can be given simultaneously to dogs who are severely affected.

Are there other ways, besides drug therapy, to treat dogs with canine arthritis?
Drug therapy is effective when combined with appropriate exercise and weight management such as non-strenuous exercise, such as swimming or walking. This is a must for dogs and may enhance the nutrition of cartilage. Exercise should be on a regular basis, and strenuous, high-impact activities should be avoided. You can find out more about canine hydrotherapy at www.hydrofordogs.co.uk. Overweight dogs should be placed on an appropriate diet. Dogs with DJD may benefit from being somewhat underweight. Furthermore, there is a dog mobility harness available from www.dogaids.com that allows the walker to support and bear some of the weight; thus allowing the dog to walk further. This can help the muscle build up.

Is surgery an option for dogs with canine arthritis?
If medical management fails to reduce pain and improve function, there are many surgical options for hip dysplasia. The most common is femoral head ostectomy, where the head of the thighbone is removed to resolve the pain of the thighbone grinding against the hip socket. Triple pelvic osteotomy is a corrective surgical procedure that reorients the hip socket to realign it with the head of the thighbone, thus stabilizing the joint. If all else fails, total hip replacement with a prosthetic device can be performed.

The following information is to help you understand various aliments that your dog can suffer from and is not intended to replace seeing your vet on a regular basis. If you think your dog may have a problem, i recommend that you see your veterinarian immediately. And remember, please do not give any medication or buy online without first talking to your veterinarian.

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