Dog Arthritis Medication
Arthritis Symptoms in Dogs
It's a fact that almost all dogs will suffer from arthritis as they get older.
What should be a happy, comfortable journey towards the end of their life becomes instead, one wracked with discomfort and pain.
It can be particularly upsetting for the owner who remembers their dog as a puppy with boundless energy, then as a young dog who couldn't wait to go for a walk or a run in the park. Who could chase a ball or a frisbee all day and then be right to do it all again the next day. Life was overflowing with things to do!
Now their dog can no longer jump into the car, walks stiffly and cries getting out of bed.
Fortunately, this can be treated with suitable dog arthritis medication.
Dog Arthritis Diet, Supplements and Medications
Dog Arthritis Diet
Even if you do choose to treat your dog with dog arthritis medication, you can also help with some changes to your dog's diet.
The most important factor to consider is your dog's weight. If your dog is overweight, it is creating extra strain on the joints, particularly those in the hip and the knee.
It's very easy to overfeed a dog. Their ancestors had to compete with the rest of the pack for every scrap of food and so their instinct is to eat as much as possible whenever it's available, because there are no guarantees about when they'll be fed again.
Of course, that's no longer true in a modern environment, where you have bought in a month's supply of food and will feed some to your pet every evening. Nonetheless, their instinct is to eat as much as they can. It's up to you, as the responsible adult in this situation, to control that.
How do you know how much to feed your dog?
That's easy. Feed them only good-quality dog food, such as Large Breed Beef, Vegies and Rice, Small Breed Dry Dog Food or Chicken in Broth Wet Dog Food and then be guided by their weight. If they are putting on weight, then feed them a bit less each meal. They might look at you quizzically as they finish, with a look that says "Are you sure that's the lot?" but their increased mobility will thank you.
And don't be tempted to make up the difference with treats or table scraps.
Dog Arthritis Supplements
There are also supplements that can help with your dog's arthritis, such as those containing glucosamine and chondroitin sulfates. These may be available on a prescription only basis, so you should seek your vet's advice.
Dog Arthritis Medications
If you are going to treat your dog's condition with dog arthritis medication, you must get it from a reputable company with excellent product reviews.
For that reason, I recommend ArthriEase-Gold from VetClassics. You can get it HERE.
CBD Oil (Hemp) to Treat Your Dog's Arthritis Pain
CBD Oil has taken the world by storm as a treatment for pain in both humans and animals.
CBD stands for Cannabidiol and is one of over 100 chemical compounds known as cannabinoids found in the hemp plant. It's not psychoactive, so it doesn't get either you or your dog "high". It's made by extraction from the plant and then dilution with a carrier such as coconut oil or hemp seed oil.
Please click here for Hemp Seed Soft Chews for Dog Joint Issues or Hemp Oil Liquid Calming Supplement.
Physical Therapies to Treat Your Dog's Arthritis
It's a Catch-22 situation, isn't it? Light physical exercise will help to improve your dog's mobility, but the pain of arthritis increases their reluctance
Dogs love walking, so your pet may be tempted into a slow walk despite the pain. It will help if you can give your dog something to ease the pain ahead of the walk but you may still need to walk slowly at a pace the dog is comfortable with.
One of the best exercises is swimming as it's not weight bearing on the joints.
Your vet may be able to recommend an animal hydrotherapy place that will have a warm lap pool. You can even leave a lead attached to your dog's collar while you walk and the dog swims. Dogs will generally look forward to these sessions and enter the water happily after a few trips. It can be a very successful adjunct to dog arthritis medication.
Dog Arthritis Medication to Manage Pain
As previously mentioned, CBD (Hemp) Oil is growing in popularity as a treatment to relieve the pain of arthritis. But you should always consult your vet. He or she will be familiar with all of the latest and current dog arthritis medication, both for prevention of the disease and for the management of pain caused by it.
There are also holistic therapies, which aim to treat the whole animal, rather than just targeting a specific condition.
These include acupuncture, acupressure, targeted pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and Chinese herbal medicines.
If you want to go down the track of holistic therapies, you should discuss them with your vet first. They are likely to be aware of reputable practitioners. Holistic therapies should always be regarded as an adjunct to dog arthritis medication rather than a substitute.