Human Arthritis Medication May Work For Your Dog Too, Ask Your Vet


Do you notice your dog moving slower or having a reluctance to go up and down steps? It may be suffering from the early stages of arthritis.

Arthritis is brought on by simple wear and tear of your pet’s joints; they simply just wear out like human joint’s do.

Arthritis can begin very early in your pet’s life. It tends to run in families or lines of dogs. Often, the arthritis is not noticeable at an early age though because joints are tough and they repair themselves. As your pet ages, the joints repair becomes less and less successful at repairs.

Arthritis tends to develop sooner in bigger dogs. Also, if you avoid spade or neutering your pet at an early age, you can keep your pet leaner and therefore, less susceptible to arthritis later on in life.

There has been very little arthritis studies done in dogs because of the lack of funds. Most of the arthritis knowledge from vets has come from human arthritis studies. But, luckily for our dogs, there is very little difference in arthritis between humans and dogs. Our government invested $531.3 million in arthritis research in 2010.

According to the Miami Herald, since vets started using the human arthritis medications, it has increased the life of dogs by two or three years. If your dog shows signs of arthritis, check with your vet to see if arthritis medication is an option.

One of the main signs to look for is a reluctance to move about or jump up on sofas or couches. This soreness is most prevalent in the mornings or after your pet has been resting for a period of time. The more your pet moves, the less sore he becomes. Arthritis tends to be worse in overweight pets so make sure your pet is at his optimum weight and dampness or cold may make the arthritis worse.

What else can you do to slow down or delay the arthritis?

  • Watch your dogs diet. Feed him the amount that is recommended for his weight. Feed a high quality pet food. Do your research before getting a dog and find out what food is best. If your dog is already overweight, slowly reduce his food or feed him a low-calorie diet until his weight is under control.
  • Exercise your dog. This is very important. According to Ron Hines DVM PhD, walks or a period of interactive playtime delays the onset of arthritis.
  • Make sure your pet’s toenails are groomed properly. Over grown toenails are uncomfortable and make your pet’s running and walking gait distorted, which leads to early arthritis in his feet and legs.
  • If your pet already has arthritis, take him swimming a lot. Swimming is easy on the muscles and joints and it will give your pet the chance to exercise his joints without any excess stress or pain.
  • Give your dog a massage. A massage will help the circulation and your pet will love your touch and the attention you give it during the massage.
  • Make sure your pet has a warm, soft bed. A heating pad can be put under your dog’s bed to ease the pain of arthritis. Purchase a heating pad that will not go above 120 degrees. Make sure your pet has easy access to his bed. If it’s off the ground and your pet has trouble climbing steps, get him a ramp to give him easy access to the bed.

Arthritis affects a lot of dogs as they age, but you can slow down or delay the process by following a few simple steps. If you have a pet, treat him like family and make sure you do everything you can do to make his life as pleasant and happy as possible.

[image: via shutterstock]

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