Thanks to the internet and the social groups out there now, I have been able to get in touch with many of my high school friends. Sometimes this is a wonderful thing but at other times all this does is serve as a reminder of why we stopped being close friends to begin with. There is usually a reason why certain people become lifelong friends and why some do not. That reason is usually obvious at the time but is usually forgotten over time. Well social media serves at times as a gentle, or not so gentle, reminder.
My friend Joe, who I recently met up with after twenty years of absence, was one of those friends that I lost touch with because of the hectic school load we both had combined with several moves around the country. On Sunday morning my recently-found friend called me to say good morning and to ask me a question about his dog “Lucky”. He proceeded to tell me that the vet told him that Lucky had a condition called “Medial Patellar Luxation” and prescribed a medication called Rimadyl. Rather than ask the vet at the time of the examination to explain the condition, Joe waited until 8 am Sunday morning to decide to call me and ask me. It’s always a pleasure to help out an old friend plus it gave me a good topic for this blog. Read More »
Arthritis is defined as inflammation of a joint.This inflammation often causes pain or swelling. There are several types of arthritis that dogs and cats can develop, the most common being osteoarthritis. The hip and shoulder joints are usually the most affected. When cartilage starts wearing away, the bone becomes exposed; the bone has nerves and when that rubs against another bone the result is pain and inflammation. Osteoarthritis sometimes occurs as a result of normal wear and tear when the dog gets older but sometimes it is caused by some other condition that alters the joints and makes them susceptible, such as hip or elbow dysplasia. Read More »
Joint pain and/or inflammation are some of the most common signs seen in pets with musculoskeletal disease. Discomfort in the joints can have many causes ranging from traumatic injuries, infections including tick born diseases such as Lyme disease or Ehrlichiosis, or fungal infections. In young pets, congenital joint disease, including hip dysplasia also may be involved. In middle-aged and older pets, autoimmune and degenerative diseases of the joints are common, especially diseases of the stifle joints, including luxating patellas and torn cruciate ligaments (known as a torn ACL).
Clinical signs of joint pain may include swelling and tenderness of the joints, as well as cracking of the joints on movement. Varying degrees of lameness and limping, stiffness and limb weakness also may be seen. Many pets with infectious or inflammatory conditions of the joints may develop fever, lethargy, and loss of appetite. Other pets with severe joint pain may be reluctant to jump, or go up and down stairs, as well as have a reluctance to play or move around. In pets with signs of severe and/or chronic joint pain, a full veterinary diagnostic workup is recommended so that proper treatment can be implemented.
The last secret of pain is yet to tell.
Pain is heaven and also pain is hell.
Pain is north pole, pain is south pole.
In our life pain plays an important role.
~ Ramesh Kavdia
There are few things more upsetting than watching a pet that used to jump from the bed to the couch, jump in and out of the pool, run up a flight of stairs, and chase a ball for hours all of a sudden develop joint pain and can now hardly move. I have personally taken many phone calls from teary eyed owners who just don’t know what to do to stop the suffering. When I hang up after one of those calls I usually just stare at the phone for about 5 minutes in silence and try my best to come to terms with the role of suffering and pain in the bigger scheme of things. I always believed that if someone can feel such great compassion for a pet they must have a great big heart with lots of love residing in it. Today I will discuss Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia, and some pros and cons of the various medications that are used to treat these very painful disorders.
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| Joint problems are very common in dogs and cats. There can be a wide variety of causes from genetic malformations, traumatic injuries, infectious causes, to degenerative and immune mediated joint diseases. Veterinarians often manage joint problems in pets through a combination of prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as Rimadyl, Deramaxx or Previcox, as well as other types of pain medications such as prescription Tramadol. |
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There are many other additional supplements you can add to help lessen symptoms and pain associated with joint disease in our pets. Omega 3 fatty acid supplements such as Be Well, Missing Link or Nordic Naturals can reduce inflammation and help restore joint function long term. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements such as Super Joint Enhancer and the Glyco-Flex products can also help lubricate and restore joint function. Natural antioxidants and anti-inflammatories such as Proanthozone and Yucca Intensive can also help reduce pain and inflammation. In addition, holistic treatment options such as homeopathy, chiropractic and acupuncture can also help painful arthritic pets.
Have you found a joint product to be especially helpful for your dog or cat? If you haven’t tried joint supplements on your pet, is it something you would consider using?
| Similar to us humans, as pets age they may need supplements to help them stay active and healthy. When it comes to a pet’s joint health, Super Joint Enhancer is a wonderful glucosamine, chondroitan and MSM supplement that I’ve found to be an excellent economic alternative to more expensive supplements of its type often sold at veterinary offices. |
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Super Joint Enhancer has performed wonderfully for me in helping maintain healthy joints in aging pets, plus pets seem to love the beef and pork chewable formulation. Super Joint Enhancer is also available in several forms including soft chews and a liquid for finicky pets. Common concerns from pet owners have included whether it was safe to use super joint enhancer with other prescription medications used for arthritis, and in most cases the answer is certainly yes. Other concerns include whether the product may cause weight gain and/or aggravate sugar control in diabetic pets, and while both are possible, I have not personally seen these to be major problems in pets on this supplement. The only other rare side effect I have seen is occasional diarrhea
Do you give your pets joint supplements? If so, which brand? Do you find them to be helpful for your pet’s joints? Or if you’ve given your pet Super Joint Enhancer, tell us what you think!
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There is nothing more frustrating for pet owners than to see their older pets have difficulty moving because of stiff arthritic joints or spinal disease. Even younger pets that develop arthritis secondary to ligament tears such as cruciate ligament tears or exposure to tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease, may develop signs of painful movement and lameness.
That is when great joint products such as Glyco-Flex by Vetriscience can dramatically alleviate symptoms in many pets. The main ingredient in this product, Perna, has been studied in human medicine for years, and can dramatically help pets with painful or swollen joints. |
Perna is naturally high in glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate and is also combined with MSM in many of the Glyco-Flex lines for additional relief of joint discomfort. Depending upon the severity of joint issues, product options include Glyco-Flex I, II or III. Side effects are rare but may include diarrhea and/or vomiting.
Before giving any glucosamine product to a diabetic pet, the pet’s veterinarian should first be consulted. If Glyco-Flex alone does not help alleviate symptoms, than one can try other natural supplements like Proanthozone, Yucca Intensive, or prescription medications such as Tramadol or other nonsteroidal anti inflammatory medications such as Metacam or Rimadyl.
When giving this product to their pets a client may ask why the product has a strong fish smell. That’s because Perna is actually the green lipped sea mussel, but it certainly is a tasty mussel for most dogs, and one that can offer dramatic symptomatic relief in most pets.
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Arthritis means inflammation of the joints and such inflammation can have many potential causes from genetic anatomic defects such as hip dysplasia, infectious diseases such as tick-borne Lyme Disease, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Ehrlichiosis, to various lupus-like immune caused inflammation of the joints. Any of these potential causes can result in varying degrees of swelling, heat and painful stiff movement of affected joints. |
What’s interesting to note is that many of these conditions can shift from one joint to another. Various ligament or tendon instabilities of certain joints such as patella luxations and cruciate ligament rupture can result in arthritis long term if not treated appropriately. Differentiating these various conditions usually involves a veterinary workup and exam as well as possibly x rays, blood testing or obtaining samples of joint fluid of affected joints. Depending upon the severity and cause of the arthritis will dictate treatment from surgical correction, to the use of antibiotics such as Doxycycline, as well as prescription anti inflammatory pet medications such as Previcox or Rimadyl, or cortisone. Supplements can often be helpful here as well, including Super Joint Enhancer, omega 3 fatty acids and the antioxidant Proanthozone. While jumping off beds and sofas can potentially worsen the condition, 1800petmeds has wonderful accessories such as pet steps and ramps which can help painful arthritic pets.
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Clients are often asking if there are alternatives to some of the expensive prescription nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs such as Rimadyl or Previcox that their veterinarians often prescribe for acute or chronic joint or back pain. While such drugs have truly enhanced the quality of life of most pets in terms of pain relief, client concerns about expense and safety of long term use of such drugs often lead them to explore other alternatives. |
In most cases a multi-prong approach to chronic joint pain is best utilizing both the best of conventional medicine, as well as complimentary medicine and nutritional supplements. Often the chronic use of glucosamine/chondroitin joint supplements to help restore function to inflamed joints allows us to use lower doses of prescription medications in many cases. Supplements such as Super Joint Enhancer or Glyco-Flex often work wonders in my experience. The important points to remember about any joint supplements are that they often take weeks to a few months for maximal benefit.
Other supplements to consider include omega 3 fatty acids such as Super Pure Omega 3, as well as the antioxidant Proanthozone, which can act to decrease inflammation and free radicals involved in arthritis and joint pain. I have also found Yucca Intensive helpful, as well as the product dog gone pain. As with any nutritional supplements, it is always important to consult with a veterinarian first before beginning any such regimen, as sometimes there can be drug/supplement interactions, or your pet may need an exam and/or blood work first, especially if they are already on prescription medicines.
Many times I will often start with nutritional supplements for joint pain and then add the prescription meds later if response is not adequate. There are also other complimentary medicine modalities available such as acupuncture or chiropractic, which can be tremendously helpful along with appropriate medical therapy or sometimes instead of for those clients who prefer a more natural approach. .
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With the arrival of cold weather there are certain health issues that can become more prominent in some pets. As discussed in another post, colder temperatures can cause some dogs and cats to experience arthritis pain and stiffness which can become more intense and problematic. Especially with small dog breeds, we also need to be aware of excessive exposure to ice cold weather leading to loss of body heat and potential low body temperature (known as hypothermia) or frostbite with excessive exposure to frigid weather conditions. |
I always recommend that animal guardians use coats on particular the smaller breeds to help keep their core temperatures warm. Symptoms of hypothermia can include weakness, collapse, and occasionally hair loss and ulceration on thinly haired areas of the extremities. It is important for animal guardians with outdoor living dogs and cats to make sure to provide adequate and insulated areas of housing and shelter. Another problem seen in the winter months is potential exposure of pets to antifreeze. The source can be old leaky cars, or if pets have access to where these products are stored.
Acute kidney failure can occur on ingestion of these products, so it is important to minimize potential exposure. Guardians with outdoor cats also should be warned that many outdoor cats will prefer to be inside during the winter months, and if not given access to an indoor shelter, will often hide in the engines of parked cars in their efforts to become warm. And with the arrival of snowstorms and ice, not only do we need to be careful in walking our pets on slippery icy surfaces, but also with potential exposure of dogs to the salt used on roads and cement surfaces, which can cause irritation, inflammation and infection of the paw pads.
