As a trainer I see dogs of all ages and one thing I am asked about a lot is what can be done for Arthritis. I suggest seeing your veterinarian and working out a good treatment plan with them. But, The Bark put out a great article on this very topic that has some very helpful tips and suggestions. Please remember, you should ask your vet what is best for your dog. All the suggestions below are suggestions to treat arthritis in a general case, this of course is not taking your dog's specific health into consideration.
As
our pets age, you may begin to notice subtle changes in their movement,
such as having a little difficulty going up or down the stairs, or
seemingly slow to rise from a comfortable laying position. These can be
early signs of arthritis, and early intervention is critical to slowing
progression of the disease. I am currently experiencing this “slow
down” with my 11 year old Dobie, and I thought it would be good to share
some suggestions that you, too, can consider if you have a pet that is
living with some degree of arthritis.
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Like any lifestyle change, one of the most important things to do
first is to ensure that there are no other causes for the changes you
are seeing in your pet. An intermittent and subtle slow down can be
caused by many things, such as a low thyroid level or even a slowly
bleeding tumor on the spleen. X-rays, a urine sample and blood work are
important to ensure the overall health of your pet before starting any
treatment plan.
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Today, there are a number of effective pain medications that are
available to our pets, and a multi-modal approach to pain management is
the best way to go. By using pain medications that address various pain
pathways, you get more complete and synergistic pain management while
actually using lower doses of medications. A cornerstone of arthritis
management is a non-steroidal anti inflammatory, or NSAID. This provides
excellent pain management in the early stages of arthritis, and then as
the disease progresses, additional “layers” of pain management can be
“added on.” These medications include such options as gabapentin,
tramadol, and amantadine, with each one working to enhance the other.
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Adequan is another medication that has been used in pets with
degenerative joint disease or traumatic events such as a torn cruciate
ligament. It works to help slow down the rate of decay of cartilage as
well as stimulate new collagen and hyaluronic acid, a lubricant in
joints. This is an injectable product that can be taught to be given at
home underneath the skin and is initially given twice weekly for three
to four weeks and then, once monthly. By the fifth or sixth injection,
most pet parents usually see a more comfortable and agile pet.
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Supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin and omega-3 fish oils
are good additions to managing arthritis changes. These supplements
provide your pet's joints with building materials to help rebuild their
cartilage and decrease the inflammation in the joints. Supplements are
not an overnight fix, and they generally take at least six weeks before
improvements can be seen. Products can be purchased over-the-counter and
do not need to be labeled specifically for pets. However, not all
nutrapharmaceutical products are FDA regulated, and there is quite a bit
of discussion with regards to bioavailability between various brands;
this is a case where cheaper is not always better and I would recommend
purchasing only high quality and trusted brands. Your veterinarian can
make recommendations for you. The standard dose for
glucosamine/chondroitin is approximately 10 mg per pound of body weight
once a day, for which you can round up or down to make tablet division
or multiplying easiest. For example, a 20-pound dog could take half of a
500 mg tablet daily (250 mg), even though its “recommended” dose is 200
mg. Also, when you are considering fish oil, you want to be sure to
base it on the omega-3 concentration of EPA. The dose is 20 mg EPA for
every pound of body weight once daily, and for example, our 20-pound dog
would need 400 mg EPA daily.
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Another area of extreme importance is your pet’s body weight. I have
to admit, I am a little guilty of letting this area slip and my boy and
I recently went through a five-pound weight reduction program (I
couldn’t let him “suffer” alone). How can you tell if your pet is a
little too chubby? You should be able to easily feel your pet's ribs and
backbone beneath the skin; if you cannot, then your pet may be
overweight. Excessive weight is an added burden for already compromised
joints, and you may be amazed how much better your dog will feel simply
by shedding a few pounds. I can already see a difference in the way
Bauer prances around.
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Continued activity is also important—the old adage, “if you don’t use
it, you loose it,” holds true for our pets, too. Working to keep up
your pet’s muscle mass through activity can help provide stability and
flexibility to joints. Low-impact exercise is best, such as long walks
and swimming, and both are highly encouraged.
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There are also newer concepts of arthritis management. One such
treatment is known as Stem Cell Therapy. This is a procedure in which
adult stem cells are injected into the arthritic joints, or into damaged
ligaments and tendons, to aid in healing and repair. While continued
studies are still needed, there are many reports of pets responding well
and this therapy holds promise. Joint replacement is a surgical
therapy and has been proven to be very successful. As an example, 95% of
canine patients with hip replacement can return to normal function.
There has also been the development of dedicated rehabilitation centers
for pets, which are becoming more widely available as the demand for
options grows.
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Trained professionals can offer additional treatments
such as hydrotherapy, acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, physical
therapy, cold laser therapy, and pulsed signal therapy. Complementary
treatments can offer your pet a complete approach to management of its
arthritis, and many of these singular modalities, such as acupuncture,
are often offered by veterinarians in general practice. These newer
approaches to arthritis management are areas that I can discuss in
greater detail in another blog, if there is any interest. Let me know!
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