A Word of Caution: Treating Dog Arthritis AND Dog Allergies Safely

When your dog has been scratching and nibbling the same area of skin for some time, he may be suffering from a skin infection or allergy. Common dog skin infections are usually caused by:

• Allergies. Some common allergens are pollen, mold, dust, and dust mites.
• Skin parasites. Fleas, ticks, gnats, chiggers, deer flies, and mites have bites that can irritate the skin.
• Fungi and bacteria. 

Treating skin problems such as parasites and infections caused by either fungi or bacteria can be simple. There are spot-ons, shampoos, soaps, powder, and ointments that can be bought over the counter, and are effective treatments. To treat dog allergies occasional or long term use of cortisone is the most common and effective way for settling down inflamed, itchy skin. This may be combined with antibiotics and insecticides. Although identifying the allergens would be a great help, the process can be difficult and frustrating. 

Cortisone is a potent anti-inflammatory steroid that will have an adverse reaction with non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Rimadyl and Metacam. In addition, prolonged steroid use also speeds up the process of dog arthritis.

Safe Treatment

To safely treat your dog that is suffering from both dog arthritis and skin allergies, the right thing to is to replace either NSAIDs or cortisone with another medication. I would recommend sticking with cortisone since there are many available treatments for dog arthritis (please read previous entries on the said topic) such as:

• Adequan or Cartrophen injections. These medications are known to improve joint mobility, neutralize damaging chemicals (enzymes) and stimulate cartilage cells.  They might help counteract the damage caused by the cortisone.
• Tramadol, painkillers, or analgesics.
• Fish oils with their Omega-3 are great for arthritis and skin problems.
• Anti-oxidants help protect cartilage cells against what is called oxidative stress.

If you want you could always tell your vet to forego with the cortisone treatments and look for other skin treatment alternatives such as cyclosporine or anti-histamines.

Dog owners should be aware of the medical history of their dog. This includes the medications that are being administered to your dog. In this way, you can prevent NSAIDs and cortisone being administered and search for alternate treatments that will provide your dog with the best treatment and quality of life he can get.

Treating Dog Arthritis AND Dog Allergies Safely (PDF)

Are Dog Arthritis Glucosamine Supplements Helpful?

Do not let your dog suffer from the pain of dog arthritis; you should try everything to make his life better. And one of those things you’ve been trying is glucosamine supplements for canines.

That’s terrific! Obviously you’re a caring pet owner, but before you go congratulating yourself, let’s check to see if those glucosamine supplements are really working.

In just five minutes I’ll be able to tell you everything you need to know about glucosamine supplements so you can decide whether or not you’re going to continue to use the supplement, or try something different.

 

Here are The Top 3 Questions Regarding Glucosamine Supplements

1.    When do I know if the glucosamine supplements are really helping?

2.    How much time before I see improvement once I begin giving my dog glucosamine supplements?

3.    What are the disadvantages as to why my dog might not benefit from these dog joint supplement drugs?

Now let’s discover the answers:

How to tell if the Dog Arthritis Glucosamine Supplements are actually Helping

Search for improvements regarding the following:

•    Mobility: frisky and limber

•    Lameness: limping less and willing to put more weight on his arthritic joints when standing, walking, running or jumping

•    Joint Licking: less joint licking and chewing

•    Behavioral Changes: aggression and tension dropped or lessened, or have a more friendlier attitude and a good appetite

You can pay to have a professional study conducted but don’t bother. You can observe these conditions yourself without spending a penny. For best results, keep a log of your dog’s activity during his performance on normal movements once per week for a two-three month period for actual results. This is how long it will take to accurately judge if your dog’s arthritis symptoms are improving or deteriorating.

What Time Length Should I Continue Administering the Glucosamine Supplements?

A two month minimum trial is required for the glucosamine supplements - it’s never a quick fix for dog arthritis. After two months, without any improvements consult your vet before discontinuing treatments. It’s a possibility that there maybe extenuating circumstances that should be identified such as cruciate ligament ruptures.

Your veterinarian can diagnose the cause of you dog’s arthritis and recommend other  treatments. The treatment could include dog glucosamine, but the vet may recommend several supplements and progressive treatments to help your pet. Continued observations on your part and consultations with your vet, can go a long way to relieving your dog’s painful arthritis condition.