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)

Do Supplements Work Against Dog Arthritis?

Dietary supplements are commonly used to treat dog arthritis. However not all dogs respond to such treatment. In cases where the damage is too extensive to the cartilage, supplements may no longer be helpful.

Dog arthritis is surprisingly common, about one in five dogs will suffer with it. Elderly and large dogs are especially susceptible. Dog arthritis causes deterioration of the joints, which can severely impact your dog’s quality of life.

Therefore you should observe your dog’s mobility and behavior - there may be signs that your dog is suffering from dog arthritis.

Listed below are some symptoms of the disease:

• lameness
• difficulty getting up after resting
• irritability
• licking at the joints by your dog

Supplements

More pet owners and vets are first opting for dietary supplements to treat dog arthritis, since they are made from natural ingredients. This makes them less toxic to your dog’s liver. They also work in the natural restoration of damaged cartilage.

In situations where the cartilage has been significantly damaged to the point where the two bones of the joint are in contact with each other, a more aggressive treatment is needed. However, supplements can still be of some use in this chronic stage of the disease since supplements can preserve what cartilage is left.

You know that a supplement is good when it contains chondroitin and glucosamine. Dasuquin contains the said components, plus avocado and soybean unsaponifiables which helps in cartilage protection and growth.

Adequan and cartrophen are other effective supplements. They are administered by injection and cartrophen is not available in the US.

Welactin is another good example of supplements. The supplement with its omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil can greatly reduce the inflammation.

When supplement don’t work on your dog, it’s probably best to use a more aggressive approach. Non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pain killers are medications that reduce the joint pain and swelling associated with dog arthritis.

Pet owners should realize that there is a variety of ways to treat dog arthritis. Giving supplements to their dogs can improve your dogs condition; nonetheless, people should remain open to other forms of treatment the your vet would suggest, if giving supplements is no longer sufficient.

Dog Arthritis Supplements (PDF)

Dance Steps toward Less Pain: Easy Dog Arthritis Physical Therapy

Another important aspect of dog arthritis treatment is physical therapy. For humans, physical therapy would mean repetitive movements with the help of a therapist or a machine, and can be very expensive and time consuming. However for dogs, it can be simple and enjoyable. 

Believe it or not, dancing with your dog is a legitimate type of physical therapy. Give it a try and be surprised at the amazing results. The following are the benefits of dance: 

• It helps their ability to bear weight on their hind legs

• It helps build muscle mass

• It helps improve your dog’s balance

By now you are wondering how such a fun, simple activity can help your pet overcome dog arthritis. The answer is simple, dancing is like exercising. When you dance with your dog, you hold their front paws, and your dog is forced to stand upright. This position adds more weight on the hind legs. When a muscle is used more, it gets stronger. This is good for your dog since the muscles surrounding joints protect them from wear and tear. Strong muscles in the hind legs mean healthier joints that are not easily injured.  

As mentioned, it is an unnatural position for dogs to stand upright. Therefore owners should take things slowly. Be very observant - look for when your dog is in pain or when your dog is getting tired. The objective here is to help and not to cause injury.

When dancing is done right your dog needs to concentrate on the movements.  As a result, your dog’s balance is improved and he will be able to familiarize himself with how you dance, anticipating the movements which will make him move with you in harmony!

So when you have decided to use dance therapy to treat dog arthritis, remember that dog dancing should be aimed at:

• Strengthening the joints. Standing on the back legs can be a helpful exercise for dogs with hind limb arthritis. The additional weight placed on the hind limbs will strengthen the muscles of the legs.

• Increasing muscle mass. Muscle mass is only increased through physical activity. With an increase in muscle mass, the joints are stable and less prone to injury. The increased muscle mass also protects the joints from wear and tear.  

• Improving balance. Dogs are not made to dance. It takes a lot of concentration for them to dance. However, with their focus sharpened their balance is greatly improved and they become more conscious of their movements. This can protect your dog from joint injuries that can worsen dog arthritis.  

Physical therapy will definitely help your dog overcome some of the pain related to dog arthritis. That is why dog owner should at least invest some of their time in administering physical therapy and dog dancing is a good place to start.

Dog Arthritis Physical Therapy (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.