Cartilage is what keeps the bones in your joints from rubbing together. When the cartilage breaks down it causes the function and movement of the joint to drastically reduce which can cause severe pain and stiffness.
The early signs to watch for if you think your dog may have arthritis are favoring a specific limb repeatedly, trouble when sitting or standing, not as active, stiffness in joints, reluctance to run or jump, and lethargy. As of now there is no cure for canine arthritis, but there are several good treatments.
Pain relieving lotions are one of the safest and best ways to ease your dogs pain. Your vet may also prescribe some medicine for any swelling and discomfort.
A new treatment that is now being used is dietary supplements. Glucosamine and Chondroitin have been found to be very helpful in reducing the degeneration of dogs bones due to canine arthritis and also aids in the reduction of any inflammation.
This combination attracts fluid into the cartilage between the joints, which is known to help the body repair damaged joints while keeping the enzymes which destroy the cartilage under control.
The most important thing you can do is to relieve your dog of any discomfort associated with canine arthritis so he or she can live a longer and more enjoyable life.
If you have noticed any of these signs mentioned above in your dog, be sure to make an appointment with your veterinarian so that you will have a better understanding of how to treat your dog if in fact he does have canine arthritis.
