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Arthritis

 

The clock and the calendar are enemies to all of us are they not? However persistent aging may be, it is not a disease and what you describe may be symptoms of some very common diseases. The first problem you mention may be one of the most common ailments of man and beast. And that''s arthritis. In many dogs, this is as a result of years of wear and tear on the cartilage lining of the joints. Typically, the hips, knees and elbows are affected. The cartilage is the slippery, rubbery coating that makes the bones move smoothly over each other. The cells that make this wonderful tissue unfortunately do not get a direct blood supply to feed them. They rely on the joint fluid to be sponged in and out of the cartilage with the day-to-day movement of the bones. When there is damage to the joint, the joint fluid changes and it does not carry nutrients to the cartilage cells as well. Over the long term, these cells can die and as a result, no new cartilage is formed and little repair is done to the damaged area. Bones begin to rub on each other. This hurts! Once this happens you now have osteo-arthritis or bony arthritis. This is not curable and is very painful. Now the good news! There are some new ways to prevent and to live with this old age companion.

 

Early Puppyhood Development

The arthritis of hips and elbows is becoming more and more preventable by optimal nutrition during the growing years. New puppy foods on the market are designed to allow the larger dogs to grow at a normal rate and to allow the bones and joints to develop normally. The traditional roly-poly puppies are usually growing too fast, putting excess strain on soft developing bones.

 

This can stretch joints like the "ball and socket" hip into more of a "ball and saucer". This grinding movement can lead to early arthritis often called hip dysplasia. If your dog is still young and growing, take action now and prevent years of discomfort and pain.

 

Cartilage Building

For most dogs, problems may not show during the growth phase, but the early warning signs could be there. Stiffness or pain following exercise, sudden limping that resolves in a few days, or a "bum leg" that gives out from time to time. For these dogs, the best prevention is to accurately diagnose the problem and take corrective action. In these joints, most often there is a structural problem leading to damage of the cartilage. One of the most exciting developments in the past few years is the awareness and availability of cartilage building nutrient supplements. Originally developed for race horses, these products can be given by injection or mixed with food. In animals with severe damage, a series of injections is usually most helpful. Almost all dogs will benefit from starting on the edible form. While the common form "Glucosamine Sulphate" is available in many places, "Glucosamine HCl" is purer and more effective. Because this is not a drug but a "neutraceutical", the regulations regarding quality control are not very stringent and one product is definitely not as good as the next.

 

Combinations with "Chondroitin Sulphate" or "Shark Cartilage" are also available and may have a beneficial effect over glucosamine alone. Generally, a higher dose is used initially to repair any damage and a lower dose for long term prevention. There are no known contraindications at this time, however, its effectiveness is blocked by most anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin.

 

A New Gain for Long Term Pain

Once the damage has been done to the extent that the bone is rubbing on bone, all that can be done is control the pain and inflammation. If the cartilage cells are gone, all the glucosamine in the world will not produce a healthy joint. Historically in humans and animals, aspirin (A.S.A.) has been a trusted partner in this respect. Unfortunately for dogs, the side effects are very common. Hemorrhage from the stomach and decreased blood flow to the kidneys can lead to bigger troubles for older dogs. These factors have limited the dose and duration of treatment so that many senior dogs have had to suffer in silence. Not any more! There are new anti-inflammatory drugs that do not have the same side effects at all and are even stronger at fighting the pain for these special friends. Meloxicam and Tolfenamic acid are two new products in this category. They are truly a breakthrough in the management of chronic pain.

January 29, 2009

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