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Dealing with Severe Dog Arthritis

October 22, 2010

The quality of life of your dog can really be affected by dog arthritis - when it has progressed to an advanced stage the pain can be unbearable. At this stage your dog wouldn’t be able to move much and would have little or no quality of life.

When arthritis becomes severe, no amount of simple home or veterinary treatment will be enough. Hence, the following options may be suggested by your veterinarian.

Arthrodesis

Arthrodesis is a surgical procedure that fuses two bones together with a metal plate, removing any remnant of the cartilage, and then packing the space left with bone grafts. Unfortunately, this procedure is not useful in every joint - it only work in the lower joints of your dog such as the wrists (carpii) and ankles (hocks).

Amputation

Amputation poses great problems especially when your dog is quite aged. In most cases arthritis affects numerous joints, hence when one leg is removed, pressure becomes greater on the remaining joints, making the arthritis in these joints worse. The option of amputation needs to be carefully discussed with your veterinarian

Euthanasia

Ending your dog’s life to relieve the pain is something that no pet owners want to face. However, when all realistic options have been exhausted you will be left with little choice. This will never be easy but it can be a sad yet dignified affair - the last caring thing you can do for your much loved dog.

Dealing with severe arthritis is something I hope you never have to face. There is a lot you can do before dog arthritis gets to this point. Feed your dog with the right food and in the right amount. Find time to give him the physical exercise that he needs. Try joint supplements and visit your veterinarian for advice. Very simple things can make a very big difference to reduce the risks of dog arthritis.

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Miraculous Weight Loss Treatments for Dog Arthritis?

When you take control of your dog’s weight, you help lower the pain and swelling associated with dog arthritis. It is the single most important thing you can do! With weight management, diet and exercise are the two key components. However losing weight the traditional way requires a lot of time and effort, so some look miracle fixes.

There are some vitamin supplements that may function to manage your pet's weight. None of them are fully effective.

The most frequently administered food supplements appear below:

• DHEA (DeHydroEpiAndrosterone)

• Slentrol

• L-Carnitine

• Green tea extract

• Chromium

• Chitisan and other fat absorbing drugs

DHEA (DeHydroEpiAndrosterone)

DHEA has no serious negative effects, and it does generate excellent results in some dogs. When it is effective, DHEA helps to lessen the amount of fat accumulated in your dog’s system. It also has these additional results when given in 5-25mg daily doses:

• Promotes muscle development even though its anabolic activity is around 1/50th of traditional anabolic steroids.

• Helps reinforce the immune system and is thought to lower the likelihood of cancer.

• Raises the benefits of insulin and assists nutrient distribution from the blood into the body’s cells which promotes weight loss.

Slentrol

This is a prescription medicine. It traps fats in the intestines, making your dog feel full and eat less. Research by the manufacturer, Pfizer, pointed out a 12% weight loss over 4 months without dieting.

Slentrol is a controversial drug that does not always give good results and raises some lifestyle issues for dogs. However you may consider using it in these conditions:

• If you feed your dog doggie snacks.

• Your dog’s metabolism does not foster weight loss.

Multi-dog households where dogs share common meals.

Immobile dogs where exercise (at least initially) is just not an option.

L-Carnitine

This is an amino acid with properties comparable to a vitamin. It promotes fat metabolism and energy production. Scientific reports reveal that L-Carnitine assists with weight loss and muscle mass maintenance in some dogs.

Green Tea Extract

One of the components of green tea extract is Epigallocatechin gallate (a type of catechin) that has shown to lessen obesity in mice. It performs by decreasing energy absorption and increasing fat consumption (oxidation). Avoid the human variety as it may contain caffeine.

Chromium

Vets disapprove the use of chromium since studies have revealed its inefficacy in weight management.

Chitisan

Chitisan is produced from shellfish and introduces fiber to the body. It is believed to bind fats and prevent them from entering the bloodstream, but its results have not been fully tested. Like Chromium, Chitsan has fallen out of favor in the last 5 years among vets.

So What is the Miracle Weight Loss Cure?

Unfortunately, there are no instant miracles in terms of weight loss. However, having the right diet, a good amount of exercise, and the use of a weight loss supplement, your pet will experience gradual but persistent weight loss which will lessen the pain and swelling caused by dog arthritis.

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