Arthritis In Dogs - Tips To Prevent This Crippling Canine Disease
Arthritis is one of the most common health problems a dog will face. In fact at least 1 in 5 dogs will develop this debilitating disease. Degradation of bone and cartilage is what we call osteoarthritis and is the most common issue in dogs. Since cartilage has no nerves, the damage can progress with no outward signs until the joint is severely affected and the lubricating fluid (synovial fluid) has thinned and lost its ability to protect the bone surfaces. The joints then becomes inflamed and painful.
It might occur in your dog neck, shoulders, hips, elbows and back and can be extremely painful. Thus, it becomes necessary that you remain aware of the subtle changes in your dog behavior for an early diagnose of the disease. Identifying early indicators of the disease can save a lot of pain and discomfort for your dog. It will also help you to avoid fatal repercussions associated with long-term joint degeneration. It’s important to recognize the symptoms of dog arthritis and begin treatment early, to slow the progression and help preserve your dog’s quality of life.
While it’s impossible to completely prevent this disease, there are steps you can take to keep your dog from being completely debilitated by it. The first step is to keep your dog fit and healthy. This means keeping them at a healthy weight with the correct amount of exercise. Extra weight on dogs increases the pressure on their joints & causes damage. A moderate level of exercise has the same benefits for dogs that it has for humans. It keeps their bones strong, their muscles conditioned, and their joints proper lubricated.
Arthritis in dogs can be relieved by going to the vet and the pharmacy. There are medications that the vet will prescribe to ease the pain that the dog feels. Although these medications will make the dog feel a lot better, they will not be able to totally eliminate arthritis in dogs. The drugs for a dog with arthritis are sometimes costly and may have some side effects.
Arthritis doesn’t have to slow your dog down, take steps when they’re younger to prevent the irreversible damaged caused by arthritis. Just like in humans, glucosamine is the main component of cartilage in dogs. When taken as a supplement for canine arthritis, Syn-flex glucosamine helps rejuvenate the cartilage of the dog that was damaged by the ailment. Syn-flex also contains chondroitin sulfate, which works together with glucosamine by attracting and trapping liquids that will provide lubrication to the joints. Both glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are produced naturally by the dogs system, but its production gradually lessens as the dog advances in age, just like with humans.
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