is arthritis affecting your pooch
Is Arthritis Affecting Your
Pooch? How natural remedies can help
ARTHRITIS IN DOGS IS all too common these days. It is thought that maybe one in every five dogs is struck with arthritis, and it appears to be one of the most often seen health issues by vets. Because dogs have a tendency to ignore pain and discomfort unless
it is severe, the symptoms can easily go unnoticed in the early stages. This is where herbs can come into play perfectly as they can help maintain a healthy muscular skeletal system, help reduce inflammation and increase circulation.
POSSIBLE SIGNS OF ARTHRITIS IN YOUR DOG Observe your dog when he gets up from sleeping – does he
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look stiff? Disinterested in chasing a ball?
Difficulty walking up and down stairs Difficulty getting in and out of the car Loses his balance and stumbles a lot Constant licking of affected area
Cries in pain or sensitivity to being touched All of these are possible signs of arthritis and need your
attention. Herbs can have an amazing affect on the body and are definitely worth considering. Herbal treatments are used for a variety of reasons, including: Often safer and more gentle than conventional treatments such
as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or corticosteroids to treat arthritis
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• Minimal, if no, side effects compared to conventional
treatments Able to be fed long term
Often they are much more affordable for long term use
CAUSES OF ARTHRITIS Certain dogs appear to be more likely to develop arthritis. Broadly
speaking you can say that large breed dogs such as Retrievers, Labradors or Great Danes are more prone because they have more weight on the joints. Problems with immunity or an animal being overweight are other common causes for arthritis. This causes inflammation of the joints and general pain in the animal. Bulldogs generally have terrible hips and a lot of the larger breed
dogs such as German Shepherds also have poorly formed hips and have a tendency to develop hip dysplasia. Certainly this is not guaranteed though, but merely a possibility to watch out for. There is still no cure for arthritis, which makes it all the more
important to try and prevent it happening in the first place. The earlier you start feeding preventative foods the better. Herbs such as Devil's Claw, which is an anti-inflammatory herb can
be hugely beneficial for a dog who is starting to show signs of arthritis. It is also a pain killer and seems to work very nicely with animals. There are of course steroids available from your vet such as
Prednisone and other corticosteroids, which will definitely reduce the swelling and inflammation, but using these long term can have their own problems so it is wise to do some research.
