Your Dog Is In Pain - What Do You Do

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There’s nothing worse than having to watch your pooch suffer from arthritis pain. You can tell by the look in their eye they hurt. Chances are you desperately want to do something to ease their misery. The good news is there are things you can do to slow

As a matter of fact any breed, age or size of dog can get arthritis. It is not very clear as to why the dogs get arthritis, but as believed by many experts it is an autoimmune disease. What it means in simple words is that the body starts to fight against its immune system.

The cartilage is inclined to break down when the pet develops arthritis. The opaque connective tissue which is present between bone and joints is known as the cartilage and it protects them. It is also present in the ankle joint, hip and knees of the dogs. Feet or spine can also be affected by arthritis. With the wearing off of the cartilage there is pain, stiffness and swelling as the bones hit against each other.

The signs of arthritis in dogs include:

The dog finds it difficult to stand, sit or move from the bed or floor  Some limbs are effected  Reduction in activity, extra sleep, no interest in playing  Gaining weight  Alteration in approach or behavior  Looking stiff with tender joints  The joints are inflamed

In recent years, scientists have been studying Glucosamine as a way to treat arthritis in dogs. Glucosamine is a glucose molecule produced naturally in the body. Its job is to fuel cartilage cells to produce the proteins that hold joint tissue together. As dogs age, they are less able to produce glucosamine, which causes the cartilage to wear down and stiffen.

An element which is understood to hold back the enzymes which harm the cartilage is known as Chondroitin. Two important components to keep the joints healthy are Glucosamine and chondroitin. They have the capability to defend as well as invigorate cartilage tissues when they are together.

In a clinical trial conducted in 1998, rats were given injections to induce arthritis. They were then divided into two groups. One group received glucosamine and chondroitin, while the other group received no treatment. Only 54 percent of the glucosamine/chondroitin group developed arthritis symptoms, as opposed to 96.5 percent of the untreated group.

It is seen that the supplements of Glucosamine and Chondroitin also help in the treating dogs with signs of secondary arthritis. The most known cause for this kind of arthritis is when a pet has had injury or surgery. According to data collected if a combine of these two drugs is given it will decrease the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs to a great extend.

You can give your dog a supplement of Glucosamine/Chondroitin from an early age and it has no side effects as per research. It is a good idea to check this with your veterinarian to be sure that it is good for your pet.