With one-fifth of all adult dogs suffering from arthritis, there are a good number of pet owners familiar with the signs of joint pain. Some conditions affect young dogs, so it’s never too early to know what to look for to stay one step ahead of chronic joint pain problems.
Arthritis also goes by a couple of other names, including osteoarthritis and degenerative joint disease. Regardless of the name, the pain is the same and many pet owners are looking for ways to give their dogs a better quality of life.
Some dogs are genetically cursed, so to speak, to grow into joint pain associated with arthritis, which is passed down through breeding. Some dogs were not properly exercised as puppies and developed some physical issues that wear down their joints, which also mimics joint pain associated with arthritis.
The tell tale signs of joint pain include slowness in getting up off the floor and into a sitting position or walking. Your pet might have a stiff gait as they first start walking after a nap or extended rest. Mostly, you’ll see that your pet is becoming less active. Many pet owners at first believe its just part of the aging process. A more likely possibility is that the dog is feeling pain while walking or running and chooses to remain motionless to avoid the pain.
The onset of arthritis and the joint pain associated with it can come on slowly and won’t grab your attention until quite late in the onset of the disease. Homes with stairs won’t slow down a healthy dog, but when arthritis begins to set in, dogs will avoid stairs at all costs because they are difficult and painful to negotiate. But there are steps you can take to keep your pet as happy as it can be as it progresses into chronic arthritis.
As always, the first step is to consult your veterinarian. They can determine how advanced the arthritis has become and what options you have in treating it. Not all joint pain symptoms are caused from arthritis. In some cases, it’s an injured ligament. In worse cases, it’s cancer. Many adult dogs become overweight, which is something that makes joint pain much worse. Putting your dog on a diet is a positive step toward taking away the pain.
Just because the dogs is in pain doesn’t mean it should remain on a comfortable cushion for the remainder of its years. Veterinarians actually prefer that the dog remain active, which keeps muscles strong and helps ease the wear and tear on joints.
Many companies are producing medications that ease the pain in the joints. ProLabs, offers FLEX Rx, which is made for dogs of all breeds and sizes and was made to maintain or improve the joint health of your pet. The proprietary ingredients ProLabs uses can ease the pain and bring some of the puppy back to your adult dog.
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