Dog Arthritis Treatments

Arthritis in dogs is usually a disease that’s age related and is known to be one of the most common diseases in dogs. No matter what the age of your pet it can be affected, especially if they are over weight. Arthritis is more common in larger breeds that grow to more than 60 pounds, like Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Rottweilers and German Shepherds.

The pain your pet experiences from arthritis is because of the breakdown of cartilage surrounding its joints that cause extreme discomfort during movement.

Many pet owners have taken a preventative approach to try and fend off these age related issues of mobility and pain. If you want to start your pet on such a regimen it should be done before the get to be five. The usual supplements that you would give your dog would include Chondroitin and Glucosamine. They have been proven to help promote healthy joints in not only dogs, but humans too.

If your pet starts showing symptoms of arthritis you need to take steps to help control their pain quickly. Dogs are good at masking some of the symptoms of pain so when you see it’s painful for them, believe me it’s really bothering them.

The first thing that you must do is to identify these symptoms in your dog, and these may be hard to detect at first. These can include: slow movement, decreased motion, trouble in getting up, not wanting to run, sleeping more than normal and almost anything else that might be an indicator that your pet is feeling some discomfort. If your dog shows any of these signs you need to go to the Vet to have them examined.

If your pet is diagnosed as having arthritis your Vet will most likely prescribe an NSAID or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The most popular of these drugs are Rimadyl, Deramaxx, Metacam and Previcox. These medications are available only with a prescription. As with any prescription pain meds they may have certain side effects in your dog.

Many pet owners have worried about with the cost and side effects of the prescribed drugs and have looked for more tolerant and less costly alternative treatments. Many have found that natural supplements have shown to be an excellent way to relieve the pain of their pets arthritis.

My Lab Brandy was eleven when she started taking an NSAID. Other than the extremely high cost it was an effective medication and relieved her pain. Due to the amount of medication required for my 75 pound dog it was costing me over $100 a month to keep her medicated. This very costly treatment caused me to try and find an alternative treatment that was less expensive, but still provided pain relief with better mobility. I discovered that in a natural supplement that was both affordable and effective.

Don’t assume that high priced prescription medicines are the only answer. You also can find an affordable and effective natural arthritis dog treatment. I did and I was extremely happy with the results!

Games for Dogs: Family Fun

When you try to come up with games you can enjoy with your dog, The obvious choices come to mind: playing fetch and tug o’ war. Yes, these are the things that come naturally to most dogs, but don’t let your creativity be kept inside the box.

When playing fetch, add a twist to it. Make sure there are one or more obstacles in the way, to create a mental challenge as well. It must not be too difficult to pass, though, or else the dog might just give up and lose interest. If the toy thrown is a favorite, the dog will be much more motivated to get to it.

Instead of a stick, or ball, use a Frisbee. Many dogs find it great fun trying to catch it in mid-air, and it’s fun to watch - even for those sitting on the sideline. The Frisbee can easily be thrown a lot further than anything else, giving some extra exercise to those species that were bred to run around a lot.

Since dogs have a naturally keen sense of smell, why not use it to find something? You could hide a favorite toy, or a strong scented treat, to hide away. this makes for great fun, as you can see the dog using its capabilities, and the dog gets rewarded for its find.

When your kids are playing with the dog, be sure to keep a watchful eye. The kids, while enjoying themselves, do not pay enough attention to the dog’s behavior. The animal might start “playing rough” after a while, or in a moment of frustration or hurt, snap at someone. The line between playful and defensive is crossed, but the children fail to notice, possibly with severe consequences.

A great advantage of games for dogs, is the ability to incorporate obedience training into a game. This could range from having to sit upright, to releasing the ball or Frisbee, or sitting down. The dog is much more likely to remember something that seems to be “part of a game”.

Some “games” people play tend to be more of a game for the owner than for the dog. Although the dog is offered a lot of attention, the owner seems to be finding much more pleasure in playing. These include dress up games (which have become immensely popular nowadays), and “having a party for the dog”. While both of these involve plenty of human contact, which the dogs love, it lacks active involvement in the game.

When you need ideas for games for dogs, look no further than your own imagination. By simply observing the dog’s nature, and juggling a few variations, you will come up with some very executable ideas. All while exercising your dog.