Osteoarthritis in Senior Pets

Osteoarthritis

Treating osteoarthritis as early as possible with a multi -modal approach is the key to help modulate the serious effects of this condition in pets. Controlling  the inflammation within the joint spaces is vital to the long-term control of this disease.

Weight management, exercise, and the use of nutraceuticals (Omega 3 (fish oils), particularly EPA & DHA have been shown by good scientific studies to be a vital base to OA therapy and are the first and most important steps to take . Emerging evidence is supporting the use of specific joint supplements in large breed puppies and very active dogs who are at increased risk.

Board certified veterinary surgeons, veterinarians well trained in nutrition and many general practice veterinarians support the use of therapeutically tested joint supplements. The human website Consumerlabs.com has some additional information.

Any additional body fat has been recently linked to making signs of OA worse in pets. Our ideal weight programs are specifically designed to help pets succeed in losing weight which which helps them feel better and live longer .

Regular exercise, especially non weight bearing exercise like swimming or the use of a specially designed underwater treadmill has also shown to be very effective in helping to ease the pain and keep the associated muscles strong and ligaments and tendons flexible.

If a pet is still painful we use Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs  (NSAIDS) llike Rimadyl (r) , Metacam (r)  and Previcox (r) and sometimes dorsal horn affecting drugs like amantadine & gabapentin to help after carefully evaluating organ function tests.

Our rehab service at 4 Paws offers myofascial work, massage,underwater treadmill, cryotherapy and therapeutic laser.

We treat each pet as an individual and make recommendations that we feel will be the most effective to bring  relief.

Our integrative approach can help senior dogs feel better and  cope with osteoarthritis more gracefully.

Prevention & early treatment is the key to good results!