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| Three Steps to Managing Osteoarthritis in Dogs Posted: 14 Aug 2009 09:28 AM PDT
But what if that is not the case? What if you adopted an older dog that was overweight and lame from the effects of hip dysplasia? What if your dog suffered an orthopedic injury involving one of his joints? In these cases you'll have to deal with the secondary effects which in many cases means dealing with the pain and suffering associated with arthritis. Most veterinarians would agree that the best approach is multi-modal. That's vet speak for therapy that relies on a combination or treatments or modalities. There are some new and exciting investigational approaches to arthritis under study. A couple of the most interesting new ideas include stem cell therapy and low level laser therapy. While these areas are explored the standard approach used by most vets includes nutrition, pharmaceuticals and rehabilitation. Nutritional intervention involves two components. Weight loss and the use of anti-inflammatory nutraceuticals are the most commonly used tactics. Weight loss is important for two reasons - excess weight puts more force and stress on already damaged joint surfaces. This results in more inflammation, more joint damage and a progression of clinical signs. Weight loss reverses this trend. Achieving a healthy body condition is important to the overall success of therapy. Excess body fat also contributes to the overall inflammatory process. Fat cells produce pro -inflammatory substances that can contribute to the pain of arthritis. Weight loss results in an overall reduction in the level of inflammation. Omega 3 fatty acids and glucosamine are also important aspects of arthritis management. Some diets contain both and some diets are specifically formulated with omega thee fatty acids for dogs with arthritis. Studies show that these diets are effective in reducing inflammation and the pain associated with arthritis. Glucosamine is also beneficial in joint repair and pain reduction according to some studies. I take glucosamine and omega threes every morning and I'm still back packing and biking like I was 30 years ago. That's what we call anecdotal evidence by the way. Pharmaceuticals; primarily non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), are also valuable especially in managing acute pain. If a dog comes into a clinic limping and in obvious pain there is a role for these drugs but in many cases that role can be short term. An acutely lame dog needs pain relief and rest and usually three weeks of both will do the trick. Long term NSAID usage is indicated in some cases where nothing else works but in most cases where the multi modal approach is successful they are not needed long term. The third leg of therapy is exercise. Use it or lose it is my mantra. Exercise helps with weight loss and it helps maintain joint flexibility. Joints that are exercised are actively taking in nutrients and moving out waste products that can lead to inflammation. You don't want to make your dog run five miles a day, but it's best to keep them active with daily walks. Gradually work up to something meaningful for both of you. A walk outside to take a pee and then back in to lay around until he has to pee again is not really exercise. Keep an eye on your best buddy for subtle signs of joint pain. If you notice that your dog seems slow in getting up or is reluctant to go up stairs he may be trying to tell you something. Maybe he doesn't jump up anymore or maybe he's not sleeping on the bed or the couch. Those can be early indicators of osteoarthritis. The earlier you recognize the problem the better. Early intervention means slower progression and longer pain free life. It also means you don't have to pull out the drugs as early or as often. In my mind it's always better to control problems with diet and natural substances like fatty acids and glucosamine. Leave the NSAIDS for when you really need them. |
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