Arthritis Can Lead To Many Other Problems in Pets
Arthritis Can Lead To Many Other Problems in Pets
Arthritis in pets, and their pet parents for that matter, is a common
condition. Pet parents may fail to take action for any one of a number of
reasons such as not wanting to subject their pet to harsh veterinary
medications, mistakenly believing it will improve on its own, or simply
thinking it is not enough a problem to justify the cost.
I totally
understand and have thought those same thoughts myself.
But the truth of the matter is that inactivity leads to a slate of
serious health problems in pets and pet arthritis is one of the most common
causes for reduced activity levels in pets.
What can go wrong?
*Debilitating arthritis leading to total immobility: This one is fairly
obvious but worth mentioning anyway. Arthritis (degenerative joint disease) is
the loss of cartilage and joint fluid which in turn leads to joint
degeneration. As degeneration advances bone spurs may form causing movement to
become so painful that pets keep their activity levels to a minimum. If the wear
and tear on the bone and joint are too severe all of the sudden movement may
become physically impossible leading to total immobility.
*Reduced immune system function: Research tells us that a healthy immune
system and activity levels go hand in hand. Since most arthritic pets are
older, and likely are already experiencing a decline in immune function, they
become vulnerable to a laundry list of disease some of which attack the joint
itself.
*Infections of the urinary tract: This one dovetails with immune system
function. Urinary tract infections in pets are generally caused by bacteria
entering through the urethra. When the immune system is strong bacteria is
eliminated and flushed before it has a chance to set up shop in the bladder.
But when a pet has any type of degenerative joint disease they move less, their
immune defenses weaken, which in turn leads to an increased chance of urinary
bacterial infection. Additionally older pets often have conditions that cause
the bladder to retain urine after creating a fertile breeding ground for the
invading bacteria.
*Depression: When a dog or cat can't do the things that make them happy,
or are needed to maintain their dignity, they may slip into depression.
*Aggression: Pain associated with pet arthritis may trigger a change in
personality. This can be a serious concern especially when children are
involved leading to tough choices for pet parents.
Pet Arthritis - What can be done?
There are a couple of ways to go when treating pet arthritis. The first
is to manage the main with one of the many pet pharmaceutical medication
available from your veterinarian. While these tend to be effective, at least
for a while, they only mask the pain and may in fact accelerate the damage to
the arthritic joint over time.
The second is one of the natural pet arthritis formulas which contain
multiple ingredients shown to be able to rebuild joint cartilage and increase
joint fluid over time. These have been shown to be very effective and have
gained an ever increasing amount of support for pet health experts in recent
years.
From my perspective the second option is by far the best option due to
the possibility of reversing the condition. That said, every pet parent should
get the facts, weight the risk reward equation, and ultimately make the
decision that suits them and their beloved pet the best.
What else? Other ideas that might help with arthritis in pets are weight
management, keeping painful joints warm on cold days and nights, and
considering alternative exercise options such as hydrotherapy; especially if
regular exercise is no longer a realistic option.
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