 |
16396
Truman Road, Ellisville MO |
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
 |
 Arthritis
Treatment/Therapies
Fact: One
out of every five dogs will
experience Osteoarthritis at
some point in their life.
Unfortunately pets can’t tell
their owners if and where they
hurt. And even the most
well-meaning owner can fail to
recognize the signs of arthritis
pain by attributing them to old
age or simply slowing down.
Some of the common signs are:
- Decreased activity
- Reluctance to walk, run, climb
stairs or jump
- Stiffness
- Limping
- Difficulty rising after lying
down
- Lagging behind on walks
- Reluctance or inability to
stand on tile floors
Advances in medications have
allowed veterinarians to keep
more and more dogs pain free,
active and happy. It is
important, however to obtain an
accurate diagnosis of the source
of the pain and degree of
arthritis so the correct
medication can be chosen. The
best way to achieve this is with
a thorough physical examination
and radiographs (x-rays). This
will give your pet the greatest
opportunity to alleviate
arthritis pain. Since human
medications such as Ibuprofen,
Acetaminophen, and even aspirin
can cause significant side
effects and less pain relief,
here are some therapies that are
more effective.
Adequan
This is perhaps the miracle drug
of the ‘90’s. It is given much
like a vaccine and circulates
throughout the body distributing
itself to joints that are
arthritic. Because it is a
building block of cartilage,
which is the protective surface
of a bone within a joint, it
promotes new cartilage formation
which actually starts to repair
the damaged joint. Our
experience has been that Adequan
has an 85% - 90% effectiveness
rate as a single medication with
virtually no side effects except
an occasional sting when
injected.
NSAIDs - Rimadyl, Deramaxx,
Metacam
These new medications are
categorized, like aspirin, as
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. They are very effective
pain relievers that have an
unmatched safety level in dogs.
Side effects can include
vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea,
the same as those seen with
aspirin but to a much lesser
degree (only 1% - 4% depending
on the study). Unlike aspirin,
NSAIDs can be used for the long
term arthritic patient.
Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)
A somewhat “holistic” therapy
that removes one of the factors
associated with the pain of
arthritis; free radicals. By
removing these pain causing
molecules, pets will regain some
of their previous levels of
activity. It has no side effects
but seems to be most effective
for arthritic conditions
involving the neck or lower
back.
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Our doctors recommend Canine Hip
Dysplasia (CHD) screening x-rays
in nearly all breeds at an early
age. Screening for this disease
is done under anesthesia and can
be combined with any other
anesthetized procedure such as
the pet’s spay or neuter or
Dental Prophylaxis. The benefit
of diagnosing this disease at a
young age is that the pet can
begin therapies early on that
will postpone, and possibly even
prevent the painful symptoms of
CHD. For very young patients who
are already experiencing obvious
clinical signs of CHD, we offer
a surgical procedure called
Juvenile Pubic Symphysidesis
(JPS).
Preventive Care
There are therapies that can be
implemented early on in a dog’s
life to postpone or even promote
the symptoms of arthritis and
Canine Hip Dysplasia. For
example, we carry a prescription
diet called j/d for the
prevention of joint disease.
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
Serving the cities of Chesterfield, Ellisville,
Wildwood, Ballwin, Eureka, St. Albans, Manchester, West
County and
the greater St. Louis area since 1993.
Copyright 2012 © Manchester West
Veterinary Hospital. All rights reserved. |
| |
|
|
|
|
.jpg)
