Joint pain and arthritis affect every other cat or a dog in their middle age to senior years. Constant pain has a negative effect on their quality of life both mental and physical. Is there anything you can do to relieve his or her pain? Keep reading as we did some research for you.
Joint Pain in Pets: What’s the Cause
Generally, arthritis or severe joint pain in pets is an abnormal change in joints. Petmd defines arthritis as a “degenerative joint disease, which occurs when a joint is unstable causing the bones to move abnormally within the joint. Cartilage lines the joints acting as a barrier between bones. Over time this abnormal movement erodes the cartilage and bone begins rubbing against bone creating chronic inflammation and pain”. That even sounds painful.
Unfortunately, arthritis is not curable and most often an early treatment is a key to lower pain progression and disease in the future. If an animal won’t receive the efficient treatment it will continue to lose its cartilage and as a result, might need surgery in the future.
So how can we know if the pet is prone to have arthritis? Let’s see.
Which Pets are More Prone to Arthritis?
As we mentioned before preparedness and awareness is the key. That might mean some dogs or cats need more attention to their joint health than others. The most common contributing factors for arthritis and joint pain in pets are age, breed and abnormal weight.
Age. Even though arthritis is a more common senior or older dogs’ illness, it might affect the youngest too.
Breed. Sadly, some breeds are more prone to arthritis than others. Especially large dogs such as Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers and German Shepherds. Those breeds are more prone to hereditary or congenital conditions which can result in arthritis.
Abnormal weight. Overweight pets have a higher risk to develop respiratory and heart problems as well as arthritis and joint pain. Read our previous article on how to know if your pet is overweight and what is a natural solution for obese dogs.
Accidents or trauma. If your pup got in an accident, make sure he has enough time and treatment to heal his joints. Bad traumas to cartilage caused by accidents can lead to arthritis later and can significantly affect the mobility of the dog.
Infection. In rare cases, but it is still possible that infection can hurt the joint tissue causing arthritis in the future.
Symptoms of Joint Pain in Pets
As any other disease arthritis can be mild or severe. That’s why the symptoms might vary depending on the severity of the condition. The most common and recognizable signs of arthritis in dogs and cats include:
- Swollen joints
- Lameness
- Licking the joint area
- Cracking when the joint moves
- Pet is slow to rise from a resting position
- Appetite dis-balance
- Irritation
- Restless and anxious
- Panting or whining
- The pet refusing to walk, climb stairs or jump
Prevention
If you know your pet is prone to have arthritis or have a mild sign of a joint pain there are few things you can do to prevent a severe condition development or at least postpone it.
The first and most important step is daily exercise. Talk to your vet about which exercise works best for your doggo and how often to follow the regime. Proper physical exercises can release muscle tension and mild joint pain.
Second is a diet. Healthy eating habits will keep your pet fit and less prone to develop pain in the joints. While protein food is very important for animals you can also include such ingredients as celery, ginger, mango, papaya, blueberries, kale and foods packed with omega 3. Please, avoid any processed food and preservatives.
Treatment
There are a few tests your pet needs to follow to be diagnosed with arthritis before any treatment can start. The veterinarian may recommend some of the following antibody tests, chemistry tests for kidney and liver, blood test, urine test, thyroid test, x-rays and joint fluid analysis to evaluate the condition.
Traditional treatment will include prescribing medication to help fight inflammation and control the pain. Many doctors recommend supplements to rebuild the cartilage and lubricate the joint. In more severe cases, surgery might be an option as well.
CBD for Arthritis and Joint Pain in Pets
As a natural compound derived from the hemp plant, CBD has incredible benefits when it comes to arthritis in both humans and animals. The oil can reduce inflammation, balance lost appetite, relieve joint pain and reduce anxiety.
Even though it can take time to build up, CBD in the body’s system has longer and better effects on arthritis than other products. Here you can read about the best CBD products for pets and how to choose them if you are still confused and can’t decide.
Unlike much traditional medication, CBD has no side effects (in rare cases there may be sleepiness or an upset stomach while you get the dosage right) and work in the best natural way to restore the physical and mental health of your pet. All the benefits in one bottle.
If you have any questions we will be happy to answer them by email, info@pawt4paws.com, phone 1-888-898-9080, Facebook or Instagram or our contact us page!
Remember to Subscribe to our mailing list to receive monthly deals sent right to your email!
