Most of us value our dogs as our faithful companions and as a part of the family, so when old age sets in and they start having arthritis symptoms, most of us will do anything to make their suffering stop. The first step is to take them to the vet. Never try any treatment without speaking to your vet first. It is important to understand that dogs are not people, as much as we sometimes want them to be, and their bodies respond differently to things than ours do, so a trip to the vet is an absolute must.
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Vet Recommendations
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What your vet will recommend to treat arthritis and relieve the pain caused by arthritis is going to vary depending on the extent of the arthritis. The typical recommendation made is a pain reliever with acetaminophen properties for dogs and an anti-inflammatory medication. The pain relievers are just that--they relieve the pain but don't solve the problem, so that is why an anti-inflammatory is usually prescribed as well. The anti-inflammatory will help reduce stiffness and swelling, additionally easing the pain. It is important that you follow the dosing instructions and your vet's instructions, as exceeding the dosage can be harmful.
Other recommendations your vet might make is a cortisone shot or surgery. Surgery is a last option, but can help in severe cases to reduce joint pain and improve function. A cortisone shot is a shot injected directly into the painful area which can reduce swelling and joint pain almost immediately.
Additional Options
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Things that you can do to help include monitoring your dog's diet, giving them exercise and making sure they get plenty of rest. A good diet is important to treating and preventing arthritis pain. Feeding your dog a natural, organic diet that provides all the nutrients they need for their joints to stay healthy is important throughout the life span of your dog. By controlling their diet, you can also help control their weight, which is an important factor in preventing arthritis pain, as excess weight places excess strain on a dog's joints.
Exercise is another good pain reliever. It sounds weird, but by incorporating small amounts of exercise into your dog's daily routine it will help get blood circulating to the painful areas to decrease some of the arthritis pain. Exercise can also prevent the joints from getting too stiff and it can prevent some additional damage to poor joints. It will also help you control your dog's weight.
Giving a dog plenty of rest is also integral. While this may sound like a no-brainer, many dogs don't get uninterrupted rest, most specifically working dogs or dogs that are around small children. Try to make sure they get the vet-recommended amount of rest each day to give them the opportunity to recover.
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