Arthritis Relief for Pets: How to Manage Arthritis in Cats and Dogs

Arthritis Relief for Pets: How to Manage Arthritis in Cats and Dogs

With increasingly effective veterinary care, our pets are living longer than ever. This is great news for pet parents, but as a result, many pets are suffering from more age-related diseases. One of the most common ailments in older cats and dogs is arthritis which causes pain and limits a pet’s mobility. Although arthritis is a chronic condition, meaning it can’t be cured, there are plenty of options for managing the disease’s progression and its symptoms.
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7 Ways to Manage Arthritis in Cats and Dogs

1. Pain Medications

The most common and effective pain management tools are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications formulated specifically for dogs and cats. (Remember that human pain medications are toxic for pets!)

2. Nutritional Supplements

A long list of nutritional supplements has also been shown to be beneficial in slowing the progression of arthritis and/or mitigating its symptoms. Ask your veterinarian about:
  • Glucosamine
  • Chondroitin sulfate
  • Omega 3 fatty acids
  • Green lipid mussels
  • Hyaluronic acid
  • Collagen hydrolysate
  • Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
  • Other vitamins and minerals

3. Weight Control

Managing a pet’s weight to prevent extra wear and tear on joints is essential to preventing and managing arthritis. Talk with your veterinarian about whether a special or prescription pet diet could help your pet.

4. Exercise

When it comes to exercise, you don’t want to overdo it with an older pet. But it’s still important to get some gentle physical activity every day.

5. Physical Therapy Treatment Modalities

Physical therapy and its vast selection of treatment modalities are some of the best ways to help your pet with arthritis. Pets can enjoy the amazing health benefits of treatments and therapies like:
  • Hydrotherapy
  • TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) therapy
  • Massage
  • Acupuncture
  • Cold laser therapy
  • Heat therapy (ultrasound therapy)

6. Surgery

Depending on a pet’s condition, joint replacement surgery might be the most-effective treatment option.

7. Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell therapy is a promising new arthritis treatment. Injected with stem cells, a pet’s joints can regenerate new cartilage, repairing arthritic joints.

Easy-to-Administer Supplements and Medications for Dogs and Cats

Once you have a solid plan for managing your pet’s arthritis pain, our experts at VetMedics Compounding Pharmacy can help you get the high-quality medications and supplements your pet needs in an easy-to-administer form. Whether your pet will benefit from medications, vitamins, and nutrients formulated into chewy treats, a liquid, a topical, or another form, our compounding pharmacy is fully equipped to get your pet fast relief without any of the fuss or difficulty of administering basic pet meds. To learn more, contact our Ronkonkoma pet pharmacy today!

Nutritional Supplements for Your Pet’s Bone & Joint Health

Nutritional Supplements for Your Pet's Bone & Joint Health

Whether they feel physically energetic or not, dogs of all ages have playful spirits, and there’s almost nothing more heartbreaking than seeing a dog who’s experiencing too much joint pain and discomfort to chase a ball, greet you at the door, or jump onto the sofa for snuggling. When a dog begins losing mobility, his or her reluctance to play is usually related to one or more joint diseases.
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Developmental Joint Disease vs. Degenerative Joint Disease in Dogs

There are two different types of joint diseases that dogs experience:
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Developmental

Dogs are born with developmental joint diseases, which are caused by the incorrect development of a dog’s musculoskeletal structure. One of the most common is hip dysplasia. Many popular dog breeds have a predisposition to hip dysplasia, a condition characterized by overly large hip sockets that allow the bones to pop in and out of the joint.

Degenerative

Degenerative joint diseases, on the other hand, are not related to development. They tend to occur later in a pet’s life or as a result of another condition, such as obesity. One of the most common degenerative diseases pets face is osteoarthritis which is characterized by the deterioration of joint cartilage and the subsequent inflammation of the joints.
Regardless of whether a pet suffers from degenerative or developmental joint disease, the symptoms of joint problems can be severe.

Signs and Symptoms of Joint Disease in Pets

  • Pain, stiffness, and lost range of motion
  • Decreased activity
  • Reluctance to play
  • Lethargy
  • Swollen joints
  • Change in posture or gait
  • Muscle degeneration
  • Refusal to jump up or down or climb stairs
  • Favoring one side
  • Limping
  • Using only the front legs to stand
  • Appetite loss
  • Behavior or temperament changes
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Supplements for Pet Joint Health from VetMedics Compounding Pharmacy

When it comes to maintaining your pet’s joint health and/or managing their joint-related pain and stiffness, one of the best strategies starts with proper nutrition. Certain nutrients can help your pet’s body produce new joint tissues and lubricate their joints to help prevent damage, repair previous damage, and slow the progression of degenerative diseases.
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There are a variety of nutritional supplements that can help slow the progression of disease and improve your pet’s mobility, strength, and balance while managing pain.
  • Chondroitin
  • Glucosamine
  • Omega-3 Fatty Acids
  • Hyaluronic Acid
  • Collage
  • Proline
VetMedics Compounding Pharmacy is proud to offer Long Island pets with a variety of high-quality nutritional supplement options. With everything from tablets and capsules to chewy treats, our compounding pharmacy makes it simple to keep your pet energetic and pain-free with nutritional supplements for joint health. To learn more about nutritional supplements for pets and our compounding pharmacy services, contact us today.