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Manage Your Dog’s Arthritis the Natural Way

There are numerous options for pet owners to manage their dog’s arthritis without turning to drugs, which may have harmful side effects.  Arthritis is defined as an inflammation of the joints and Osteoarthritis is considered to be the degenerative deterioration of the cartilage which causes inflammation of the joints.  This inflammation is both chronic and painful.

Each dog will display symptoms of Osteoarthritis in different ways.  It is important for the owner to recognize how their pet displays symptoms, in order to properly treat it through natural and herbal medicines as well as certain foods and supplements, wrote Dr. Julie Mayer, DVM of Integrative Pet Care, featured in the June 2011 edition of Dogs Naturally Magazine.  Some pets may have more pain and discomfort when the weather is wet, while others may have more difficulty during periods of activity.

Treating Osteoarthritis by consuming certain foods, supplements, and natural medicines listed below may help to decrease stiffness, reduce inflammation, strengthen bones and joints, reduce dampness in joints, and ease pain and discomfort.

 

Food Remedies to Address Symptoms of Arthritis

Break Up Stiffness – basil, barley crab, alfalfa, kelp, almond, shrimp, oats, nori, kelp, vinegar, and wheat germ

Anti-inflammatory – alfalfa, turnip, sweet potato, squash, spinach, soybean, radish, pumpkin, pear, peach, parsley, papaya, mango, kale, ginger, garlic, cucumber, celery, cauliflower, carrot, cabbage, broccoli, berries, beets, beans, bananas, apples

Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidants – citrus fruits and veggies, green tea, grape seed extract, quercetin, pine bark

 

Supplements to Reduce Inflammation and Improve Joint Function

Glucosamine, Chondroitin, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C, Silicon, Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese, Calcium, MSM, Green Lipped Mussel, Cetyl-meristoleate, and Omega 3

 

Herbal Remedies

Ginger – a common anti-inflammatory herbal remedy

Arnica – an herbal pain killer

Aconitum napellus – addresses both pain and inflammation made worse during cold weather

Rhus toxicodendron – helps with stiffness when moving after periods of inactivity

Bryonia – aids in controlling symptoms after periods of activity

Calcarea phosphorica – reduces bone calcification

Ruta graveolens – assists with stiffness that appears during damp weather

Morinda root – strengthen bones and joints

Mellettia – addresses dampness and stiffness in joints

Du huo – dries out dampness in joints and reduces pain

Eucommia – strengthens bones and helps to heal injuries

Frankincense (Boswellia) – reduces joint pain and improves function

Poria – reduces dampness and stiffness in joints

Myrrh – breaks up stiffness and reduces inflammation

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium) – improves strength in bones and joints while reducing numbness in arms and legs

 

Creating a Treatment Plan for Your Pet

Dr. Mayer suggests that pet owners who would like a holistic approach to the symptoms of Arthritis should do so by first consulting their dog’s health care provider, as well as by including a physical therapy routine, based upon the needs and abilities of their pets.

The key to providing an effective treatment plan for a pet with Arthritis, is through understanding the types of symptoms the pet has and how those symptoms are triggered (during damp weather, after periods of activity, etc.).  Using one or a combination of foods and alternative medicines may help to ease pain and improve joint function.

 

Information provided by “A Natural Approach to Managing Arthritis,” by Dr. Julie Mayer DVM.  Copyright May/June 2011 edition, by Dogs Naturally Magazine.  Reproduced with permission of Dogs Naturally Magazine, www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/subscribe/

By Holly Sharpe and Kara Jenkins, TLC House & Pet Sitting Service, LLC.