When Our Best Friend Hurts

W. G. Wilson, DVM
Gaithersburg Square Veterinary Clinic
(Originally published in the September/October 1997 issue of GRREAT News)

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common sources of chronic pain seen by veterinarians. It can affect pets of all ages, but most often is a problem for our older pets. Signs of arthritic pain are stiffness, lameness, and reluctance to climb stairs. Overweight dogs are more prone, but dogs of all sizes can be affected.

The author (with the help of veterinary technician Justin Wilson) examines a GRREAT patient.

If your pet is overweight, weight loss may be the most important aspect of controlling discomfort. A supervised weight loss program should precede or be done concurrently with any medical treatments.

Proper exercise is important. Walking is encouraged unless it causes worsening of the symptoms. Heavy exercise, such as excessive running off-leash or running beside a bicycle, should be avoided. Generally, if the exercise makes your pet sore, it is too much.

Most dogs can tolerate buffered aspirin at a dosage of 5 milligrams per pound of the dog's weight. Aspirin is most helpful to control an acute flare-up. However, after several days, many dogs will experience gastric upset. (Remember that cats do not tolerate aspirin at all.)

There are three types of medication available to your pet for long-term use: the first is a holistic anti-inflammatory food supplement; the second is a holistic cartilage replenisher, and the third is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

[Note: Holistic is a treatment philosophy which takes into consideration the whole body, not just the afflicted part]

Holistic Anti-inflammatory Food Supplement.
Holistic Anti-inflammatory Food Supplement.
Dismutase is derived from wheat sprouts. The active ingredient is superoxide Dismutase. The action of this nonprescription food supplement is to reduce the inflammation associated with arthritis. Dismutase is nontoxic to dogs and cats. Some pets will show slight to moderate improvement in their arthritic symptoms.

Holistic Cartilage Replenishers
Holistic Cartilage Replenishers
Cosequin is a combination product whose major ingredients are Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate. These are the raw materials needed by mammals to build new articular (joint) cartilage. Cosequin is nontoxic to dogs and cats. Many pets will show moderate to good improvement within three to six weeks of starting this dietary supplement.

Adequan Adequan contains ingredients similar to Cosequin, but is administered by injection, which requires regular visits to the veterinarian. Its effectiveness is often good and injections can be repeated every one to four weeks for long-term control.

Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs)
Arthricare is buffered aspirin microencapsulated to increase absorption and decrease gastric upset. This product is a chewable tablet which many dogs will eat. Arthricare is toxic to cats.

Rimadyl Rimadyl (Carprofen) is a newly released drug which has shown very good results in many dogs. [Editor's note: this is the un-named drug for dog arthritis that is advertised on television.] Rimadyl is a tablet given every twelve hours. Follow-up blood tests are needed while the dog is receiving Rimadyl.

Table 1 shows the approximate monthly cost of these arthritis treatments for dogs of various sizes. The holistic treatments can be combined with each other or with the prescription treatments. Your veterinarian can examine your pet and make a treatment recommendation to you.

WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?

Arthritis literally means inflammation (-itis) of the joint (arthr-). It is a general term that covers a variety of conditions including rheumatoid arthritis (an immune disease), osteoarthritis (bone and joint degeneration), spondylitis (narrowing and inflammation of the spinal canal), and other painful, potentially crippling conditions. As part of the disease process, the cartilages (fibrous caps) covering the end surfaces of the bones in a joint degenerate and excess, irregular bone growth occurs, resulting in rough, bony alterations inside normally smooth, well-lubricated joints. When these bony outcroppings rub against each other during joint movement, pain results.

Arthritis can be caused by--or the result of--environmental factors, long-term stress, old injuries, nutritional deficiencies, immune system imbalances, and genetic predispositions such hip dysplasia. It can occur in virtually any joint, including the neck, spine, shoulders and even paws, but the most common site is the hips. The most common symptoms are stiffness upon awakening, swelling in joints, decreased mobility, reduced tolerance for strenuous activity, and limping.

Arthritis can develop in both young and old animals. In young animals, it usually affects only a single joint. In older animals, multiple joints may be affected. It is sometimes possible to actually feel and hear arthritis by gently moving the affected joint. What is heard or felt is crepitus, the rough edges of the cartilage and/or bone rubbing against each other.

Arthritis is not curable, but it is not life-threatening either. Most dogs can handle the discomfort of mild arthritis, but when the pain becomes severe, it's time to see a veterinarian for symptom relief. In addition to the specific medications mentioned in the accompanying article, an arthritic pet can be made more comfortable with soft bedding, application of heat, and mild exercise.

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