Arthritis is a major cause of chronic, ongoing pain in our dogs and cats. Arthritis is often trivialized as “a little arthritis.” Animals frequently experience suffering because the serious nature of this disease is not addressed by caretakers and professionals. If your pet has difficulty rising or laying down, even when it seems to resolve after rising, then your pet has joint pain. Often non-prescription products such as glucosamine are given as a treatment for arthritis. While these products may provide necessary nutrition for joint health, they do nothing to relieve the animal’s pain. There are a number of modalities available that may be used to help your pet.
The most important step is to work with a veterinarian to help your pet achieve its ultimate desired weight. Four out of five animals face obesity which is a well-known cause of increased joint pressure load. A number of medical modalities are available to improve the quality of your pets’ life.