Dr Bruce Syme BVSc(Hons), IVAS
Founder of Vets All Natural
Arthritis is a problem that is becoming more and more common in the Australian dog population.
But what is Arthritis ?
Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease. It is the cumulative effect of long term wear and tear on the joint structures, where the net effect of daily damage versus daily homoeostatic repair results in subtle long term degeneration.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease (pretty rare in dogs), where the body produces auto-reactive antibodies that attack the joint structures and results in chronic long term inflammatory joint disease.
The symptoms of arthritis increase during the colder months and early signs to look for may include lagging behind on walks, limping, appearing stiff after activity and difficulty climbing stairs.
Did you know that there are natural and conventional treatments that can often assist greatly?
Having treated literally thousands of animals for arthritis, using many different treatments, I have developed a system that caters for all types of animals, and all types of arthritis.
Early Onset Arthritis
This occurs in many large breed dogs at age 5-6 +, or in dogs with a history of joint injuries, or with mild versions of early growth disorders. It can also occur in dogs on a poor diet, overweight dogs, or in highly active or working breeds.
Combined with a change to healthy raw food diet, the combination of cartilage powder and vitamin C (Joint Support powder) again works very well here. If a specific joint or leg is affected in isolation, I will also use acupuncture to stimulate healing.
Mature Age Arthritis
This is the more traditional “old dog” arthritis that affects most pets in the latter years of life. In this situation, diet change and weight loss are often important factors. As a general rule, dogs at this age are often starting to show signs of nutritional deficiency, which accompanies most degenerative changes. Often the bones have become more brittle (osteoporosis), and the arthritic changes are more advanced. Here I prefer to use my Joint Support powder. It has the benefits of the glucosamine/chondroitin sulphate, and vitamin C, but also has Flax Seed and fish oil (Omega 3), and Ginger (anti inflammatory), Dolomite (calcium and magnesium), Copper and Sulphur (mineral supplements), and Boron (mineralisation of bone). It provides ingredients for joint repair and corrects the nutritional deficiencies (micro malnutrition) that cause accelerated degeneration.
I have also found that using magnetic collars can be quite effective, especially in conjunction with the Joint Formula.
All of these Vet’s All Natural products are available from your Aussie Pooch Mobile dog wash groomers, so ask them for more information today.
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