How Exercise Affects Canines With Joint Disease

Unfortunately, almost all dogs will suffer from
canine arthritis to some extent in their later
years of life. Although there is no cure for
this joint disease, there are things pet owners
can do to ease the pain and suffering
experienced by the animals.

There are prescription medications that some
veterinarians prescribe to treat osteoarthritis
in dogs. Many of these have extremely severe
side effects in some animals. In fact, there
have been many reported cases of dogs who died
from taking these prescription drugs to treat
arthritis disease.

A safer alternative for treating the arthritis
is a supplement product called glucosamine.
There are virtually no side effects associated
with this form of supplementation, plus the
product provides the body with the building
blocks to repair the damage in a natural way.

Pet owners should also be aware that exercise
can play a very important part improving the
quality of life in their arthritic canines. Many
times, it is during exercise that dog owners
first witness the symptoms and the onset of dog
arthritis. Occasional limping is one of the
first symptoms associated with the onset of the
joint disease.

Unfortunately, many pet owners believe their
animals should be exercised less because they
have the disease. Nothing could be further from
the truth. Exercise is a very important part in
treating arthritis disease in dogs because it
helps maintain proper muscle tone. If muscle
tone is not maintained, the joints in the animal
become less stable and thus this causes more pain
when arthritis is present.

Of course canine owners need to be aware that
too much exercise of course is harmful to dogs
suffering from dog arthritis disease. There is
no set amount of exercise that is prescribed for
any given animal. Owners must get to know their
own specific pet's needs and limitations. For
example, if taking three-mile walks usually
results in the dog limping afterwards, that is
too much exercise. As pet owners, we do not want
to aggravate the condition and cause the animal
more pain.

Instead, it's important to find just the right
amount of exercise that the dog can benefit from
without going too far and thus stressing his or
her joints to the point of pain. In most cases,
once that amount of exercise is determined, it
can be gradually increased without causing undue
stress on the animal. Basically, as much and for
as long as the dog can exercise without
appearing in pain or injured, is good for the
animal.

Also, be aware that osteoarthritis in canines
will continue to progress for the rest of their
lives once the condition manifests itself.
Therefore, the quality and quantity of exercise
usually decreases as the dog ages, depending on
the severity of their condition.

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We have more information on our website about how
pet owners can use liquid glucosamine to treat
dog arthritis safely and without side effects.
http://www.cactuscanyon.com

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