Humans aren’t the only ones who have to deal with Arthritis. Dogs and cats are both susceptible to it as they age. arthritis is sometimes caused by infection of the joint, but most likely it’s just due to wear and tear throughout the years. Unfortunately, pets can’t explain their symptoms, which can make it hard to diagnose in the beginning. You may notice some changes in your pet’s behavior but be unsure of the cause. Always seek the advice of your Veterinarian in case these symptoms are being caused by a different disease or infection that requires immediate treatment.
So here are some signs to watch for and how to manage your cat’s or dog’s Arthritis pain.
Warning Signs that your Pet could have
Arthritis:
• Slowed movement
• Joints are swollen or red
• Stiffness and trouble getting up from a sitting/lying position
• Pain (Flinching from petting or handling)
• Some limping
• Inability to climb stairs
• Hard time getting in and out of the litter-box
How to Treat & Manage:
• Watch your pet’s weight - Extra weight produces strain on joints, just like it does in humans. By managing your pet’s diet and lower its weight you can help the amount of stress on the joints. It can also help with combating other diseases like heart disease or diabetes.
• Massage - Massage helps increase blood flow in the muscles and that can be good for sore joints.
• Warmth and Comfort - Cold temperatures and dampness can intensify arthritis pain. Make sure your cat or dog has a warm, soft bed and stays inside while it rains or snows.
• Medicine - See your vet in case the joint pain is due to infection, in that case they may prescribe steroids or antibiotics. Caution aspirin and acetaminophen can be dangerous for cats and some dogs with stomach problems, so don’t self-prescribe.
• Supplements - Natural supplements are a good option for cats or dogs with sensitive stomachs or who don’t react well to harsh medications. FlexPet with CM8 is an all natural arthritis supplement that is currently helping thousands of dogs and cats suffering from the painful disease. It is the only dog joint pain relief supplement with the patented CM8 ingredient, clinically proven to stimulate join fluid lubrication, strengthen cartilage and increase mobility.
• Exercise - You may assume that exercise will further strain the joints but it can actually help build muscles and strengthen the areas around the joint, therefore lessening the pain. It can be very challenging to get a cat exercise if they are in pain. Try a walk on a leash, even for a cat, introduce a new toy and play with your dog or cat.
Again, always seek the advice of your Veterinarian in case these symptoms are being caused by a different disease or infection that requires immediate treatment.
Hydrotherapy or water therapy is great way to provide a low impact exercise for your dog, with or without joint pain. For dogs with joint pain and arthritis, regular exercise like running or walking can be painful due to amount of weight that your dog’s joints must support. Exercise in a pool, a lake or the ocean can be a great alternative since the buoyancy of the water takes much of the strain off the joints that is normally caused by their body weight. Swimming can help your pet with range of motion, strengthening, endurance and general health.
exercise has been proven to help pets by reducing joint pain and stiffness while increasing flexibility, muscle strength, cardiac fitness and endurance. It can also help with weight reduction which can be a cause of some joint pain.
Talk to your veterinarian if you think your pet may benefit from this type of exercise. Hydro therapy may not be an option for dogs that have a fear of water. It is also not recommended for dogs with certain fractures and open wounds.
Flexcin™ & FlexPet™ are all-natural Joint Pain Supplements. The primary component of Flexcin & FlexPet is CM8™, which relieves joint pain at its source, reduces inflammation and irritation of the joints and tissues. It has been helpful for many sufferers of arthritis, gout, bursitis, sports injuries and fibromyalgia.
Flexcin and FlexPet are proudly manufactured in the United States in a state of the art facility under the strict guidelines of the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practices.
According to the ASPCA blog…Hard work by legislators, the animal welfare community and animal advocates helped bring many wonderful state-level bills over the finish line in 2009. Many states continued to pass anti-animal fighting laws, multiple states passed laws to restrict tethering, increase penalties for intentional acts of animal cruelty and allow pets to be included in court-issued orders of protection. The organization has listed all the laws that were passed to help in the mission to protect our nation’s animals from cruelty and neglect. Check out details on all the passed laws and see what kind of progress your state made. The full list is on the ASPCA website HERE .
