Most dog and cat owners can not stand the thought of seeing their beloved pet in pain. Arthritis in cats and dogs is as prevalent in them as it is in humans with a staggering 1/3 of pets being afflicted. The question is: How can an owner choose the right treatment for their pet?
Any treatment for arthritis must first be given the green light by a veterinarian after proper diagnosis. There are plenty of treatments for arthritis out there, but an owner should be sure if the treatment for arthritis that they have in mind is right for their pet. There are considerations before choosing a treatment for a pet suffering from arthritic joint pain.
Things to consider include:
1. Cost-effectiveness. Money spent on a treatment that works is money well spent. Money spent on a product that works for half the price is just smart. The form of treatment that a pet receives needs to be effective and when possible, more affordable.
2. Easy to administer. Pets hate taking medicine as much as we do. Trying to get pills into them 3 times a day is much easier said than done. Some medications have gone to chewables making dosing easy on the pet and owner but many times I have had to trick my dog into eating a snack with his medication inside. He has now mastered the fine art of extracting a pill from his treat before swallowing. So, if possible, the form of treatment given should be owner and pet friendly.
3. Minimal side effects. As pet owners, the last thing we want to do is give something to our pet that causes more harm than good. A good treatment for arthritis, or for any illness for that matter, should have little to no side effects. Medications prescribed and only available through a vet usually contain a list of side effects that range from mild to severe.
4. Healing. Immediate pain management is desirable, but when possible, the treatment administered to a pet should lead to a more substantial, prolonged healing. Some treatments only block the pain and do nothing about repairing damaged tissue. Some treatments can assist the body in healing itself.
5. Safety. The treatment should not have any ingredient that is harmful to your pet. With all of the pet food product recalls recently, we need to be as certain as possible the product used is safe for ingestion.
One treatment that is getting the nod from more and more veterinarians these days, is a combination of two supplements that are safe and effective. Glucosamine and chondroitin taken in combination, has been found to alleviate pain in those suffering joint disease more effectively than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly referred to as NSAIDs. One such product containing both supplements that has proven itself safe, effective, and affordable goes by the brand name Syn-flex Liquid Glucosamine.
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