Arthritis Treatment Dogs Will Thank You For

We love our pets and it breaks our hearts to see them suffer from arthritis. This degenerative disease can cause severe pain in muscles and joints. It can also reduce your pet's quality of life and activities. Before we dig into arthritis treatment dogs respond to very well, let's briefly discuss osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and it is caused by the changes in the joint cartilage as a result of overuse, birth defect, trauma, underlying disease or age. Age is the most common risk factor for this disease. As the cartilage tends to deteriorate, the bones of the joint thicken and then it becomes distorted thus swelling occurs.

One arthritis treatment dogs will thank you for is glucosamine. It is a simple molecule which is composed of glucose and amine hence the name. The number one benefit of this amino sugar is that it helps create cushioning fluids and tissues around the joints thus reducing pain. Its job is to repair damaged arthritic joints and build synovial fluids. Research shows that as the dog gets older, he loses the ability to produce sufficient levels of glucosamine. The cartilage loses its cushiony like nature.

There has been very little established research about the effectiveness of glucosamine in dogs however, there are numerous studies done in people which indeed prove the importance of this amino sugar in preventing and treating arthritis. Overall, the results have been positive and dogs respond very well to glucosamine supplements. It's truly one of the arthritis treatment dogs need. It's also one of the few drugs that provides long term benefits and relief when it comes to arthritis pain.