Petsmu

Arthritis is one of the most common ailments seen in aging dogs and cats. This article offers some treatment options for easing the discomfort of your dogs or cats suffering from arthritis.

Arthritis is an inclusive term for a number of degenerative joint diseases. Pain, swelling and/or stiffness occur in all of them.

In dogs, arthritis usually takes the form of hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, spondylosis, joint degeneration or dislocation of the knee. Osteoarthritis is caused by wear and tear and is seen mostly in older dogs. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder of the membrane surrounding the joints and can occur at any age.

Osteoarthritis is the form most often seen in cats. Although they don’t often show it, arthritis occurs more often in cats than previously believed. Cats will not show the same symptoms as dogs, and are much less likely to exhibit signs of pain. The most apparent symptom would be the unwillingness or inability to jump as high as they used to. You might see an overall reduction in activity (but with cats, how can you tell?).

The good news is that the disease can be managed and discomfort kept to a minimum. Nutrition is the core of any treatment plan. A natural diet is essential. Supplements such as vitamin C, alfalfa or kelp are helpful. Glucosamine is commonly recommended. Glucosamine is a substance which works to stimulate joint function and repair. It has been proven effective for relief of osteoarthritis pain, rehabilitation of cartilage, and repairing joints.

A key component of cartilage and a naturally occurring compound, glucosamine can be used before symptoms begin to protect the joints from aging. It is sometimes used in conjunction with chondriton, another natural substance that protects the joints, and or MSM, a form of sulfur that helps reduce inflammation.

Homeopathic remedies, such as Rhus Tox or Pulsatilla may work. There are many herbal anti-inflammatories; licorice and black cohosh are but two possibilities. Yucca and Devil’s Claw are commonly used for arthritis for inflammation and pain.

A good adjunct to remedies or supplements is acupuncture. It can be very helpful in easing pain and stiffness in many arthritic conditions.

Other forms of physical therapy are becoming available for dogs in many areas. Regular mild exercise also help to keep the dog mobile, but don’t push - let your dog tell you how much he can handle. Keeping the dog’s weight down will take some of the stress off the joints, making movement easier and less painful.

Digestive enzymes and probiotics may also ease the symptoms of arthritis, though there is little research to bear this out. Poor digestion can result in partially digested proteins and other particles being reabsorbed into the bloodstream. This can then result in immune dysfunction and inflammation.

When all else fails, there are pharmaceutical anti-inflammatories and pain medications. Two of the most common ones are Rimadyl and Etogesic. These medicines can have serious side effects and require careful monitoring of the dog’s health.

About the Author: Elyse Grau is an herbalist and a long-time pet owner, well-versed in pet nutrition and feeding. She is the author of Pet Health Resource, your web guide to a healthy, happy dog or cat. The website strives to answer your holistic pet health questions through a large collection of articles.
http://www.pethealthresource.com
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Chronic renal failure, also known as kidney failure, is one of the most common conditions affecting older cats. In fact one out of every five cats over fifteen years of age suffers from it. The disease is essentially characterized by a gradual decrease in the ability of kidneys to purify the blood and remove waste products from it. The disease usually has a slow insidious course and is usually irreversible unless a specific cause for the kidney failure is identified and treated (that often include tumors, infections and polycystic disease of the kidneys). In most cases though a cause is not identified and the usual course of the ailment is a slow terminal progression.

As the disease advances symptoms develop in cats that include loss of weight, energy and appetite, depression, altered thirst and urination, poor coat, elevated blood pressure and anemia. Diagnosis is usually reached after analysis of blood and urine along with clinical correlation. Initial treatment is then to correct the fluid and electrolyte balance in cats with administration of intravenous fluids. Blood and urine tests are then periodically done to monitor the course of disease.

Dietary control is of significance once the diagnosis has been reached:

The protein content of diet should be ideally low since most of the waste products that accumulate in blood after kidneys stop working are breakdown products of proteins. However this regulation has to be done with care - too little protein and the cat’s health may worsen. Similarly phosphate content of the diet has to be regulated since lowering the phosphate content appears to protect kidneys from further damage. I would recommend a commercial diet specially designed for the kidney ailment. Initially it may be mixed with your favorite food to help the cat adjust to it. Another important element in treatment is adequate water intake. Cats with kidney failure frequently become dehydrated and there should always be an adequate water source available (water flavored with chicken or tuna often helps if the cat is not drinking). Similarly tinned or sachet food is preferable than dry food since cats generally get most of their water from their meals.

Other treatment measures include potassium supplementation (through tablets or powder), control of blood pressure (relatively straight forward in cats - through tablets) and correction of anemia by iron, and in advanced cases, hormonal supplementation.

Don’t feel overwhelmed by all this info - the vet will be able to offer the exact dosage and treatment. If you find all this confusing and hard to undertake - there is one procedure that will most likely bring the cat’s health to near normal if not totally normal - that is kidney transplantation. However that is not a simple undertaking. The procedure costs around $ 4500 to $ 8000 and requires a lot of emotional commitment.

About the author: The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on renal failure in cats.
Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a clinical condition which is the final result of severe heart disease. It is usual that when a dog has heart failure, heart disease is also present in the body. However, it is true that in some cases, heart disease can be present, but never lead to congestive heart disease.

When high diastolic pressures in the heart build up into the veins and capillaries, then congestive heart failure can occur, which in turn causes a leakage of fluid out of those vessels.

Heart failure is the end result of many different cardiac and pericardial diseases. These include:

? Decreased myocardial contractibility. This is a weak heart muscle, which is commonly seen with dilated cardiomyopathy.

? Valvular regurgitation. This is a leak in one of the four heart valves, as seen with mitral and tricuspid regurgitation.

? Increased myocardial stiffness, which impairs the heart’s ability to fill with blood.

In the beginning, the signs of congestive heart failure can be quite mild and difficult to see. However the symptoms can become more severe in a short space of time. Some of the symptoms to look for are:

? Lack of energy - the dog becomes much less active and tires quickly during the later stages of congestive heart failure;

? Poor appetite

? Weight loss

? Heavy breathing - the dog can show signs of difficulty in breathing, panting and coughing whilst resting.

? Coughing

? Swollen abdomen - the dogs’ stomach can enlarge as fluid accumulates in the liver and abdomen and

? Change of mouth color - the color of the membranes of the mouth can be grayish rather than being a healthy pink color.

The first thing that is needs to be done though, is to manage the clinical signs of congestive heart failure by reducing the formation of edema and effusion and to increase the cardiac output, which is the delivery of blood to the tissues.

There are a wide variety of treatments available for Congestive Heart Failure, depending on the severity of the condition.

One of the most popular drugs used for this disease is Digitalis. This is a medication which belongs to a group called positive inotropic agents which help to increase the concentration of calcium in the heart muscle cells.

Diuretics are also another well known drug used for dogs with this condition. These drugs help to remove built up fluids that occur in the lungs and abdomen.

Monitor your dogs attitude and any changes in appearance when you spend time with your friend. It is essential to keep a diary of anything that varies from “the norm” so that you can show it to your vet. Check your dog on a daily basis for:

- breathing, see if it is heavy or labored;
- loss or reduction of appetite;
- restlessness;
- fainting; and
- profound lethargy.

However, it is important to remember, that canine congestive heart failure is a major disease and it is a necessity to have regular visits to your veterinarian to ensure that your dogs’ needs are being met.

Source: http://www.articlesbase.com

About the Author: Joann Henry operates “Doggie Health Care” http://www.DoggieHealthCare.com, a blog all about our pooches health. Sign up to receive her newsletter, & not only will you get some free tips to keep your dog healthier, but FOR A LIMITED TIME, she’ll give you a FREE ebook. http://www.DoggieHealthCare.com