Most cat and dog owners cannot bear the thought of watching their beloved pet suffer. Arthritis in cats and dogs is as common in them as it is in humans, with a staggering 1/3 of pets affected. The question is: How can an owner choose the right treatment for his pet?
Any treatment for arthritis must first be approved by a veterinarian after a proper diagnosis. There are many arthritis treatments, but an owner must be sure if the arthritis treatment 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:
one. 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 smart. The form of treatment that a pet receives should be effective and, where possible, more affordable.
2. easy to manage. Pets hate taking medicine just as much as we do. Trying to put them on pills 3 times a day is much easier said than done. Some medications have been made chewable, making dosing easier for pet and owner, but many times I have had to trick my dog into eating a treat with the medication inside of it. She has now mastered the fine art of extracting a candy bar from him before swallowing it. Therefore, if possible, the form of treatment should be friendly to the owner and the pet.
3. minimal side effects. As pet owners, the last thing we want to do is give our pet something that causes more harm than good. A good treatment for arthritis, or any other disease, should have few or no side effects. Medications that are prescribed and only available through a veterinarian usually contain a list of side effects that range from mild to severe.
Four. cicatrization. Immediate pain control is desirable, but where possible, treatment administered to a pet should lead to more substantial and prolonged healing. Some treatments only block the pain and do nothing to repair damaged tissue. Some treatments can help the body heal itself.
5. Security. The treatment should not have any ingredients that are harmful to your pet. With all of the recent pet food product recalls, we need to be as sure as possible that the product used is safe to ingest.
One treatment that is getting the thumbs up from more and more vets these days is a combination of two supplements that are both safe and effective. Glucosamine and chondroitin taken in combination have been found to relieve pain in people suffering from joint disease more effectively than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, commonly known as NSAIDs. One such product that contains both supplements and has been shown to be safe, effective, and affordable goes by the brand name Syn-flex Liquid Glucosamine.