Arthritis from a Dog's Perspective

August 2012, Dr. Cherie Guidry, DVM

"Hi. My name is Sophie and I am a 10 year old yellow lab. Don't call me Old Yeller! I really dislike the term "old". I love to play fetch, especially with my red tennis ball. Lately, though, I have been having trouble. My back legs hurt, especially when I wake up in the morning. Those first few steps are really painful but after a while I don't notice it as much. My family doesn't understand why I don't greet them at the door like I used to do. Sometimes it just hurts too much. Also, there are some days that I can't do my favorite things, like fetch my red tennis ball. Sometimes, after a hard day of playing, I just can't walk. Finally, my family took me to the vet. Boy, do I love her. She is just so nice. She put her hands all over me and gaves me a gentle massage, then told my family that she thinks I have arthritis in my hips. She also took some pictures of my hips called X-rays and did some blood work to check my kidneys and liver. My X-rays did show that I have arthritis in my hips. I tell ya, my vet is a smart woman. She came up with a plan for me and my family. She focused on what she called alternative medicine, but she sent me home with some pain medication as well. I don't mind the treatments or the medication because it makes me feel better. Now, I can fetch my favorite ball and greet my family at the door. I am a happy dog again!" Hi. My name is Cherie Guidry, DVM (Helping Hands Vet Clinic, Lynnwood WA) and I am Sophie's vet. I want to go over the traditional and alternative approaches to treating arthritis. Traditional Western treatments use drugs to treat the pain and inflammation involved with arthritis. Some examples of these are steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs. NSAID's are the most common treatment used by many vets. They work great for treating the inflammation at the site of the problem. These drugs do have some side affects of which every owner should be aware. They can cause vomiting and diarrhea and they can have adverse affects on the liver as well. There are also many alternative therapies. I will cover a few of the most common therapies. 1. Supplements are the most common alternative therapy used. They include the chondroprotective (joint protecting) agents such as glucosamine, chondroitin and polysulfated glycosaminoglycans (PSGAG). These supplements are used to repair joint tissue. They have been proven to reduce pain and inflammation in both people and animals. There are many other supplements that can be used. Please ask your veterinarian before starting any new supplements. 2. Homeopathy and homotoxicology are other ways to deal with the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Both use a system of remedies based upon the "Law of Similars". Both of these remedies treat the whole body and work by stimulating the body's own defense system to help treat the problem. They both consist of a system of dilutions of naturally occurring substances to treat a wide variety of illnesses. These remedies are safe and relatively free of side affects. Many of the homeopathic remedies used in dogs for arthritis are easy to give and help to control the pain of arthritis. Please see your veterinarian before starting any remedies. 3. Acupuncture is a common treatment for arthritis used in veterinary medicine. In this therapy, very small needles are inserted into specific points of the body to help with healing and improve function. It can also be used to control pain. Electroacupuncture can also be used. With Electoacupuncture, longer acupuncture needles are attached to a machine. In this method, small electrical impulses are transmitted to the acupuncture sites. Treatments of both of these methods are usually once weekly for 4-8 weeks. Each session lasts about 20-40 minutes and is relatively pain free. 4. Biopuncture is another therapy used for treatment in arthritis. With biopuncture, specific homeopathic injections are mixed with a B12 vitamin. This mixture is injected under the skin into specific points on the body. These points can be local trigger points, points of pain or irritation, or acupuncture points. This method can help control pain and help speed up the healing process as well. Very thin needles are used and the therapy is relatively pain free. Treatments are once weekly for about 4 weeks. 5. Cold laser therapy is the last treatment that I am going to mention. With this treatment, a low level laser that is safe and non-invasive is used. This laser can be used to accelerate tissue repair, treat tendonitis, and help alleviate pain in dogs. The treatments are usually 1-3 times per week for 4 weeks. Each individual treatment takes about 15 minutes and is relatively pain free. These therapies and remedies are just a few that can be used in our arthritic pets. Please talk to your veterinarian before starting any treatments. In my experience, these treatments and remedies can significantly reduce the pain and inflammation of arthritis and can help our animal friends to live a more normal lifestyle. Dr. Cherie Guidry, DVM