Arthritic Health Month

We all have of a relative or friend suffering from arthritis pain. Some of us may even suffer from it ourselves, but most people probably don't realize that your pets can suffer from ostheoarthritis as well.

Ostheoarthritis, otherwise known as degenerative joint disease, is a condition where the cartiledge of joints deteriorates and the cartiledge producing cells die resulting in painful joints. Ostheoarthritis can occur in any joint and may be caused by or exacerbated by:

• Obesity
• Poor hip condition
• Poor nutrition
• Trauma

Ostheoarthritis is more prevalent in middle-aged and senior pets but also may occur in younger dogs who suffer from hip displaysia. We recommend several methods to screen for and prevent ostheoarthritis:

• A planned, consistent nutritional program to maintain a healthy weight
• PennHip procedure to screen for hip displaysia
• Regular wellness exams

Owners of new pets should make use of the PennHip procedure while their pets are still young so we may detect any abnormalities and set a course of action so your pet's joints are as healthy as possibly throughout their life. Owners of senior pets shoudl engage in regular wellness exams to detect any abonormalities or changes in the joints. All owners should keep their eyes open for changes in gait, stiffness upon rising from rest, reluctance to jump, pain when walking and any personality changes.

If your pet does develop ostheoarthritis, it's not the end of the world. We offer several ways to treat the condition and increase your pet's quality of life. We may suggest nutritional counseling to manage your pet's weight or a couple of sessions with the companion therapy laser or even accupuncture. Among our favorite and most succesful choices are the Dasuquin joint supplements from Nutramaxx Laboratories. Available in soft chews or tablets, Dasuquin is the pet version of glucosamine/chondroitin (and shares many of the same ingredients). Dasuquin seeks to minimize the breakdown of cartiledge tissue and minimize pain, comes in specific blends for dogs and cats and is exclusive to veterinarians so you can rest assured you are getting a top notch, quality controlled product.

We may also suggest an Arthritic Health Package in order to screen for, treat and diagnose osthearthritis. The Arthritic Health Package includes the Arthritic X-ray Protocol complemented with a PetRay's telemedicine consultation, a Chem 10 blood test, a comprehensive orthopedic exam, a complimentary therapy laser treatment and a prescription of Dasuquin. This encompassing package will diagnose any ostheoarthritis and allow the doctor's to chart a course of action to minimize pain for your pet.

As an added incentive, Dasuquin will be offered at a 5% discount during the month of December AND our friends at Nutramaxx Laboratories will be donating a $50 gift card to Target for one lucky winner. The winner will be picked at random and to qualify, just purchase a supply of Dasuquin for your pet. The winner will be chosen at random on December 23, just in time for the holiday.

To learn more about ostheoarthritis, please schedule a consultation with our doctors. You may also find out more about Dasuquin at the Nutramaxx Laboratories website. Happy Hooooooowlidays!