| By :
Steve Weber
Osteoarthritis in canines is exactly the same kind of disease as found in humans. Oftentimes the canine arthritis symptoms become noticeable in the later years of a dog's life. In rare cases, the arthritis can set in sooner. However, in most cases, when young dogs develop arthritis, it is usually rheumatoid dog arthritis. The symptoms seen most often in an older dog with arthritic symptoms is seen when the dog comes up limping for no apparent reason. At first the pet owner may think the limping is simply a strain or sprain the animal suffered. But it will often happen over and over again after strenuous exercise. When these symptoms occur, a vet should be consulted and a complete examination should be done in order to determine if the symptoms are in fact dog osteoarthritis. If that joint disease is confirmed, there are several options the pet owner can choose from. Besides drug therapy, there are several things that can be done for dogs with osteo-arthritis joint disease. The first and most important consideration for arthritic dogs is their weight. It is vital that their owners understand the importance of maintaining a low body weight. Carrying more weight than required simply adds more stress and strain to the joints which already are suffering from the disease. It is always advisable to keep an older dog slightly on the thin side versus having extra pounds on the canine. Another very important factor for canines with osteoarthritis is exercise. Although one has to be very careful with older dogs with joint disease and not allow them to overdo it, it is very important that they do get sufficient exercise in their senior years. If the animals are allowed to become sedentary, the muscles supporting the joints become weak and these results in more stress on the joints themselves. All dogs are different, so their masters must be aware that their four legged friends can seriously overdo it if left unchecked. Many times they believe they are still puppies at heart and can aggravate the existing symptoms significantly. The veterinarian may suggest one of several prescriptions drugs to treat the disease. Always ask him or her about first trying a glucosamine supplement treatment for the dog arthritis. Many people have reported tremendous positive results in their animals who take the liquid glucosamine on a regular basis. They report it can take up to several months before improvements are observed. Because this treatment has no side effects, it is advisable to first try this for the canine's osteoarthritis symptoms before trying the prescribed options.
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