Arthritis is one of the most common and debilitating things we see in veterinary medicine. Most of our patients are very good at hiding it when they are in discomfort. So, many times, owners aren’t even aware this condition exists until their veterinarian finds it during their wellness examination. We have gotten many questions about arthritis, so I decided to divide this into three parts: causes & alternative options, nutritional management, and medical management.
The causes of arthritis are the same in humans as in dogs and cats. The joints can become inflamed chronically after an injury, malformation in the joints can cause inappropriate wear (hip dysplasia), and chronic weight problems create extra damage to the cartilage. There can also be autoimmune diseases, though these are less common and require major, specialized treatments. Our first line of treatment is always to try to eliminate the underlying cause with surgical correction of injuries/malformations and weight loss. Even with those efforts, many patients still require long-term treatment for the arthritis. For those seeking alternative methods before medical or nutritional treatments, there are some good options.
Acupuncture has been a good pain management option for human and animals alike for centuries. Stimulation of the appropriate nerves and areas on the body has shown immediate cessation of pain in several conditions. I have seen dogs arrive completely stiff and shaking from pain that fall asleep in the owners’ laps within minutes of placing the needles in the skin. There are also reports of decreased inflammation and reversal of arthritic changes on x-rays. It is a time-consuming treatment and not many veterinarians are certified in its use, but acupuncture continues to be great option and remains the mainstay in pain management with cats.
There are many herbs that have been touted as beneficial for arthritis, but most don’t pan out. The one plant-based extract that does seem to work is CBD. There have been proven studies where dogs’ mobility has increased, and signs of arthritis have decreased taking CBD. Be sure to discuss the sources of pet CBD products with your veterinarian as, like on the human side, there have been many products containing little to no CBD sold to unsuspecting owners.
Laser therapy is another great alternative. We use laser for many things such as acute injuries, infections, and post-operative wounds. However, arthritis seems to be the most common use both on the human and veterinary side. While the jury is still out on how exactly the laser treatments help with pain and inflammation, controlled studies have show improvement in these signs at rates up to 70% higher than placebo. Clinics offering laser therapy can custom-design a regimen based on your pet’s needs and most offer long term packages to assist in cost.
The last option is a little more specialized and that is hydrotherapy. This involves having your pet exercise on a treadmill in a large tank of warm water. The water takes away much of the patient’s weight and allows much more range of motion. This can stimulate healing of damaged cartilage and reverse some of the negative changes to the joints.
In my next article, we will look at nutritional management of arthritis. In the meantime, if one of these therapies sounds like it may help you pet, please reach out to your veterinarian to discuss it.