Arthritis/Adequan

Learn the early signs and treatment of arthritis.

Could Your Dog Be Suffering From Canine Arthritis?

The answer is “yes.” About 20 percent of all adult dogs in the U.S. suffer from canine arthritis. This disease develops gradually over time, causing your dog pain and often preventing him or her from performing even the simplest of movements (standing up, climbing stairs, or walking).

The Signs of Canine Arthritis

If your dog is suffering from arthritis, you will most likely see one or more of the following signs:

• Reluctance to walk, run, climb stairs, jump, or play
• Lagging behind on walks
• Reluctance to extend rear legs
• Sluggishness
• Tiredness
• Low activity
• Aggressive or withdrawal behavior
• Other personality or behavioral change

Risk Factors

Canine arthritis can affect all breeds of dogs, but there are certain risk factors you should be aware of, including:

• Overweight dogs
• Large or giant breeds
• Over the age of 5
• Breed inherited traits, such as hip dysplasia
• Levels of high activity for long periods of time
• Previous joint or orthopedic trauma

Understanding Arthritis

Canine arthritis occurs in your dog’s joints. A healthy joint consists of cartilage that covers and protects the ends of the bones in a joint. The cartilage has no nerves; when it touches the cartilage of another bone, your dog feels no pain. However, arthritis causes the cartilage to wear away. This exposes the bone, which has many nerves. So when two bones touch each other, your dog feels pain. This pain can greatly affect your dog’s quality of life.

Early Treatment  

We will first examine your dog’s medical history, followed by a thorough physical examination. Afterward, one of our veterinarians will conduct one or more diagnostic tests:

• Lameness Exam — An examination that helps identify joint lameness, pain, tenderness, and swelling.
• Radiographs (X-rays) — Your veterinarian can use x-rays to look for changes in joint structure.

Adequan

Adequan is a prescription, water-based, polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) that helps prevent the cartilage in your dog’s joint from wearing away- which will protect the nerves and relieve pain! It helps keep the cartilage healthy and intact so that the bone in the joint cannot touch other bones. No other drug for arthritis can do that.

Another great thing is that there are no side effects! No other effective arthritis medication is available without side effects.

The best treatment plan for arthritis is: