Arthritis and Old Age in Your Pet

by Cat Donnelly, Pet Nutritional Consultant with AlternativePets.com

There are several maladies that seem to go along with growing old. Our pets seem to slow down, become less vibrant, they may have pain from arthritis, troubles with digestion, and trouble with oral hygiene, eyesight, etc. Most of these things are preventable with some changes in nutrition and perhaps some added supplementation. See basic nutritional article for the basics, and then read the additional recommendations below:

As for "senior" kibbles for "senior" dogs, I am not a big fan of them. Please contact me if you feel your pet needs a senior/lite kibble. Most elderly dogs only act old due to poor nutrition. If switched to BARF (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food), most of the symptoms will reverse themselves.

If raw is not your "thing," then home prepared diets with either no grains or whole brown rice and/or oats can greatly improve arthritis and other ailments, especially if your pet is currently on a wheat-based kibble. We recommend the Dr. Pitcairn book for guidance in preparing your own home diets.

If home prepared diets are not a possibility, then we have certain super premium kibbles that we would recommend. One is Flint River Ranch's Lamb, Millet & Rice kibble which can be ordered by calling (909) 682-5048 and saying you were referred by distributor #AK53 (Cat Donnelly). If you cannot get through, feel free to contact me to call in your order. Azmira kibbles are also great for pets.

Supplementation like Nupro liver-flavored powder is helpful to senior pets because it not only has all the essential amino acids, essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, etc., it also has added digestive enzymes which elderly pets sometimes need to get more out their daily nutrition. We also have a new formula of Nupro that has joint supplementation right in it!!

Other supplements we recommend for younger pets with joint problems due to genetics or injury, or pets who have more advanced joint problems and are in need of joint supplementation are the following:

Flint River Ranch Jubilee Wafers which contain chondroiton sulfate and glucosamine. They are feed as a snack and dogs love them! (909) 682-5048 / distributor #AK53

InflamAway™ Hip & Joint Formula

Regular Formula:
Ingredients:
Yucca Schidigera..500 mg
Glucosamine Hcl...100 mg
Garlic..100 mg
Liver (Argentine)..200 mg
In a base containing Argentine Bone Meal.
Dosage - one per 30 lbs. of weight per day, double the usage for the first two weeks and as needed.

Extra Strength Formula:
Ingredients:
Yucca Schidigera..300 mg
Glucosamine Hcl...500 mg
Garlic..100 mg
Liver (Argentine)..100 mg
Calcium Ascorbate..100 mg

In a base containing Boswella, Licorice, Cucumin and Bone Meal.
Dosage - one per 50 lbs. of weight per day, double the usage for the first two weeks and as needed.

Suggested Usage: Osteoarthritis, Hip Dysplasia, Stiff Joints.
Indications For Usage: Arthritis, Hip dysplasia and stiff joints.

Glucosamine

Glucosamine is a major building block of the proteoglycans from which cartilage is made. It is shown to be very effective against pains and discomforts of osteoarthritis in double blind studies. Some cutting edge veterinarian hospitals are using the glucosaccharides with a great success to treat arthritis afflicted joints and hip dysplasia. It also appears that the glucosamine is especially effective when combined with sulfur (found in the 'high sulfur' garlic of InflamAway™).

Studies have shown that the NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs- such as ibuprofen, indomethacin) actually inhibit the synthesis of the proteoglycans whereas glucosamine prevent the proteoglycans from breaking down and actually promote synthesis of cartilage.

Recent studies are finding that steroids are actually breaking down the structural make up of cartilage actually delaying the body's own rebuilding process.

Many university studies have shown that when given orally glucosamine (as found in InflamAway™) has been shown to relieve pain, joint tenderness, and swelling to help increase joint mobility. But best of all, glucosamine is almost devoid of side effects.

Yucca

Yucca is a desert plant that has been in use for arthritis for many centuries by the Indians. Among its many health benefits, it has anti-inflammatory properties. It is especially good for arthritis and joint problems because of its rich mineral content and its anti-inflammatory properties.

Garlic

Garlic has been affectionately called a stinky rose. Its usage dates back many thousands of years. It is loaded with about 200 organic compounds that are helpful for many health problems. Garlic is rich in enzymes, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients as well as sulfur which is good for skin, joints, and it also helps to repel insects, such as fleas and ticks. Garlic is also rich in antioxidants such as SOD and helps to promote the digestion of foods.

InflamAway™, with synergistic combination of yucca, glucosamine and garlic works remarkably well to relieve pain, stiffness of joints and to add to joint fluid. In some cases it works better than arthritic medications without any side effects.

For the best results remember to use Super Oxy Green™ together with InflamAway™ in the treatment of Arthritis, Hip Dysplasia and stiff joints.

The preceding program is a healthful recommendation, and not intended as a substitute for quality veterinary care. If you have any questions, please contact:

Cat Donnelly

AlternativePets.com
(479) 643-3026

naturalpetfoods@aol.com