Arthritis in pets

Arthritis is a common problem in our pet dogs and cats.  In fact, many of our senior pets suffer from arthritis pain to some degree, whether they indicate it to us, or not.  Degenerative joint disease is the number one cause of chronic pain in dogs and cats.  I will give a brief review of some of the medications available to us to help ease our pet's pain.  Remember that a "multi-modal" approach works best - that is, use several pain medications and they will work better than one single medication.  I often prefer to diagnose arthritis pain though a trial treatment period.  It works like this, we may suspect arthritis pain, so we can prescribe a short course of medications and assess our pet's response to that treatment.

Slow-acting medications can take weeks to months to exert their effect.  I like to use these in early-onset of stiffness.  Some are even added to the dog food these days.  These meds are nutritional supplements.  They work well when combined with anti-inflammatory medications.  They include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, omega three fatty acids, MSM, as well as anti-oxidants and free radical scavengers.  I use a lot of glucosamine and fatty acids in my practice and have found them to be very helpful.

Fast-acting medications include Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, analgesics that are not anti-inflammatory, and Adequan injections (though this is in a category all its own).  Some common names of  medications are carprofen (rimadyl, novox), deracoxib (deramaxx), meloxicam (metacam), prednisone, and tramadol to name a few.  You may have heard of some of these and also used them in the past.  These work great in cases of fast-onset or injury.  They are also nice additives to the supplements when more relief is needed.

Remember to consult with your vet about any and all medications that your pet is taking so the most effective plan for pain management can be implemented.  Some of these medications also require blood monitoring, but this should be discussed on a case-by-case basis.   

Dr. Amy Hellard
West Chester Veterinary Care (WCVC)
www.westchesterveterinarycare.com

National Poison Prevention Week

National Poison Prevention Week is March 17-23.  In an effort to raise awareness of common household items that can poison your pets, I have decided to share some of the ASPCA (the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) guidelines.

*Keep all drugs out of your pets' reach in closed cabinets. Painkillers, cold medicines, antidepressants, vitamins and diet pills can be lethal to animals, even in small doses.

*Never give your pets medication unless you are directed to do so by a veterinarian. Human medicine is not for pets.

*Always read the label before dispensing medication. Some flea products for dogs can be deadly if given to cats. 

Thousands of cats and dogs needlessly suffer and many die each year by accidental ingestion of household poisons, including popular houseplants and common foods.

"Most pet owners simply do not know that small amounts of chocolate, onions, macadamia nuts and bread dough can be dangerous," comments Dr. Steve Hansen, Senior Vice President of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center. "Many cats are poisoned in the spring from plants including daffodils and lilies. A cat that eats an Easter lily will die unless it receives prompt medical attention," says Hansen. The ASPCA advises cat owners to pay special attention to the plants in their homes, since cats have the ability to jump onto tabletops and windowsills. Other common houseplants such as philodendron, dieffenbachia, cyclamen, corn stalk plants, sago palms and bird of paradise all contain toxins and are dangerous if ingested by animals.

The hotline number is 1-888-4-ANI-HELP and the website is http://www.aspca.org/apcc.

Winter Weather Tips for Dogs

Winter is the time we truly notice how frequently our dogs go outside each day.  They remind us of this fact every time they come back into the house, along with the mud or snow they just tracked in!  Here are a couple of tips on how to cope with these problems.  1. Lukewarm water washing - this works great for mud as well as ice.  Leave a small shallow bucket of water in your mud room, just inside your back door, or in your garage.  When your pup returns with ice balls between his toes or muddy feet, dunk each foot into the bucket then dry with an old towel.  If your dog objects to this at first, repetition and persistence will win out.  Be sure to have you dog on leash or have a helper when "dunking" at first to minimize mess.  2. Dry towel wiping - this is simply an easier version of the first suggestion - use an old bath towel to wipe your dog's feet when he returns with snow on his feet or wet feet.  Practice makes perfect - keep training foot handling and the house will stay clean!