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It is painful for any owner to see their pet suffering from the agonizing pain of arthritis. The hurting can be seen in the animal’s eye and you have the great desire to do something to end the despair. You can actually do something about it now by preventing it from taking place and even checking the development of arthritis if the animal is already suffering.

There is no criterion for the dog developing arthritis as it can trouble dogs of any breed, age or health. Not much is known about the reason but a number of studies show that it is an ailment in which the body turns against its own immune system or an autoimmune disease.

The cartilage is inclined to break down when the pet develops arthritis. The opaque connective tissue which is present between bone and joints is known as the cartilage and it protects them. It is also present in the ankle joint, hip and knees of the dogs. Feet or spine can also be affected by arthritis. With the wearing off of the cartilage there is pain, stiffness and swelling as the bones hit against each other.

Symptoms of arthritis in dogs include:

Problem is standing, sitting and even rising from the ground. Affecting a particular limb Lethargy, lose interest in games and sleepiness Increase in weight Change in behavior and outlook Soreness as well as stiff joints Inflammation near the joints

In recent years, scientists have been studying Glucosamine as a way to treat arthritis in dogs. Glucosamine is a glucose molecule produced naturally in the body. Its job is to fuel cartilage cells to produce the proteins that hold joint tissue together. As dogs age, they are less able to produce glucosamine, which causes the cartilage to wear down and stiffen.

The cartilage constituent which is supposed to control the enzymes which break down cartilage is known as Chondroitin. It is important to have the required amount of Glucosamine and chondroitin to keep healthy joints. They are able to maintain as well as restore the cartilage tissues together.

A scientific trial was done on rats in 1998 where they were injected arthritis into the system. The group was separated into two. Glucosamine and chondroitin was administered to one group and the others were left to themselves. While 96.5 percent of group which was not treated got the symptoms of arthritis, just 54 percent of the group who were given glucosamine and chondroitin got arthritis symptoms.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements show promise in treating symptoms of secondary arthritis in dogs. This type of arthritis typically occurs after an injury or surgery. A study suggests this combination can significantly reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs.

You can give your dog a supplement of Glucosamine/Chondroitin from an early age and it has no side effects as per research. It is a good idea to check this with your veterinarian to be sure that it is good for your pet.

Tags: Dogs

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