Canine Orthopedic Support Braces

Orthopedic support braces for dogs are used for a variety of conditions to increase your pet’s mobility and provide comfort during activity. Dogs need exercise in order to maintain physical and emotional well-being. If your dog is unable to get exercise, it may develop problems such as heart disease, obesity, canine osteoarthritis, bone disorders and emotional issues such as aggression or anxiety.

Conditions
According to Vet Info, braces may be used for sprains or muscle weakness, arthritis, hip dysplasia, post-operative recovery, back leg fatigue, limping, joint weakness or dog joint pain and any type of mobility handicap. Braces should permit your dog to perform its normal activities, but should also be comfortable and offer protection from abrasions and irritations to the dog’s skin.

Knees
Knee braces are typically used following surgery for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair, luxating patella or medial collateral (MCL) lateral collateral (LCL) or posterior cruciat (PCL) ligaments. Knee braces provide support and stability, prevent the loss of muscle during the period of recovery, prevent re-injury and protect the area, according to Vet Sports Medicine. Knee braces may also be used in cases where surgery will not be pursued.

Ankles
Ankle (hock) braces support the hock joint following surgeries such as Achilles tendon, hind paw nerve damage or toe injury and hock joint repair. Vet Sports Medicine indicates that it may also be used for long-term support in non-surgical conditions. According to Vet Info, a hock brace stabilizes the hind leg bone as well as the muscles and tendons of the leg and knee. It works similarly to a human's knee brace, allowing your dog to move without straining the joint. It also prevents your dog from reinjuring the area.

Elbows
An elbow brace is used to support of the elbow joint area following surgery or for reducing pain from arthritis, degenerative joint disease in dogs or other similar conditions. It provides control of side-to-side movement while allowing normal extension and flexion. Vet Info indicates that all dog braces have straps to hold them securely to prevent shifting.

Hips
A hip brace supports the hip area and the lower back. Vet Info indicates that it may be made of neoprene, nylon or some similar fabric that is wrapped around the lower back, the hip and the upper leg and is attached to a harness. Hip braces are commonly used for dogs with hip dysplasia that is mild to moderate.

The Benefits of Acupressure for Dogs

While less well-known than canine acupuncture, acupressure is growing in popularity as an adjunct to traditional veterinary care. During an acupressure session, a practitioner applies manual pressure to stimulate specific points on the body known as acupoints along pathways known as meridians. This ancient form of therapy is used to reduce pain and treat a variety of physical, mental and emotional conditions. Most dogs enjoy these therapeutic arthritis treatment for dogs, which are gentle and non-invasive.

Pain Management
Acupressure is used to manage pet pain caused by osteoarthritis in dogs, tendon and joint injuries and other conditions. Pressure point massage to a point known as GB 34 increases the circulation and blood flow, relaxes muscles and supplies oxygen to tissues and organs, possibly reducing the need for hip pain in dogs medications. The technique also increases flexibility to allow greater range of motion.

Immunity and Wellness
Acupressure can support and improve your pet's immune function, assisting the body to remove toxins and wastes. Stimulating a point known as the LI 11 can, according to the Whole Dog Journal, "enhance the flow of blood and energy throughout the body" to support overall wellness and health.

Behavior Issues
Many behavioral issues, such as anxiety, hyperactivity and fear-based aggression, are caused by stress reactions. Acupressure can sooth and calm dogs by reducing mental and physical stress. Used in a variety of stressful situations, the HT 7 acupoint helps to calm and center dogs. For travel-induced stress and vomiting, there are acupoints to help curb car sickness, too.

Digestive Discomfort
Acupressure is used to support the dog's gastrointestinal tract by increasing the absorption of foods. The more effectively the animal's body breaks down nutrients from food and herbs, the more efficiently they can be absorbed and used. The ST 36 acupoint is considered to be the master point for resolving gastrointestinal issues.

Finding A Specialist

To find a qualified canine acupressurist, speak to your veterinarian. Many traditional veterinary hospitals offer a variety of integrative therapies. Local human acupuncturists, massage therapists or acupressurists may be able to recommend a veterinary specialist. Be sure the practitioner is experienced with your dog's particular condition.

Boswellia for Dogs?

Dogs can experience arthritis and the dog joint inflammation just as their human owners do. Prescription pain medications and anti-inflammatories are not good solutions for every dog. Boswellia is a natural alternative that can help manage a dog joint health pain and inflammation without the side effects of many prescription medications.

Understanding Boswellia
Boswellia is a traditional Ayurvedic medicine that has been used for centuries to ease inflammation caused by chronic conditions such as arthritis, respiratory issues, allergies and cardiovascular disease. Also known as frankincense, boswellia is a tree resin from the Boswellia sacra tree, which grows mainly in northeast Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Boswellia for Dogs
Boswellia has been used for thousands of years to treat disease in people, but has only recently become marketed as a joint care supplement for dogs. More conventional prescription anti-inflammatory medications, when used long term, can cause liver and kidney damage in dogs. Boswellia can be used more safely for long periods of time, as the supplement does not seem to have any harmful side effects. In one study in Germany, boswellia reduced symptoms of arthritis in 71 percent of the dogs in the study.

Boswellia Dosage for Dogs
Consult with a veterinarian before beginning any supplement. The dosage for boswellia will depend on a dog's weight, but other factors may influence the daily amount or number of times the supplement should be given. Some packaged boswellia supplements are available for dogs, and may list the recommended dosage on the bottle. Consult with your dog's regular veterinarian or a holistic veterinarian before starting the boswellia.

My dog is licking its paws always!

Dogs who obsessively lick their paws or bite at them have some sort of underlying cause that needs to be addressed and treated by your veterinarian before damage occurs to the skin and causes secondary infections. This behavior can be obsessive compulsive, signs of arthritis in dogs, allergies, parasites or a hormonal imbalance.

Pain or Injury
When your dog is licking or biting at his paws often, first check his pads and in between his toes for a thorn, a sharp object or debris that could be causing irritation. Remove any foreign objects if you can or take him to the vet. Some dogs lick or chew excessively on their paws when they age and develop dog arthritis. If your dog is a senior, ask your veterinarian to do a checkup. He may need anti-inflammatory medicine for arthritis, or best joint supplements for dogs.

Dog Allergies
Your dog may lick or bite his paws when he has allergies associated with something he walks on such as grass, pollen or mold outdoors, or indoor floor cleaning products. The itchiness from the allergy causes him to lick his paws as he tries to remove the allergen. Ask your veterinarian for a list of pet friendly floor cleaning products to use inside your home. These are usually all natural products that are fragrance free to eliminate allergic reactions.

Yeast Infection
Your canine friend may lick his paws repeatedly because of a yeast infection that is often caused by a food allergy. An excess of grains including soy, corn or wheat in his food can cause a yeast infection on his paws. Your veterinarian can help guide you to a change in your pet's diet to alleviate his discomfort.

Canine Overgrooming
Most dogs like to have clean feet and groom them to remove dirt and debris. Dogs can suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder, which causes them to continue grooming when it is not needed. A dog with OCD is driven to repeat the same behavior and can cause painful sores on his feet. If your dog overgrooms and you see a loss of hair or sores, take him to your veterinarian for treatment. OCD is sometimes the result of anxiety or boredom. Giving your pooch a large variety of toys for him to chew can relieve anxiety or boredom. A dog who is tired out from ample exercise usually will welcome resting instead of chewing his feet. A dog may also have parasites on his feet and lick them often in an attempt to remove them. A monthly preventative for fleas and ticks can solve a parasite problem.

G & C for Dogs

Glucosamine and chondroitin are substances the body naturally produces -- they are found in synovial fluid or joint fluid, cartilage, other connective tissues and organs. Manufactured glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, popular among humans for joint care, are often recommended by veterinarians to reduce arthritis-related inflammation in dogs.

Varying Results
Glucosamine and chondroitin for dogs supplements may help a pet's body repair and recover from minor tissue damage in the joints and ease arthritis discomfort. Some evidence, not completely proved, suggests that these supplements are helpful in treating canine arthritis; but their use does not necessarily help all dogs. Glucosamine and chondroitin supplementation cannot reverse structural damage to the joints.

Types of Glucosamine
Nutritional glucosamine exists in three forms: glucosamine hydrochloride, or glucosamine HCL, a salt that the body converts to glucosamine sulfate for dogs; glucosamine sulfate, the kind manufactured within the body; and N-acetylglucosamine, a simple sugar. Glucosamine sulfate and glucosamine HCL appear to be best absorbed and utilized. The body produces glucosamine from sugars and amino acids and uses it as a tissue component, especially in the joints, but production decreases with advancing age. Commercial glucosamine for dogs dosage supplements are manufactured from crustacean shellfish exoskeletons.

Chondroitin Characteristics
Chondroitin sulfate is also produced by the body -- in decreasing amounts with advancing age. Chondroitin, found in cartilage and synovial fluid, may contribute to joint tissue stability and repair. Since chondroitin is made from glucosamine, supplementation may not be more beneficial than glucosamine alone, but many veterinarians recommend both, and they are sold in combined form. Supplemental chondroitin is not absorbed as efficiently as glucosamine. Commercial chondroitin is extracted from mollusks and certain other marine invertebrates.

Indications for Supplementation
Glucosamine and chondroitin may be recommended for dogs with arthritis, joint injuries, hip dysplasia, lameness or other mobility impairments, disk injuries or disease, recurrent cystitis, and inflammatory urinary or gastric diseases.

Glucosamine and glucosamine-chondroitin preparations do not provide short-term pain relief and are not a replacement for temporary treatment with painkillers. However, a study published in "The Veterinary Journal" in 2007 indicates that anti-inflammatory effects of long-term glucosamine treatment compare favorably with long-term treatment using traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. While side effects are currently unknown, standard veterinary recommendations include monitoring the blood sugar of diabetic dogs undergoing glucosamine therapy.

Canine Shoulder Injury

Practice makes perfect when it comes to schooling your canine athlete, but the constant repetition of agility training can cause or contribute to common shoulder problems -- all that jumping, weaving and climbing takes a toll. But your dog doesn't have to compete in agility to injure a shoulder. Canine shoulder issues include those resulting from trauma, soft tissue injuries and severe arthritis in dogs.

Shoulder Injury Symptoms
How to tell if your dog has arthritis? Dogs suffering from a shoulder injury generally exhibit lameness in the corresponding front leg. The lameness might initially come and go, becoming progressively more pronounced, especially after any activity. Over a few months -- although the amount of time varies depending on the individual animal and his pain level -- the muscle mass on your dog's leg will decreases. Affected dogs might exhibit gait abnormalities rather than outright lameness.

Medial Shoulder Instability
Medial shoulder instability is among the most common shoulder injuries in performance dogs. It's similar to human rotator cuff injuries. MSI in dogs usually occurs because of joint overuse rather than actual trauma. While it's important to train your dog for competitions, overdoing such practice can eventually lead to MSI. Initial signs in canine athletes are subtle, such as unwillingness to make certain turns in agility training. Most dogs with MSI react painfully to any shoulder hyperextension. Medium-size to large breeds are most likely to suffer from MSI.

Shoulder Injury Diagnosis
Your veterinarian or veterinary orthopedic surgeon uses X-rays and ultrasound to determine the cause of your dog's shoulder lameness. To identify soft tissue injuries, such as a biceps tendon rupture, your vet might use magnetic resonance imaging. Other diagnostic tools include an arthroscope, which permits your vet to view the joint and remove fluid or tissue for analysis. Your vet will benefit from learning the history of your dog's athletic activity, or any known injuries, such as slipping and falling during play.

Shoulder Injury Treatment
Canine arthritis treatment depends on the severity and type of injury. Dogs with mild injuries might require rest for a prescribed period, along with medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories. Other treatments include massage, acupuncture and chiropractic. More severely affected dogs might require surgery, followed by a physical therapy and other rehabilitation. While your dog might recover sufficiently for normal activity, he might not be able to return to a competitive career.

Spondylosis in Dogs

Spondylosis deformans (spondylitis) is common in middle-age and older animals, including dogs. Like all aging joints, the spine can get arthritic. Spondylosis deformans is similar to dog arthritis, with bone spurs forming on the vertebrae. Many dogs have no symptoms, but if the condition progresses the vertebrae can fuse together, causing pain and stiffness. Although spondylosis deformans is incurable, there are both medical and home-care options to allow the dog a pain-free, active life.

Symptoms
Dogs with spondylosis deformans can be asymptomatic for many years and usually shows up in mid-life or the senior years. This can depend on the size of the dog. A small or toy dog is not considered middle-aged until 7-9 years old, while a large or giant breed dog is middle-aged at about 4, since their average life expectancy is typically 10 years or less.

If your dog is stiff after getting up, appears to be limping (especially after exercise) or begins snapping or licking her lower back, take her to a veterinarian. Occasionally, a bony spur or fusing of the vertebrae will cause loss of bladder control and the dog will become incontinent.

Diagnosis
Spondylosis deformans is usually diagnosed by x-ray of the spine. If the x-ray is inconclusive, a myelogram can check for compression of spinal nerves, or an analysis of the joint fluid can rule out bacterial or fungal inflammation of the spine.

Conventional Treatment
Treatment of spondylosis deforman depends on the symptoms. If the dog shows no signs of pain in dogs or limping, treatment is unnecessary. The most common medications used for pain and inflammation are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like Rimadyl, Deramaxx and Etogesic. If the dog does not respond well to NSAIDs, the vet may inject cortosteroids into the lower spine. An injection is typically effective for six to eight months.

Surgical procedures are not usually recommended, as surgery to remove the bone spurs simply result in rapid regrowth of the bone spur. However, several veterinary researchers are working toward different surgical procedures to effect long-term relief. A board-certified veterinary orthopedist will be able to tell you about the latest surgical findings.

Alternative Treatment
Complementary and holistic veterinarians may use other treatments to ease the pain of spondylosis deformans. Acupuncture may help dogs with spondylosis and arthritis dogs. If a dog responds well to acupuncture, gold bead implants provide long-term relief by surgically implanting small gold beads at acupuncture points.

Chiropractic adjustments may help by realigning the vertebrae and easing inflammation caused by pressure from the bony spurs. See Resources below to find a holistic vet experienced in alternative treatments for spondylosis.

Home Care
There are many things you can do in conjunction with veterinary care to keep your dog comfortable. The most important factor is weight control; excess weight keeps pressure on the spine and arthritic joints and keeping your dog lean at any age minimizes or eradicates a lot of pain and stiffness.

Since strong, toned muscles can compensate for weak joints and stiffness, mild daily exercise as tolerated helps keep a dog with spondylosis deformans limber. Swimming is particularly good exercise for any dog. Ask your vet for a referral to a physical therapy clinic that offers controlled swimming in warm water for dogs.

Natural anti-inflammatory supplements such as fish oil, glucosamine and chrondroitin may help a great deal.

Natural anti inflammatory for dogs

Eating right when you're sick is especially important and just like with humans, finding the right foods for your dog when he's ill can be challenging. When your dog is suffering from inflamed joints the impact from what he eats is apparent, crucial and essential for his long-term care.

Canine Joint Inflammation and Prescription Foods
The inflammation causing accumulation of fluids around your dog's bone joints can come from a variety of veterinary issues including degenerative joint disease in dogs, a localized injury, blood clot abnormalities, tumors, systemic polyarthritis disease, bacterial infection or is breed specific. Canine joint effusion, or swelling, causes pain and can lead to long-term illness or deformity. Whenever you wish to change your dog's diet, it is important to consult his veterinarian. Several commercial prescription recipes dedicated to relieve joint swelling in your dog are available. Since the swelling of your dog's joints predicates cartilage destruction, prescription diets for joint inflammation use natural glucosamine and chondroitin for dogs as building blocks for healthy joint cartilage.

Natural Anti-Inflammation Foods
A serious consideration when thinking about an anti-inflammatory diet for your dog is meeting his nutritional requirements. The first and most prominent ingredient in any dog's diet should be protein. Lean protein with omega-3 fatty acids such as chicken, and fish, including sardines and salmon, are among the strongest anti-inflammatory foods. According to the administration at the Natural Home Remedies Site, research into what foods have an anti-inflammatory effect on dog joints is based on the same science conducted on people. In accordance to such data, an anti-inflammatory canine diet includes vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, broccoli, spinach, kale and fruits such as mango, pineapple and papaya.

Herbal and Supplemental Dietary Additions
Adding herbal and natural supplements for dog arthritis to your dog's food is based on his size and the extent of his joint inflammation. Since dogs afflicted with joint inflammation show relief from foods containing omega-3 fatty acids, adding fish oil to his diet helps. Liquorice, used as an oil infusion, is a popular natural anti-inflammatory dietary addition with few known side effects. Add OmNutra Pet Essentials Advanced Pet Joint Care to his diet. Its advanced formula with Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM, Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C & E will help rebuild the worn out cartilage causing the difficulty in mobility. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties close to cortisone, and dog owners use this dried spice by sprinkling it onto their dog's food.

Foods to Avoid
Almost as important as anti-inflammatory foods are for dogs with joint inflammation, are foods that are definite no-nos. Foods that exacerbate joint inflammation include those with omega-6 fatty acids. Foods containing linoleic acid and gamma linoleic, such as the fat found in corn oil, should be avoided. These foods have a catalytic effect to the inflammatory chemicals naturally occurring in your dog's body. Many grains are considered pro-inflammatory and grain-free diets prove beneficial for dogs suffering with inflamed joints. Many nonprescription commercial pet foods contain an unhealthy imbalance of omega-6 fatty acids, leaving common store bought foods for dog's with joint ailments, undesirable.