Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Natural Pain Relief For Dogs and Cats




Just like us, your dog and cat has aches and pains and can feel uncomfortable and stiff getting up and down. We don't want our pets to feel uncomfortable, so we tend to rush to use medications such as NSAIDS and painkillers such as Rimadyl or Tramadol.   For short-term relief for immediate discomfort,  medications may be helpful but using these medications on a long-term, frequent basis is not in the best interest of your pet.  These medications can not only sedate pets and cause digestive upset, but they can affect liver and kidney function. You can use these medications sparingly but by helping to support your pet's joints and skeletal tissue using natural joint support supplements such as the veterinary-approved Dog Arthritis Kit, you can help relieve long-term pain and the need for using these pet pain medications on a daily basis.

Natural pain relievers for dogs and cats with arthritis can work well on their own or in conjunction with medications.  It usually takes some trial and error to find just the right combination to rebuild your pet's joints and ligaments.  Not all joint support supplements are alike. They differ considerably based on how they are manufactured and the ingredients they contain.   The secret to a good supplement is that it should be third party tested for potency and purity AND that it contains the ingredients proven to help. Joint support and helping arthritic symptoms extends beyond simply supplementing with glucosamine. A good joint support should have ingredients such as collagen, green lipped mussel, hyaluronic acid and herbs such as boswelia. For example, we have seen excellent results with  Arthrosoothe For Pets which includes not only glucosamine but other key nutrients scientifically proven to support joints and reduce pain.   In addition, for limping or an injury such as an ACL tear, Canine Comfort,  which contains curcumin can provide considerable natural pain relief by reducing inflammation.

For senior dogs, especially for arthritic conditions and hip dysplasia, Special SAMe can dramatically improve mobility.   This pure, science-based formula is highly recommended by veterinarians because it has been clinically proven to help canine arthritis.  Special SAMe is a synergistic formula that combines B Vitamins along with S-Adenosyl methionine.  Yes, this may be hard to pronounce, but learning about the benefits of this product is worth the effort!  Special SAMe offers several benefits.  It not only helps with mobility, but it elevates the dog's mood and furthermore, it supports the liver.  That makes this product especially beneficial for senior dogs......AND.....dogs that have been taking the NSAIDs mentioned above.  If your dog is taking pain medications, chances are your veterinarian is routinely checking your dog's liver values to see if any damage has occurred.  If you are giving your pet any type of pain or anti-inflammatory medications, it is essential to use Special SAMe  to support the liver.

If you have a small pet or a finicky cat,the Ultra-Flex Collagen For Pets is an excellent choice.  This whole-food based supplement boosts connective tissue, bones and ligaments and is a light powder that can be easily mixed in food.  Just a small amount one time per day for even the most finicky pets.  It can be hard to give some cats and small dogs pills and some pets are allergic to glucosamine, so Ultra-Flex will help.

If your pet is getting older, it is a good idea to start on the joint support formulas now before there are noticeable symptoms as this may greatly decrease the frequency or need for using pain medications as they age. Overall, using a combination of natural pain relief supplements along with medications (if needed) is a much healthier strategy than just treating symptomatic pain relief with medications alone.
Pet Nutritionist Susan Blake Davis and Her Rescue Dog Legend


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