A HUGE thank you to our friends, Doug & Val Pfaff at Hycrest Boarding Kennels in Pound, Wisconsin. We were on vacation when Shadow's heart started to give out, and he died. Val & Doug did not leave him; they made sure that our Shadow (our Big Dude) did not die alone. Shadow was loved in his final hours and that brings us great comfort. No one could ask for better people to take care of anyone's beloved pets. Thank you again Doug & Val. God bless you for what you do for all the pets in your care.
Shadow fought so gallantly against his arthritis, especially in this past year just to keep walking & playing, even though it caused him a lot of pain. In the end, he fought so hard, that his heart gave out. I really believe that Shadow left this Earth his way, rather than having to be put to sleep.  Shadow is now playing with Jordan in Heaven. We mourn & miss him so much. Shadow was and alway will be "My big Dude".

This topic is very near & dear to my heart. I have had two dogs with very bad arthritis. The best thing that any pet lover can do is educate themselves on pet arthritis. What are some of the medication options, what OTC medications are safe, which ones are best for your pet and which are not safe to give to a pet. There are so many good OTC medications that your pet can take, but you need to talk to your Vet about any medication you give to your pet. If there is one thing that I have learned, any pet with arthritis needs to keep moving - pets with arthritis need excercise. How much excercise, for how long and what type needs to be discussed with your veterinarian. Recently our yellow lab, Tia, was so bad, in so much pain with arthritis that we decided the time was near when we were going to have make a decision. A decision about how long to let our beautiful little fur-child live in such pain. Then our Vet had us try a very CHEAP generic form of Medicam - the medication is called Meloxicam. Meloxicam is new, it only cost a fraction of what Medicam does (we pay only $8.50 for 100 tablets) it is absolutly wonderful for our Tia. To say it did wonders, is an understatement. We are not endorsing, or saying this medication is right for your pet - only your Vet can tell you if it is right for your pet or not. What we will tell you is, we no longer talke about putting our Tia to sleep. This medication is giving our Tia a second chance at life - a life that is filled with a lot less pain.

There have been many times that I have broken down and cried, my dog's pain has been that great, but they just wanted to keep going, wanted to keep living. Then there were times that they would lie down and almost give up, there pain would become so unbearable, but they did not want to give up. Because of a loving Vet, Dr. Linda, my dogs kept going, kept walking, kept playing. Besides medication, I make sure my dogs get excercise every day. We are blessed in the Crivitz area by having two wonderful veterinary Clinics. There is the Amber Veterinary Hospital & Clinic. This hospital will love and care for your pet as much as you do. We are also blessed here in Crivitz to have the Countryside Veterinary Clinic with Dr. Linda Michalski.

Visit the below websites for informtion on Dog & Cat arthritis:
http://www.arthritis-cats-dogs.com/
http://www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/arthritis-pets/
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/arthritis.html (Cat Arthritis)

The Pet Arthritis Resource Center
(http://www.arthritis-glucosamine.net/pet-arthritis/)
A very informative site about arthritis in pets. Over 100 articles on treating arthritis and hip dysplasia in pets, the science backing glucosamine, a review of treatments, a pet arthritis newsletter, and much more.

Pet Arthritis Information:
Dog arthritis

Most large dogs develop arthritis as they age. Although there are no miracle cures, much can be done to make old dogs with arthritis more comfortable and improve their lives.

Soft comfortable place to sleep

Your dog's bed should be as comfortable as your own. An old mattress or soft couch is excellent. Soft foam rubber at least four inches thick is good. Scout around for an old baby mattress.

Gentle, regular exercise

Provide limited, gentle exercise. Once around the block two or three times a day is about right.  Avoid strenuous activity on the weekends alternating with little or none during the week.

Weight control

Older large-breed dogs often tend to be overweight. This discourages them from getting the exercise they need and aggravates their arthritis.  The more weight on those poor old joints, the harder it is to move around. You should be able to easily easily locate each of your dog's ribs when you feel for them.

Promote joint health

There are dozens of products for animals intended to relieve arthritis by promoting joint and cartilage health. Their active ingredients usually include glucosamine, chondroitin or perna caniculus, sometimes creatine, and often an assortment of miscellaneous vitamins and minerals. Their use has become nearly universal among veterinarians, no safety problems have arisen, and they are generally quite effective.  In our opinion, every dog showing even the earliest signs of arthritis should be receiving one of these products. They work best in the early stages of arthritis, while there is still reasonable joint function left to preserve. 

Relieve pain and inflammation 

There are newer drugs which are much more effective than aspirin and for long term use, safer. Like the arthritis drugs people take, they are expensive (about a dollar a day) but can make a huge difference in the lives of arthritic old dogs.  They are prescription drugs which must be obtained from a veterinarian.

Arthritis and Related Joint Diseases of the Canine
by Dr. Wendell O. Belfiel

Arthritis is probably one of the most common incapacitating diseases known to man and beast. It is not serious enough to cause death but can cause extreme pain and discomfort.

In medical vernacular-"itis" at the end of a word indicates inflammation, thereby arthritis indicates inflammation of a joint. However, there are exceptions to the rule; in other words there are instances when an arthritis is not one involving inflammation.

Because of this the pathologists have placed this condition in categories; non-inflammation (arthrosis, osteoarthrosis), and inflammation (arthritis, osteoarthritis). As time moves forward so does our knowledge and technology. Because of this progress, we in the profession are able to better isolate and identify many different types of arthritises, which leads to better therapies and preventions. The types discussed in this article will be limited to those seen in my practice.

Osteoarthritis is by far the most common. This type of arthritis is seen in every case of canine hip dysplasia, the crippling disease affecting the young of the large and giant breeds. In hip dysplasia, the head of the femur separates from the hip socket and after a period of time, nature attempts to fill the gap left by the separation with bone tissue. This bone tissue is rough and the movement of the head of the femur over this rough surface is extremely painful. Bear in mind, the two surfaces of a joint must be very smooth and lubricated with a fluid called synovial fluid. In the case of hip dysplasia this is lacking. This, articulation causes a great deal of pain and discomfort in one or both hind limbs.

Osteochondritis dissecans is a type of arthritis affecting the cartilage surface of the upper arm (humerus). There may be one or more areas that undergo degeneration (necrosis) causing lameness to the young dogs of the large and giant breeds. This condition is seen in animals a year and younger, and is manifested by limping in the affected forelimb. Most animals will outgrow the condition if strenuous activities are curtailed for a few weeks. "Numerous theories have been propose, suggesting that the cause of osteochondritis may involve biochemical, nutritional, hormonal and hereditary factors." These theories are quoted directly from the textbook.

Legg-Calve-Perthes' disease is characterized by a flattening of the femoral head. This condition almost always occurs in canine hip dysplasia, but can and will occur as a separate entity. This condition occurs as a result of cartilage necrosis (death),

In recent years the veterinary profession has been moving in the direction of specialization. This has resulted in veterinary orthopedics. These specialists, with their expertise and technology. have been able to aid the practitioner in making a more positive diagnosis. In other words, we have more descriptive names for the different bone and joint diseases. To date, most of the therapies to eliminate the bone and joint problems seems to be some sort of surgery. Though some theories have been put forth about nutrition, the textbook fails to offer a nutritional solution or other preventive measures.

Osteoarthritis, osteochondritis and Legg-Calve-Perthes' are all very common crippling diseases that are occurring daily to our pets because we as veterinarians, do not understand the role good nutrition plays in preventing these diseases.

In recent years, since the advent of glucosamine and condroitin, the tendency in veterinary medicine, has been to treat the existing condition. These two natural substances have eliminated, to some extent, the administration of steroids, which have multiple adverse side effects. Like many therapies, there are those patients that will not respond favorably, only to have the condition persist throughout their entire lives.

All three of these crippling diseases can be prevented through preventive protocols. Collagen synthesis is essential for osteogenesis and chondrogenesis the formation of bone and cartilage respectively. Bone and cartilage are not as dependent on mineral intake as much as collagen synthesis. With poor collagen synthesis there is minimal matrix for minerals to be deposited. Most often, extreme amounts of minerals like calcium are being administered with the intent to develop strong bones, only to have patients develop other biochemical problems, such as unwanted calcium deposits in other parts of the body.

A preventive protocol I have used successfully my practice for a quarter of a century consist of Mega C Plus and hydrolyzed protein (Mega C Drops). This preventive regimen begins with the pregnant mother and continues in the pups through nine months of age. This protocol is discussed more scientifically in my chapter, "Orthomolecular Medicine In Veterinary Practice", in the textbook, "Complementary And Alternative Veterinary Medicine:Principles And Practice", published by Mosby.

In the thirty-seven years of practicing small animal medicine, developing new and effective preventive protocols for the prevention of diseases was less taxing than promoting my concept of prevention to veterinarians and animal breeders and fanciers. Should there be a pathological condition indigenous to a specific breed, is it not preferable to prevent the occurrence rather than to attempt treatment?