Greetings,
Welcome to this month's issue of The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. Please pass this along to your friends!

Table of Contents:

1. Featured Articles from The Pet Arthritis Resource Center
2. Can Fido or Fluffy make it as Vegetarians?
3. Pet Arthritis Message Boards

Featured Pet Arthritis Content

Feeding Options for Dogs with Arthritis What kinds of pet foods are best for dogs and cats with arthritis? And what about Raw food? Diagnosing & Easing Arthritis Pain in Cats Learn the causes of arthritis in cats and the methods of diagnosis, and read medication and surgical considerations. The Truth About Rimadyl Side Effects How to know if your dog has had a reaction to Rimadyl (caprofen), arthritis treatment for dogs, and what you can do about it.

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Can Fido or Fluffy make it as Vegetarians?

In the past, we have talked about the importance of diet for pets dealing with arthritis. This is a very important issue and one that many pet owners do not address properly. That is not to say that they don't care, it is more a question of understanding what works best for your pet particularly if they are arthritic or have joint-related issues.

Why our Pets are Living Shorter Lives
Cats and dogs are exposed to the same kinds of life-shortening problems that we are. Pollution, stress and diet are all an issue. In fact, in some studies, it has been shown that some pure bred animal's lives have been shortened dramatically. This is not a random event. It is a fact of life and these factors are all contributing to that. When the immune system is constantly threatened, there will be an impact. In fact, veterinarians generally agree that there is an overall decline in pet health across the board.

Commercial Pet Foods and the Difference in Dogs and Cats
Our pets are born with sharp teeth and claws which would seem to suggest that they thrive on meat. While this is true to a point, it is not a complete picture. I have suggested in the past that (some) raw food should be added to your pet's diet. I did that because there are several factors at play when you feed them commercially-available foods.

Issues with Commercial Brands
Many of these off-the-shelf products are a little questionable. While protein is essential to pets, often these products don't have enough of it. Much of it is not digested well and in other cases, it happens because of an imbalance in amino acids. There is also the issue of "what" is in the product. We know by now that many contain "animal by-products" that are not even pleasant to discuss. Many of these products are contaminated with a host of undesirable ingredients.

Before we address this issue, let's talk about picking a pet food that works for your pet.

The Ones to "pass" On
If you see ingredients that include artificial colorings or have preservatives like propylene glycol, propyl gallate, sodium nitrite or nitrate, BHA or BHT, don't buy it. It is also not a good idea to feed commercially packaged foods to your pet if there are "animal by-products" included except those that are named as "organ meats." That is a good starting point.

Second, even these commercial foods that pass muster (which means high-quality products) usually must be cooked. If you have any familiarity with cooking, you know that this destroys much of the beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals and amino acids.

Adding Raw Foods
We have talked about this in past editions. Add some raw foods to your pet's diet. This helps to supplement what they are not getting from even good commercial brand foods. In a perfect world (from a nutritional standpoint) this would be the foundation of your pet's diet.

You can mix vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, and dairy products together to provide a good starting point toward a better overall diet and particularly for an arthritic pet.

Diet, Exercise and Liquid Glucosamine
We are going to expand on this theme a little further in our next article. In the meantime, pay attention to the commercial foods you are buying and take the time to bring a little vegetarian mix to your pet's diet. It will help them maintain healthier joints and overall improve their health.

In the next issue, we will target a little more closely the differences between feeding a healthy diet to cats (versus) dogs.

See you next time.

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Pet Arthritis Message Boards

Dogs

• Canine Hip Dysplasia
• Arthritis in Dogs
• Glucosamine for Dogs

Cats

• Feline Hip Dysplasia
• Glucosamine for Cats
• Arthritis in Cats

Other Animals

• Arthritis in Other Animals

Here's a few sample posts from the Forum...

Jose
Posted on 09 July 2004

Several times in the last 6 mos. my 11 yr old lab/boxer mix has fallen as the joint at his foot/leg has given way. Is this arthritis? Or what? Thnx for any response.

i have a 8 year old full blooded rottwieler who has shown signs of arthritis in her back hips and some in her front shoulders, she seems fine throughout the day but after sleeping all night she sometimes has trouble getting up and around...its especially after it has rained or damp and chilly out.....the front isnt always botherig her but the back hips do almost every morning, but once i make her get up and move around and stretch her ips and walk around it doesnt sem to bother her im wondering if this could also be caused by spurs on the joints and bones in the area... Does anyone have any suggestions on what i should do and as well what i can do to help her lose some weight? I also have her 4 year old daughter that i have to becareful on food cause of her still growing and she is a show dog the 8 year old is a retired show dog as well i only feed them 3 times a day about 2 cups each i have pretty much stopped all treats which is hard due to fact i use the in training...but i cannot stand to see her in pai some mornings and im at a lost on what to do besides going to vet and paying a fortune for them to tell me she has arthritis...if any one has any suggestions please email me

Post your own message on The Pet Arthritis Message Board now!

This concludes the July Issue of The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. Look for the next issue in your inbox on August 15th, 2004!

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Have a great July from The Pet Arthritis Resource Center and The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. See you next month!