Wednesday, March 26, 2008

An Ounce of Prevention... It's Not So Different for Your Dog

A previous blog post addressed ways to prevent arthritis in humans. Now I want to talk about arthritis prevention for man's best friend. No surprisingly, the tips are very similar in beast as they are for man.

•Loss the weight: Maintaining proper weight is key to arthritis prevention in man and in beast. And since we humans (ideally) control what the dog eats and how much he eats, controlling the dog's weight might be easier than controlling our own. Just remember, you are doing your dog no favors by slipping him treats and table scraps.
•Exercise: This is easy prevention for dogs. Unlike we humans, who seem to have an aversion to exercise, dogs love it. They beg for it. Cut back on the food, but give your dog all the exercise it wants.
•But don’t over do it: Take Fido out for several 10-15 minute walks daily instread of one long walk, especially if your dog is getting up there in years. •Diet: A natural diet high in vitamins and minerals is essential for healthy bones and tissue.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dogs & cats have many of the same nutritional needs as do humans. it should come as no surprise that they develop arthritis the same way that humans do.

I prescribe fish oils to my patients, and the same oils work well in dogs & cats. Cost, however, can sometimes become an issue. when this is the case, i suggest to my patients (for themselves and their critters) to use a tablespoon of olive oil, twice daily. The dose is decreased for dogs and cats proportional to their weight. That could be 1/4 tsp twice daily for an average cat or dog

david s klein, md