Dog Pain Killers & Dog Articulation & Muscles

Osteomuscular (Dog Pain Killers) problems are more frequent of the big breeds, in some part for the genetic inheritance, but also for the excessive speed with which they grow. Recent investigations suggest that the puppies of big breed require a proportionally poorer diet in calories and calcium that the rest of the puppies, contrarily to what used to be thought.

The most visible symptom of all is the articulation and muscular problems in limping. If it is produced, you have to take your dog to the veterinary as soon as possible so he can find out the reason of this problem because the treatment will depend on the unleashing factor. The radiographs help with the diagnosis, but in the case of the dogs the general anesthesia is needed or at least a very strong sedation to keep the patient still.

Dog HEREDITARY DISEASES

Articulation malformations are very common, as well as diverse. Hip dysphasia is basically hereditary, but the diet and other circumstances may also influence its appearance.

Hip Dysphasia
It is usually not obvious until adolescence, but it can cause a very serious arthritis as time goes by. If it is mild, it may be enough with keeping it from going worst by limitation the physical exercise and providing anti-inflammatory, but if it is serious it may be necessary to operate and even replace the whole hip.

The elbow dysphasia is very similar. It begin showing at about 5 or 6 months of age, causing the limping of one or both of the front paws.

Dislocation of the Knee Joint
Articulation malformation that affects mainly small dog breeds. The knee joint fits wrongly the lower edge of the femur, due to which it gets out of place and gets back to its place on its own. The main symptom is the temporal limping of one of rear paws that suddenly appears and disappears. It is normally necessary to make a deeper furrow and more stable ligaments of the knee joint through surgery.

These problems can also lead to a trauma or an accident.

Disease of the Perthe
More appropriately denominated vascular necrosis of the head of the femur consists on the lack of blood flow to the head of the femur that causes pain in the hip. It mainly affects the little Terriers and the head of the femur is usually taken out surgically, letting the articulation regenerate.

Dog ARTHRITIS

Swallowing is one or many of the reflex frequently affected by articulation problems as traumas or congenital malformations. Degenerative arthritis is very common in very old dogs of big breeds and gets even worst with overweight. There are many types of treatment, but they are not all equally effective, some of them are assigned to the official medicine and others to the natural or alternative medicine. Here we will mention the most important ones:

No Steroid Anti-inflammatory
Relieve the pain and the articulator swallowing, but they can cause side effects, especially in the digestive system.

Corticosteroid
Are very strong and aggressive anti-inflammatory that is prescribed only in serious cases.

Copper Collars
It is a canine version of the magnetic bracelets used by some humans to relieve the arthritis.

Acupuncture
It has been proven to relieve the pain, so it can be very useful to relieve the pain cause by the chronic arthritis.

Massages and Physiotherapy
They are currently used, along with the hydrotherapy, to keep the mobility of the articulations affected with the arthritis.

Homeopathic Medicine and Medicinal Plants
The most used homeopathic medicines are the zumaque or poisonous oak (rhux toxicodendrom) and the white Walnut (bryonia alba). Among the most used medicinal plants the angelica and the devil's claw stand out the most.

INJURIES ON THE CARTILAGE

The official medicine heals the accidentally injured cartilage with injections, while the alternative or natural medicine uses do it with oral remedies. Among the mostly used ones the shark fin, cod's liver oil and the primrose are the outstanding ones.

Tumors

The osteomuscular system can also suffer from tumors, either malign or benign. The ostemielitis, an infection that is developed in the inner part of the bone, is very hard to differentiate from the bone cancer on radiographs and it requires a very long treatment with antibiotics.

ACCIDENTAL INJURIES

The dog's bones, ligaments and articulations are very frequently injured in a casual way. As in the humans, the bony fractures are cured immobilizing the affected area or through surgery, with stainless steel implants or external splints. The veterinarian prefers to operate because this treatment allows the animal to recover the mobility of its paws. Besides that, the dogs usually hate the plasters and it is not unusual for them to try to take them out using their teeth. The breaking of the crossed ligaments, frequent on very big breeds, almost always requires surgery.