Tag Archives: Arthritic Dog

Pets

Dog Emergency Kit For Pet Owners

Dog Emergency Kit – Every Pet Owner Should Have One

Dog Emergency Kit

Most  dog owners know how important it is to take certain safety precautions in case their furry family member needs their help.

However, It’s hard to be prepared for every situation that could potentially occur.  Therefore, having a dog emergency kit that contains:

  • Paperwork
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Antibiotic Ointment
  • Ice Packs
  • Gauze
  • Scissors
  • Tape
  • Rubber Gloves
  • A Towel or Blanket

Having all of the above  essentials is a handy way to fix problems fast and eliminate any unnecessary stress on you and your canine.

Dog Emergency Kit Paperwork:

Keeping a hard copy of medical records and emergency phone numbers is important to have ready at all times in case you have to rush your dog to the vet. This is especially necessary to have prepared for a dog sitter since they may not have the knowledge needed to get your dog proper medical attention.

Hydrogen Peroxide:

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to help your dog vomit if they have ingested something harmful or toxic. It’s important to contact your vet before inducing vomiting.  It’s also crucial to obtain clear and accurate instructions on how to do so.

Antibiotic Ointment:

Since many dogs love playing outdoors and going on walks it’s not uncommon for them to get scratches and cuts. Therefore, having antibiotic ointment in your emergency kit is a must.

Using antibiotic ointment on a scratch or cut can prevent:

  • Infections
  • Reduce pain
  • Protect the injury from germs and bacteria.

Ice Packs:

Ice packs are important to have ready in case your dog has been injured or is recovering from a surgery. Cryotherapy can quickly reduce pain, muscle spasms, inflammation, and swelling. Placing cold packs to the area for at least 10 to 15 minutes will make a huge difference for your pet.

Kelley’s Therapeutic Garments with pockets for the insertion of ice or heat packs is an ideal product to include in your dogs emergency  kit.

Gauze, Scissors, Tape, Rubber Gloves:

If your dog has an injury that causes bleeding, having the proper items to bandage your pup up will save you a lot of time and hassle. Having gloves and sanitized tools are important for you and your dog to prevent germs and bacteria from making your dogs injury worse.

A Towel or Blanket:

A towel or blanket can come in handy in many different situations.

  • They could be very useful if your dog needs to be comforted. because they are nervous or scared.
  • The dog  needs to be warmed up.
  • Or the dog  needs a safe surface to stand on to protect it’s paws from a surface that is too hot or covered in rocks.

For more information on emergency kits for pets click here.

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Pets

Dog Injuries: Sprains and Strains

Dog injuries are no fun for pets or pet owners.

Treating Dog Injuries

As animals with high energy levels, getting injured is an unfortunate reality for many dogs.

Generally, the most common dog injuries consist of sprains or strains due to the nature of how they use their legs and paws.

A strain is an injury to a tendon that connects muscles and bones and is common when active dogs stretch too far.

A sprain is an injury on the ligaments that link bones and can lead to joint damage. This can happen to any dog when a wrist or knee takes a hard hit.

There are a number of ways to treat these injuries, but hot and cold therapy are common practices that can used to help bring your dog relief.

How to Use Ice and Heat Therapy

Before using ice and heat therapy for dog injuries, it must first be determined what type of injury has occurred.

Ice Therapy

Ice therapy is the application of a frozen device, usually some form of an ice pack, on the affected area. When the ice is applied, it helps to reduce irritation and swelling, as well as relieve pain for your dog.

Heat Therapy

With heat therapy, its use combats muscle spasms, stiffness, and pain, and increases blood flow. It can be applied with wraps, heating pads, or heating blankets.

Which Injury, Which Therapy?

Now that you know two of the common types of therapy for dog injuries, it’s important to know when and how to use them. To be the most useful, each type of therapy should be used at certain times.

Due to its properties, heat therapy should be used immediately after an injury because it responds to symptoms that are typically experienced right away.

Ice therapy is most effective after a few days because it addresses the onset of symptoms that are experienced later.

Keeping Your Dog Safe

While there are many treatments available for dog injuries, the best one is prevention. Of course, your dog is going to continue to be active, but there are ways to help keep your dog safe while having fun.

To prevent sprains and strains, it is important to maintain an active lifestyle for your dog. Activity is important  even when your dog may not be able to go outside.

Furthermore, their general play area should be easy for them to move around in without tripping. Small changes like this can lead to better fun for you and your dog.

 Injuries to your dog  using retractable leashes by Dr. Karen Becker.

Joint Injuries In Dogs

 

Pets

Luxating Patella (Bad Knee) In A Dog

A luxating patella is just a fancy term for a dislocated kneecap. It’s a common ailment of dogs, especially the smaller breeds such as chihuahuas, toy poodles, Pekingese and papillons. However, large breeds are also subject to it especially those who are already at greater risk for hip dysplasia.
luxating patella

Luxating Patella In Dogs

The most common type of luxating patella is the medial luxating patella. This means that the dog’s bad knee is sliding around within the joint. The condition can be genetic or come about because of injury, malnutrition or obesity.

Luxating Patella Grades

There are four grades of luxating patella in a dog. In Grade 1, the dog is not in severe pain, and the kneecap can be put back in place non-surgically through massage. There will be more about that later on.

In grade 2, the dog feels pain when the kneecap slips out of place. These dogs are also at risk for arthritis. Again, the knee can be massaged back in place, but the correction is temporary.

A grade 3 luxation finds the dog in constant pain, but as with grades 1 and 2, the kneecap can be put back in place without surgical intervention. Only grade 4 luxation requires surgery.

Signs and Symptoms of a Bad Knee

Because of the pain, a dog who has a bad knee will favor the leg that is affected. You may hear a popping sound around the affected knee. The dog’s gait will be awkward, and you may see something like a hop-hop-skip as the dog moves. If the dog has a grade 4 luxation, it will have a noticeable bowlegged appearance. Grade 4 means that there is no longer a groove for the knee to fit in and requires orthopedic surgery.

Non-Surgical Treatment

A dog with grades 1,2 or even 3 can be helped non-surgically. In some cases they just need to be fitted with a knee brace. Knee braces do not need a prescription, but you need to consult with the vet to make sure that your dog indeed has a luxating patella. The vet may also prescribe vitamins and supplements to support the health of the bones around the knee. Popular supplements include glucosamine sulfate and omega-3 fatty acids.

The vet can also teach you how to massage the kneecap back into place. This not only eases the dog’s pain and improves circulation but promotes bonding between you and your dog.

https://youtu.be/PJJsvjG8tYo

 

Dogs With Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

For information on Common Injuries in dogs click here.

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Pets

Can Jumping Cause Arthritis In Dogs

Dogs With Arthritis

An arthritic dog can some time have very bad pain.  Arthritis almost always develops as a result of injury much earlier in life, even when your dog is a puppy. Over exercise, jumping too high, and running too hard before a puppy’s bones and joints are mature can injure the joints so supervise your young dog’s exercise routine.

via GIPHY

Joint Problems In An Arthritic Dog

Most pet owners with an  arthritic dog are familiar with osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD) or degenerative arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the dogs body such as the shoulder, elbow, knee, hip, and back. Even though OA is called non-inflammatory arthritis, OA still results in inflammation of the joints.

What Causes Arthritis In Dogs?

Joint problems in dogs  is a problem seen in older dogs, but the condition can develop from an early age, following problems with bone and joint development. Since cartilage has no nerves, the damage can progress with no outward signs until the joint is severely damaged and the lubricating fluid has thinned and lost its ability to protect the bone surfaces.

In dogs with arthritis, cartilage within the joint undergoes change or damage, becoming less smooth and resulting in the bone surfaces rubbing together.  Constant jumping , stretching or tearing ligaments during strenuous exercise, or injuries in a fall or accident causes further damage to cartilage. As a direct result of this increased friction, new bone starts to form around the joint making the joint stiffer, which limits its movement even more.

If a dog is over weight  it is very likely the dog will have  joint problems.  Excess weight causes  the joints to be overused and more likely to break down. If the dog can lose weight in the early stages of arthritis, the disease may actually be stopped. Early cartilage damage does not cause pain, so early detection is difficult. By the time an overweight dog acts arthritic, the condition has probably been present for some time.

How to Spot Arthritis in Dogs

Arthritic Dog
Joint Problems In Dogs

1.  An Arthritic Dog May Start Limping

You may see your pet limping or favoring one or more of his legs, depending on which legs and which joints are arthritic. In some cases, the limp may seem worse when your pet first rises and become less noticeable as your pet “warms up” by moving around.

2.  Difficulty Moving

Your pet may also become reluctant to do things that were once easy for him to do. For instance, your dog may find it difficult to get into and out of the car or may have difficulty going up and down stairs that were previously easily manageable. Arthritic cats, on the other hand, may stop jumping onto counter tops, perches and other high areas because of the pain and discomfort.

3. Spinal Issues 

Arthritic changes can occur not only in the legs but also in the various parts of the spine. These changes may result in a sore neck, an abnormal posture with a “hunch” in the back, or lameness of one or both hind legs.

4. Tiredness

Your pet may tire more easily. For dogs, this may mean that walks become shorter and more painful for your pet. Your pet may spend more time sleeping and/or resting.

5. Irritability

Arthritic animals may become irritable. They may snap and/or bite when approached or handled, particularly if the petting or handling takes place in a manner that increases their pain.

6. Muscle Atrophy

An arthritic dog often develop muscle atrophy or dying off of the muscle tissue due to inactivity and decreased use of the muscles. A pet with atrophied muscles in their legs will have a leg which looks thinner than a normal leg.

7. Licking,Chewing & Biting

Pets affected with arthritis may also begin to lick at, chew or bite at body areas that are painful. This may even reach the point of causing inflamed skin and hair loss over affected areas.

Only a visit to a veterinarian  will tell you for sure. If your vet determines that your dogs joint pain is due to arthritis, there is something you can do about the joint pain and stiffness. Many veterinarian doctors recommend both heat and cold treatments to help reduce inflammation and ease the pain and stiffness that comes with arthritis.

The WhatEver PocKits Therapeutic Garment Kit For Dogs can be used as a cold compress by inserting cold packs into the pockets and a hot compress when a hot pack is inserted into the pockets. You can use either dry heat or moist heat with the WhatEver PocKits Therapeutic Garment Kit.

For more information on joint problems in dogs click here.

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Pets

Joint Injuries In Dogs

Causes Of  Joint Injuries In Your Dog

Our pets are always at risk for joint injuries.  Our four-legged family member stand on their toes, ankles in the air, knees forward. If you were in this position all day and you would  have a better idea of the weight and stress your dog puts on his muscles and joints. It takes lots of energy, strength, and flexibility to chase squirrels, scratch behind ears, wrestle with playmates, jump on beds, and leap for toys.

Arthritis almost always develops as a result of injury much earlier in life, even when your dog is a puppy. Over exercise, jumping too high, and running too hard before a puppy’s bones and joints are mature can injure the joints so supervise your young dog’s exercise routine.

 

Every now and then dogs overdo it, asking just too much of their front legs (shoulders, elbows, wrists, and toes) or back legs (hips, knees, ankles, and toes). Sprains and strains are common injuries. If you hear your dog yelp, he may need your help.

A muscle strain here, a pulled ligament there, a sprain, a bruise pretty soon we’re talking about serious problems. Canine sports injuries are increasingly common, but there is much you can do to catch them early, treat them correctly, and reduce the risk of your dog getting badly hurt, needing surgery, or having to retire from competition.

Every dog is a candidate for injury, but those at special risk include:

– overweight dogs
– dogs that only workout on the weekend
– inactive dogs
– dogs with arthritis
– search and rescue dogs
– dogs who compete in flyball, agility, freestyle, disc dog (Frisbee), field work, dock diving, obedience, weight pulling, dog sledding, and other sports

Joint Problems In Dogs

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