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Traditional treatments for pet arthritis.

Traditional treatments are almost all centred around relief of pain and inflammation around the joints. The two main classes of drugs are the steroids and the Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatories (NSAIDs). These drugs have their benefits and side effects.

The method of action of these drugs is beyond the scope of this article. Suffice to say they have been proved over many years to be on the whole very effective - funnily enough there is no guarantee of there efficacy, and in fact there are many NSAIDs on the market, and some may be more effective than others in a particular individual - a bit like copper!

The benefits that the client and the vet sees with these drugs are an immediate improvement in the condition. However, a lot of the drugs cannot be used for prolonged periods without the risk of the side effects setting in.

The side effects of the NSAIDs include gastric and intestinal ulceration, and hence vomiting and diarrhoea, kidney and liver problems, and sometimes blood dyschrasias.

The side effects of the steroidal group of anti-inflammatories are (generally) longer term, and include excessive drinking and urination, skin thinning and hair loss, redistribution of fat throughout the body from the periphery to the abdomen,(a pot bellied look), the fat may be deposited in the liver, causing liver problems. This syndrome is called Cushing's disease, and may also be caused naturally, by the body's own adrenal glands producing too much steroid.

WARNING

If you notice these signs do not take your pet off the treatment without first consulting your vet, as sudden removal of the drugs could result in an Addisonian crisis - this is where the adrenal glands produce too little steroids for the bodies' needs, and produces collapse and trembling (as the most obvious signs).

There are other classes of drugs used in the treatment of arthritis, the noticeable of these being the chondroprotectives - those that protect cartilage, one such proprietorydrug being Cartrophen. This is given as an injection course, weekly for four weeks. Simply, this stimulates the joint to produce more lubrication, therefore protecting the cartlilage from wear and tear. Again, it works well in some cases, but not so well in others. If it does work, then it avoids many of the side effects noted with the other classes of drugs.

Note that although these drugs do produce side effects, they are extremely effective at what they do, and as such in the times that they do produce the side effects ,the frequency of side effects, and the benefits they produce, in many cases outweigh the risks.

Notice:
Chris is not, and does not claim to be, an expert or specialist in the field of arthritis. He is a practising veterinary surgeon with an interest in alternative therapies. These articles are not intended to be definitive discussions on arthritis. While he is pleased to answer any general queries you may have about arthritis and joint diseases, it may be difficult to answer any specific questions about your pet or horse. Remember, the first port of call for assesment and diagnosis of any joint problems should be your own veterinary surgeon.

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