Is your beloved canine companion getting a little older, moving a little slower and more painfully? Chances are that they may be suffering from arthritis.

Just like arthritis in humans, your pets can and do suffer from this painful and often degenerative joint disease.

A common type of pet arthritis is osteoarthritis. This disease slowly progresses due to cartilage destruction. As cartilage continues to break down, the bones loses its ability to absorb impact so they start grinding against each other causing the pet pain. The bones will also become inflamed. Osteoarthritis, in both pets and humans, reduces flexibility and mobility.

Another common pet arthritis is degenerative joint disease in pets, which is very similar to osteoarthritis. Pets with this disease suffer from the breakdown of parts of its joint, typically concentrated on the cartilage. The pet may also experience periodic inflammation.

When pet arthritis targets the hip joints of the pet, the condition is known as Hip Dysplasia, which can be caused either by a severe injury, infectious agents or normal wearing away of the joint. While hip dysplasia mainly affects the hip joint it can also affect other joints if it worsens.

You vet most commonly would prescribe anti-inflammatories, NSAIDs for your dog but far too often they never really disclose the side effects, which may be extreme.

NSAIDs carry a risk of side effects, or adverse reactions. Most adverse reactions are mild, but some may be serious, especially if the drugs are not used according to labeled directions. Some reactions result in permanent damage or even death.

“It’s important for pet owners to be aware of the risks and benefits of all drugs, including NSAIDs, so that they can make informed decisions about their pets’ health care,” says Sundlof. “Owners who give their dog NSAIDs need to know the side effects to watch for that indicate their pet needs medical attention.”

The most common side effects from NSAIDs include vomiting, loss of appetite, depression, lethargy, and diarrhea. Serious side effects include gastrointestinal bleeding, ulcers, perforations, kidney damage, and liver problems.

Stephen F. Sundlof, D.V.M., Ph.D., Director of the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM).

Does this make you think twice about your vet’s conventional prescription? Sure, it will most likely help, but it may hurt more in the long run by damaging your dog’s organs and leaving him susceptible to even more dangerous illnesses.

How would you like to be able to help your canine companion, at home, without the worry of possibly dangerous drugs? Well, you can.

The inclusion of supplements such as glucosomine and omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins such as C and E, therapies such as massage and acupressure, can all be beneficial in relieving pain, rebuilding healthy joints and easing mobility. You can even give aspirin to dogs, NEVER to cats, but to dogs, yes. If your dog is overweight, get them on a diet to ease the stress on already painful joints and be sure that you are feeding them a healthy diet! These are just a few of the things you can do to ease your canine companion’s fight with arthritis.

You can find out more natural remedies for arthritis and many other health problems, as well as answers to many natural health questions here.