Treating Diabetic Dogs Who Suffer From Arthritis
Almost all dogs will suffer to some degree from arthritis later in their lives. This joint disease occurring in canines is the exact condition that many older humans suffer from. Diabetic dogs will usually have symptoms of osteoarthritis just as those without diabetes.
Although there are many prescription drugs available for treating arthritis dogs, many of those can cause significant side effects and other severe complications. Some animals have even died from the prescribed drugs. Also, these considerations are even more important when dealing with arthritis dogs with arthritis. Vets will always take special care when treating pets with osteoarthritis who also are diabetic.
Glucosamine is widely used to treat canine arthritis symptoms. However, in many of the products sugar is added and this is a concern for pet owners whose dogs suffer from hypoglycemia or other blood sugar related disease. In many cases the dogs are on very strict diets and even the very small amounts of sugars found in glucosamine products must be restricted.
For those who have a dog with diabetic disease and also suffering from arthritis, there are products available that offer glucosamine in forms which does not have sugar. These sugar-free versions of liquid glucosamine are becoming more widely available on the market today.
Be regardless of the availability, owners should always consult with their veterinarians before giving any animal supplements of any kind to those pets suffering from some form of sugar intolerance. Most vets will wish to look at the ingredients on the proposed supplement. As with any new drug or supplement it is important to watch the animal very carefully for the first few days or weeks when first supplying the dog with the supplement.
Dogs with diabetes can live long and happy lives if their condition is treated and are observed very closely. Arthritis will almost surely become an issue at some point in a dog’s life. Before attempting to treat the problem with prescriptions, which only mask the problems, give liquid glucosamine a try. Just be aware that since natural supplement acts to fix the actual problem and not just ease the pain, it can take several weeks and even up to a month of treatment with the glucosamine before significant benefits will be observed.
In most cases, it won’t be possible to find the liquid versions of all natural glucosamine supplements in local stores. The reason is that their expiration dates do not go out far enough to allow stores to buy in significant quantities as with their other products. Therefore, the best place to usually find the supplement is online.