Greetings,
Welcome to this month's issue of The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. Please pass this along to your friends!

Table of Contents:

1. Content from The Pet Arthritis Resource Center
2. Can Fido or Fluffy make it as Vegetarians? Part 2
3. Pet Arthritis Message Boards

Diagnosing & Easing Arthritis Pain in Cats Learn the causes of arthritis in cats and the methods of diagnosis, and read medication and surgical considerations. Recommended Books on Easing Arthritis Pain in Dogs View our listings of our reccommended books for anyone whose pet suffers from arthritis or hip dysplasia Feeding Options for Dogs with Arthritis What kinds of pet foods are best for dogs and cats with arthritis? And what about Raw food?

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Can Fido or Fluffy make it as Vegetarians? Part 2

In our last article we talked about the importance of diet. If your pet has arthritis or joint-related problems, it becomes very important to do the right thing with diet. (Of course, it is for all pets.)

The Vegetarian Dog
Dogs are omnivores which means simply that they live on food derived from both animals and plants. Can they do without the meat? Of course they could do without meat. The problem is, dogs require more protein and calcium than humans do. The best source of protein would be meat. Therefore, it is important to make certain that if you give your dog meat, it is of the highest quality. Then consider a healthy dose of raw vegetable mixes.

The Cat as a Vegetarian
This is not going to work. Cats are carnivores all the way (meat eaters.) Not only do cats require a very high-fat and high-protein diet, they also do not digest foods derived from "plants" well at all.

And Cats Need a Lot More
Cats also require arachidonic acid. This is essentially a fatty acid that is found in all tissues and organs which assists in synthesizing prostaglandins. In turn, this reduces inflammation which is an issue for arthritic pets. Cats also need amino acid taurine. Both of these needs are met with a meat diet since they are sourced from animals as opposed to plants. Insufficient amounts of taurine can cause immune function problems and it increases free radicals. (See, prior articles).

So…what's the bottom line?
Much of this comes down to three issues. First, as we suggested in our last article, you should be cautious in selecting commercially-available pet foods. Purchase the better brands and avoid the ingredients mentioned in the July issue. (Issues with Commercial Brands and The ones to "pass" on).

Add raw foods to your pet's diet. They might be a little "finicky" at first but stay with it. They will get used to this as long as you don't overdo it. (I use an approach of "a little every day.") If you try to feed them an entire meal of nothing but vegetables and fruits, it usually does not "sit well" with Fido or Fluffy.

Buy the "Best" Commercial Foods and Buy it for Less
Read the things to avoid in our last article. If finances are an issue, join one of those wholesale clubs. You can buy the best commercial brands for far less money. What do you do if that "wholesale buying club card" is even more than you want to spend? Get together with a neighbor or two and share the expense. You can also save by making a list of the foods your pets like and are the best profile. Then, buy in quantities. The point is, make the extra effort to do the right thing. The raw foods are the easy part.

Stay with the Three-point Program
Use high-quality liquid glucosamine that contains other synergistic (and all-natural) ingredients used to fight arthritis (bromelain; yucca; vitamin C; omega 3 and 6 fatty acids; vitamin A & E). Make certain that you stay with the correct dosages based on your pet's body weight.

Exercise
We have said it time and again. Exercise is extremely important in keeping an arthritic pet fighting and recovering. Sometimes it is a little challenging at first if they have declined significantly. However, in 99.9% of all cases the liquid glucosamine will get them up and moving again.

Remember, keeping your pet free from pain is a two-way street and it requires your help. Stay with sensible diets; use a high-quality liquid glucosamine; and, exercise them. It makes a world of difference.

See you next time.

For information on arthritis in pets visit our site at http://www.arthritis-cats-dogs.com

For information on glucosamine and the leading products read A Guide to Glucosamine Products. Or you can learn more about glucosamine formula Syn-flex®, our recommended glucosamine product.

A feature to our Pet Arthritis Resource Center is the Pet Arthritis Message Board. You can post messages, ask questions, learn more, and meet friends. You can post messages in any of the following sections.

Dogs

• Canine Hip Dysplasia
• Arthritis in Dogs
• Glucosamine for Dogs

Cats

• Feline Hip Dysplasia
• Glucosamine for Cats
• Arthritis in Cats

Other Animals

• Arthritis in Other Animals

Here's a few sample posts from the Forum...

Linda
Posted on 10 August 2004

My13 yr. old black Lab/German Shorthair female, Reba has been diagnosed with Cushings disease. I would like to hear from other dog owners that have had a dog with this disease. Even though my dog is older, she has been in excellent health until this disease hit her. She craves water, she recently has become very anemic and I was afraid we were going to lose her, she has bounced back everytime. I am now giving her Iron pills from K-mart, which the vet suggested, I have to take her in for more bloodwork this week. The had her on a drug that is supposed to help, Ketoconazole, 200 mg. When I picked up this drug at the pharmacy the pharmatists wanted to know what it was being used for, I told her Cushings disease that my dog has. She seemed really surprised, she said in people this drug is used for (ring-worm). Please help me out with your stories, I don't want to lose my Reba yet, she is a very special dog and loved by everyone!! Thanks, Linda

Post your own message on The Pet Arthritis Message Board now!

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This concludes the August Issue of The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. Look for the next issue in your inbox on September 15th, 2004!

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Have a great July from The Pet Arthritis Resource Center and The Pet Arthritis Chronicle. See you next month!