First, many doctors fail to get a proper diagnosis, and therefore treat their patients incorrectly. While arthritis is certainly the most common diagnosis in older, lame pets, other more serious conditions can also cause lameness. I see so many pets that have not received a proper diagnosis, but are being treated for months or years with potentially harmful therapies. There is no reason for failing to obtain a proper diagnosis prior to chronic treatment of a pet. In the end, before we condemn a pet to chronic drug therapy, we should get a proper diagnosis and make sure that our treatment choice is correct.
Inflammation is characterized by swelling, stiffness, and pain.
When treating pets with arthritis, our therapy must seek to counteract these effects of inflammation. It is also advantageous if the therapy could slow down the progression of the arthritis or if possible, actually help the joint to heal. Conversely, many of our complementary therapies relieve pain and inflammation and actually supply nutrients to help the cartilage heal and slow down the destructive forces of nature which act to destroy the injured joint. Joints commonly affected with arthritis include the knee, shoulder, ankle, elbow, and most commonly, the hips. The joints between the vertebrae of the backbone also commonly develop arthritis, although this rarely results in clinical signs of pain and inflammation.