ANIMAL WELLNESS
AnimalWELLNESS For a long, healthy life!
& Joint Health
Arthritis
WHAT’S NEW
• 6 steps to treating creaky joints • Top 5 herbs for easing pain
10
in rehab?
Canine rehabilitation offers more options than ever before
TOP FOODS
Reiki for Rover
FOR SKIN & COAT
Keep him looking his best with these POWER-PACKED WHOLE FOODS!
– a simple way to bring him calm and well-being
Introduction to
osteopathy
Get him
RIPPED! How to maintain
A hands-on therapy that helps the body heal itself
his muscle health and fitness
CAREGIVER
BURNOUT? Looking after a sick
feline WELLNESS Hip, cool and healthy!
pooch? How to take care of yourself too
CATARACTS in cats
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER Display until September 30, 2013
Learn how to PREVENT blindness.
$5.95 USA/Canada
I Limping? S SHE
Lameness can have many causes – an accurate diagnosis and integrative healthcare plan are crucial.
What are POLYDACTYL CATS?
Kitties with extra toes are relatively common and becoming moreso – find out why.
HCM…
the number one heart disease in felines
It’s currently incurable – but the right treatment can prolong his life.
VOLUME 15 ISSUE 4
AnimalWellnessMagazine.com
BONUS INSIDE!
feline wellness
63
Contents August/September 2013
features 18 6 steps tO treatIng arthrItIs
22
It’s the leading cause of chronic pain in dogs. A multifaceted healing plan that draws on a range of therapies offers the most relief.
22 In the fast Lane
High energy dogs need lots of physical activity, but injury is a risk. This acupressure session done after exercise helps prevent problems by keeping him strong and flexible.
26 tOp 10 fOODs fOr sKIn anD cOat
Keep your companion looking and feeling good with these power-packed whole foods.
30 BreathIng easy
How one firefighter’s harrowing experience prompted him to spearhead a community project to supply oxygen masks for dogs and cats.
32 get hIM rIppeD!
Muscle health and fitness in canine athletes involves a multi-pronged approach encompassing everything from nutrition and exercise to massage and chiropractic.
38 sKeLetOn In the cLOset
Osteoarthritis and osteosarcoma are two of the most common canine bone problems. Find out more about these painful conditions, and how they’re treated and prevented.
42 What’s neW In rehaB?
Once practiced by a handful of vets and therapists, canine rehabilitation is now a recognized field in veterinary medicine – and offers a growing number of options to patients.
46 IntrODuctIOn tO OsteOpathy
This manual healing therapy isn’t just about bones. It also works on muscles, organs and tissues to remove imbalances that interfere with the body’s ability to heal itself.
4
animal wellness
54 caregIver BurnOut
You love your dog, so when he gets sick or injured, you may be driven to spend every hour of the day making sure his needs are met. Just remember to look after yourself too.
57 sKIncare frOM the Mayans
The bark from this Central American tree contains active ingredients to alleviate a range of canine skin problems.
64 put up yOur DuKes!
Polydactyl cats are relatively common and becoming moreso, thanks to a dominant yet harmless genetic mutation that many cat lovers find appealing.
66 cataracts In cats
70 faInt heart?
Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the number one heart disease in felines. Though currently incurable, a combination of conventional and alternative therapies may help treat it.
76 tOp 5 herBs fOr arthrItIs
Properly used in conjunction with an overall holistic healthcare plan, these healing plants can have a powerful effect on your canine’s creaky joints.
80 aLL WrappeD up
If your dog refuses to wear a bandage, don’t despair. The right product and materials ensure a comfortable dressing that’ll stay in place through the healing process.
83 a reaL treat
Formulated by a chef, these sweet potato dog treats feature locally grown ingredients, and are produced as sustainably as possible.
Often associated with inflammation as well as advancing years, this condition can eventually cause blindness if left untreated.
84 reIKI fOr rOver
68 Is KItty LIMpIng?
86 tuneD In!
Arthritis is one of the more common causes of lameness in cats. Start by getting an accurate diagnosis, then implement an integrative treatment plan.
This simple but powerful form of energy healing brings calm and well-being to your canine companion.
Learn how to use a tuning fork to give your dog vibrational and sound healing.
26
sOcIaL MeDIa Tips, contests and more! Like us /AnimalWellnessMagazine Updates, news, events! @ AnimalWellnessMagazine Product reviews and tutorials! AnimalWellnessTV
80
cOLuMns 12 yakkity yak 36 Warm & fuzzy 50 case study 58 to the rescue 72 Feline Wellness book reviews 88 passages
DepartMents 8 editorial 49 product picks
90 Book reviews
52 social media
98 tail end
61 Animal Wellness resource guide
74 the scoop 93 Marketplace
64
96 ClassiďŹ eds 97 events calendar animal wellness
5
6 arthritis
it’s the leading cause of chronic pain in dogs. a multifaceted healing plan that draws on a range of therapies offers the most relief.
steps
to treating
By Michelle tilghman, DVM, cVa, ccrP, and rosemary tilghman, Bs
Loyal, intelligent, loving…these are the words that come to mind when we think about dogs. They give so much to us, but how can we give back? One of the best ways is to become familiar with the leading cause of chronic pain in dogs.
therapies. It is important to incorporate each modality because it covers different aspects of joint health.
Arthritis is defined as inflammation in the joint. The joint can actually be thought of as an “organ”, with separate parts that come together as one (see sidebar opposite). Each part of the joint is affected, causing overall inflammation.
In conventional medicine, drugs for chronic pain (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories or NSAIDS) are most commonly prescribed. Newer synthetic analgesics can be used with NSAIDS to increase pain control in instances of severe discomfort. Neuropathic (nerve) pain is very hard to control; Gabapentin is used for this. The use of different pain medications together is important because the pain cycle has to be interrupted in different areas of the joint. When given pain medication, the animal is more likely to respond to other modalities. For example, using short-term NSAIDS can increase joint mobility and therefore encourage the dog to use the joint properly. He has to be out of pain before he will be motivated to use the affected joint and regain strength.
Step up to effective relief Osteoarthritis needs to be treated with a multimodal approach, an integration of all medicines. This approach, from first to last, decreases pain by using both conventional and alternative
Nutraceuticals encompass any substance from food that can provide medical benefits. The main nutraceuticals that can help with osteoarthritis are chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, hyaluronan and the Omega-3 fatty acids.
Osteoarthritis is responsible for many veterinarian visits. Approximately ten to 12 million dogs have signs of osteoarthritis, and on average, veterinarians see about 45 cases a month. It’s a serious problem, and if not treated can decrease both the quality and length of a dog’s life.
18
animal wellness
• Chondroitin sulfate is an important structural component of cartilage and provides resistance to compression. • Glucosamine is an amino sugar and precursor in the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, a major component of joint cartilage. • Hyaluronan (also called hyaluronic acid, HA) is an anionic, nonsulfated glycosaminoglycan usually found attached to proteins. HA and glucosamine are useful in supporting the joint, especially the articular cartilage.
TM
S TO R A G E T H AT ’ S O U T O F S I G H T !
Using these to supplement the diet can help joints by providing precursors for the synovial fluid and cartilage. The Omega-3 essential fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Mammals must ingest these from a food source and do not produce them internally. The best sources of Omega-3s are fish such as sardines and anchovies. Omega-3s help interrupt the inflammation cycle in an arthritic joint. Diet and nutrition are an essential component in treating osteoarthritis. In one study, it was found that overweight dogs with hind leg lameness and osteoarthritis experienced significant improvement with weight reduction. With osteoarthritis, the more weight the joint bears, the weaker it will become. In obesity, fat cells contribute to a level of chronic low-grade inflammation that can trigger a number of other problems. It is important for dogs to be within their normal weight range to decrease the severity of osteoarthritis. Continued on page 20.
Four-part
Don’t let runaway pet problems wreak havoc with your bathroom! Simply install a Stowbee dispenser in your wall and keep your toilet paper out of sight. With a few household tools and a few minutes of your time, your pets and bathroom will be safe and secure. No more paper trail... just a beautiful bathroom with no tell tale signs. Made in USA
harmony
the joint can be broken down into four parts:
articular cartilage: this is what covers the ends of
the bones. in osteoarthritis, the cartilage becomes worn down and the joint does not glide over the surface of the cartilage.
Joint capsule: the ligamentous sac that surrounds
the joint. it has an inner and outer layer and provides stability to the joint.
Synovial
fluid: The viscous fluid inside the joint that decreases friction between each articular cartilage.
subcohondral
bone: cartilage covers.
the
bone
the
articular
since all parts of the joint are related, if one is injured it creates a snowball effect. in the early stages of osteoarthritis, the changes may be reversible, but in the later stages, chronic inflammation destroys the joint. in chronic arthritis, the articular cartilage is destroyed and the joint is down to the subcohondral bone. this is where the phrase “bone on bone” comes from. When this happens, the entire joint becomes inflamed and the body produces calcium around the joint and joint capsule. animal wellness
19