Holistic Care for Pet Arthritis: Chiropractic Care
Is your best furry friend feeling the weather? Osteoarthritis is the most common form of joint inflammation in pets. The seasonal cold and damp can really aggravate osteoarthritis, leaving your cat or dog with sore joints, and even sore supporting muscles. If your bff has trouble getting up out of bed, up the stairs or doesn't want to leave the fireplace hearth, they would definitely benefit from chiropractic care (or Traditional Chinese acupuncture with Dr. Jason, which we will discuss more in Part 2.)
Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care can be very helpful in alleviating the secondary symptoms of arthritis, such as range of motion, muscle tension and joint stability.
Our experienced animal chiropractor uses gentle manipulations to properly align the spine and take pressure off the joints, warming massage to soothe soft tissue and manual stretching to limber up joints and increase mobility.
Lifestyle Tips for Pet Arthritis
If your cat or dog has arthritis, be sure to incorporate these lifestyle tips:
- Incorporate gentle, low impact exercise into you pet's day. An example is hiding kibble around the house for an older pet to snuffle about and find it.
- Find a warm corner for you pet's bed, and don't hesitate to use a heating pad. Warm loosens up the joints and often provides pain relief.
- Add a good quality fish oil to your pet's diet, as well as glucosamine and chondroitin. We are a fan of Recovery, which combines glucosamine and herbal support. We stock both the powder and pills at the hospital.
- Gently massage your pet's sore muscles, and do simple stretches to increase joint range of motion. We can show you a set of exercises designed especially for you and your pet to do together at home.
If you’d like to assess your pet’s mobility and try chiropractic care for your cat or dog, just give us a shout and we will set up a cooperative consultation with a vey to set up a treatment plan. The Doctor will see your pet throughout the winter to keep them limber and enjoying the season.
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