Pet’S Pain Can Be Treated
Each day we drive down the mountain road from our home at Almost Heaven Ranch to get the newspaper and our mail.
Most of the time we are greeted by our neighbors and friends, Marci and Dave Roberts. Their farmstead borders the highway and harbors the mailbox.
We are always greeted by Luke Roberts. Looking like a mop with four legs, Luke, a Rover Rastafarian with dreadlocks, is a breed of sheepdog called a komondor.
For years, day or night, no matter what kind of vehicle we were driving, Luke always loped beside us for a quarter of a mile, his bark announcing our arrival and departure like a police escort.
In our best “Star Wars” parody, we would all yell, “May the force be with you, Luke!”
Besides dependable, Luke was powerful and well protected. Luke’s genetic code wrapped him in an almost impenetrable hairy armor. The thick, rope-like braids of his coat prevented coyotes from piercing deeply into muscle and vital organs if he was attacked.
Luke was big and strong enough to fight off two coyotes at once. His hide bore its scars like an officer’s stripes, a testament to his courage in several battles where he had emerged wounded but victorious.
But recently, Luke fought a silent, equally powerful enemy that snuck up on him in old age and pulled him to the ground like a pack of coyotes. Ever the strong warrior, he fought the onslaught bravely, but in the end was powerless against it. Soon, day after day, Luke lay in the shade of the house licking the wounds from his enemy — osteoarthritis.
We knew that something was horribly wrong when Luke first failed to shadow our journey up or down the road. Instead, he just looked at us as we drove through the barnyard. He didn’t even muster a bark.
Heartsick with worry, I stopped and asked Marci and Dave what was wrong and offered to take a look at him. With total trust and in a sign of his weakened state, he lay motionless on his side and let me examine him from nose to tiptoes. Although a senior in dog years (most veterinarians consider dogs older than the age of 7 as senior), he seemed in great shape. All that is, except for his hip joints.
As I moved his legs in lazy circles, I could feel his cartilage and bone grinding away. I knew I’d found the enemy when Luke’s entire body tensed and he cried out in pain. It was arthritis of the hips. At the veterinary hospital, radiographs confirmed that Luke had severe hip dysplasia. A common condition, it had probably been nipping at his heels for years and in a final assault rendered him all but immobile.
Diagnosing pain in pets can be difficult, as they can’t tell us what hurts, when it hurts and how much it hurts. The diagnosis of chronic pain, in particular, can challenge us, because dogs and cats may not show that they are in pain while in the veterinary exam room.
Visible signs of pain, such as difficulty rising up from sleep, reluctance to walk up stairs or jump up or down from the furniture, bunny hopping rather than striding out, and no longer wanting to go on walks, are usually worse early in the morning or after exercise. For a pet, it is like being encased in slow-setting cement. And because signs develop over a period of time, pet owners may erroneously think they are simply an unavoidable consequence of growing old. Not so.
The good news is that the chronic pain your four-legged family member may be suffering from is now treatable. Whether your pet has long shown symptoms or is just beginning to lose his zest for life, don’t delay in consulting your veterinarian. Now there are many new treatment options that are safe for most ages and breeds of dogs.
Today’s veterinarians have access to many breakthrough and highly effective treatments for arthritis. These incredible modalities are simple to use, safe and effective, if used as directed.
Some veterinarians favor chiropractic, acupuncture and massage. Others use nutraceuticals, which are not drugs but potent nutritional supplements such as Cosequin Polysulfated Glycosamineoglycan. Cosequin works by enhancing joint lubrication by thickening the joint fluid. Thicker joint fluid reduces the wear and tear of the arthritic joints while reducing the pain.
Luke’s arthritis was about to receive a knockout blow, as I delved into my veterinary pharmaceutical arsenal. I prescribed a nutraceutical in tandem with a new class of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
These cutting-edge pharmaceuticals are proving to be magic bullet cures for dogs like Luke. Thanks to the combination of Rimadyl (another great option is Etogesic) and Cosequin, Luke was soon like his old self. With fresh legs, triumphant bark and a new set of batteries, Luke was back on the road again.
But remember, because each pet is unique, only your veterinarian can tell you what is the right treatment custom tailored to your dog’s condition and needs.
As the pain relief starts, the quality of your pet’s life dramatically improves. Thanks to these new treatments, our precious pets’ lives are not only improved - they are saved. Rimadyl alone has successfully treated more than 4 million dogs. And the option of euthanasia, from the “I can’t stand to see him suffer” standpoint, is quickly forgotten.
Free of pain, Luke once again heralded our daily approach toward the mailbox. As he proudly pranced up the mountain road, our hearts soared. At once the battle cry rang out in a chorus from our star ship, (cleverly disguised as a Ford pickup), “Greetings, Luke! May the force be with you!”