1. What is arthritis?

• A degeneration of joints , with inflammation and deformity..

     2. What causes arthritis?

• Either a joint deformity (such as hip dysplasia) that causes stress on a joint, overuse (seen in performance dogs, racing greyhounds, sheepdogs, and dogs who just naturally never slow down), and some diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis and Lymes disease).

     3. How can it be prevented?

• Chiropractic and acupuncture help the overuse type. Good diet and certain supplements help prevent its development in general.

     4. How can it be cured?

• You can't cure this condition but you can help it and stop it from getting worse. Things that help: chiropractic, acupuncture, superoxide dismutase, vitamin E (400 IU per day), ester C (twice a day at whatever dose that almost causes diarrhea), 500 mg DLPA (dl-phenylalanine) once to twice a day, 250 to 1000mg glucosamine sulfate per day or Cosequin or Glycoflex (depending on the size of the animal), homeopathic Rhus tox, homeopathic Hekla lava.
• Adequan injections. ( Adequan is one of a group of chemicals which act as precursors for joint fluid and joint cartilage. They help repair cartilage and "thicken" the joint fluid, decreasing inflammation and pain in joints.) The dosage of Adequan is 1cc per 30 pounds body weight, intramuscular injection, twice the first week then once a week until results are seen (usually 1 to 4 weeks). At that time you maintain on once a month (or less often) injections, using the dog's condition as a clue. Cosequin and Glycoflex are two oral drugs with similar actions, but the Adequan often acts a little faster.
• Trace minerals can help, if they're the super type from seaweed or old sea beds or diatomaceous earth.
• Don't give cortisone or prednisone or prednisolone--it gives temporary relief but causes long-term damage. Aspirin or phenylbutazone (also known as Bute or Butazolidin) can help with pain, but can cause intestinal bleeding . Rimadyl can help but can cause liver problems (be sure you have regular blood tests to check this) and urinary and fecal incontinence.
• Mobility 2 (Chinese Herbal formula) from Health Concerns (company in Oakland)--has to be ordered by a vet or other health professional but helps relieve pain and inflammation and improve muscle strength.
• Though a lot of the stuff can be ordered by your vet, many veterinarians are unaware of them, even though they may be carried by regular drug companies or their distributors.

     5. What type of diet is best?

• Either a natural raw food diet, such as Dr. Pitcairn's, or, if you can't prepare it, use an all-natural diet with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives, and no meat or poultry by-products.

     6. What is the best vitamin I can use?

• If you don't give any other supplement at least use Sodium Ascorbate. It is a neutral pH form of Vit C. The recommended dose is to bowel tolerance. That is so the stool is soft, but not runny.

     7. What else causes weakness?

• A hypothyroid condition can contribute to weight gain and to weakness. This can be helped by high doses of antioxidants, (vitamins C and E, and superoxide dismutase) which raise cortisol and therefore the T4 level. Kelp tablets also help. Natural thyroid supplements often aren't equally active from one batch to another, so this is one case where an artificial thyroid supplement may give better results.
• Cervical instability or "Wobblers" disease causes weakness in the front legs and ataxia in the rear legs. Acupuncture can often help.
• Degenerative myelopathy also can cause weakness. For further information, see the degenerative myelopathy FAQ.

     8. I have a dog in otherwise good health who has just been diagnosed with demyelinating disease of the spinal cord and nerves with loss of position sense in his back feet with progressive paralysis. Do you know of any possible treatment or medication (including experimental)?

• This sounds like degenerative myelopathy. 4 things to try: ester C twice a day, starting at 500 mg per dose and increasing until the stool becomes slightly soft, not runny. (See the degenerative myelopathy FAQ for doses and other suggestions.)
• Aminocaproic acid
• n-acetylcysteine
• acupuncture

• Try the holistic veterinary medicine website

     10. My veterinarian says it's dangerous to take my dog to a chiropractor. Why is this?

• Chiropractors who are not familiar with dog anatomy or specific diseases can do more harm than good. I get e-mail like this sometimes:
• "I am a chiropractor in Montreal since 1975. Today I was asked to adjust or at least examine a 9 year old 150 lb. Doberman. Apparently this dog had lost its ability to walk on its front paws and used its wrists instead.
• "The vet informed the owner of the dog that surgery or euthanasia were the options. The owner called the breeder in Philadelphia and asked his advice. Chiroractic was his only suggestion with apparent recognition of the problem and previous successes.
• "My associate examined the dog and found an instability at the thoraco dorsal junction. The dog was anaesthetized and manipulated in the area sensitive upon palpation. On x-ray the specific area was noted to be misaligned in an anterior/posterior plane.
• "The dog was adjusted. The dog immediately opened its mouth (much like a person does on their first adjustment). As of my last contact with my associate, the dog has not regained consciousness from the anaesthesia. "
• This dog has Wobblers disease. The neck was too unstable to take a strenuous adjustment. The dog died later. BE SURE that any chiropractor has had training from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association before they work on your dog. If they do, they can help many arthritic problems.