Here is some information from the Arthritis Foundation. Human Arthritis that is, but the work they do helps our dogs as well. Plus they would love to get our dogs active and involved. Read below…

The Arthritis Walk

Planning for the 2012 Arthritis Walks is underway. Check to see if you have one in your area! Go to http://www.arthritis.org/arthritis-walk.php and select your state.

Healing Hands for Arthritis

On October 12, World Arthritis Day, Massage Envy clinics will launch an inaugural one-day fundraising event – Healing Hands for Arthritis – to benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

Ten dollars from every therapeutic massage session or facial will be donated to the Arthritis Foundation to support nationwide efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis.

Massage Envy spa partners, Murad® and Wyndmere, also will donate 10% of sales from retail products sold in Massage Envy clinics on October 12 to the Arthritis Foundation. Schedule your service today and help out the Arthritis Foundation!

DID YOU KNOW?

• Dog owners have the strongest interest to this valuable Walk. Most of them are not just owners of arthritic dogs but are arthritic themselves.

• When owners and dogs both suffer from arthritis, they tend to manage their condition very well through walk or other exercises (65%), medication (41%), health care visits (35%), and weight control (29%).  Only about one in ten (12%) do nothing to manage their Arthritis.

• Dog arthritis affects dogs of any age but studies show that 1 in 5 adult dogs are arthritic.

•  Only about 4 in 10 dog owners know the signs of Dog arthritis whose age are likely to fall from 46 years old or older.  56% have arthritis and 51% are members already.

• Limping is the most recognized symptom of Dog arthritis (33%), while stiffness (24%) and pain when walking (18%) or getting up (15%) were also mentioned.

• Vets recommend that whether your dogs are healthy or arthritic, they should be walked two times a day if possible. It helps control arthritis and as a form of exercise,  it definitely strengthens the muscles, improves blood & joint circulation, and helps in weight management.

                                                           Join us!

There are many misconceptions about dog arthritis. One of them is that the condition is just a symptom of ageing. Although there is some truth to that, the danger of adopting such a view is it can lead to serious welfare concerns for the dog. One can say that since it is a natural disease progression there is little if not nothing you can do to prevent it from progressing. This is certainly untrue in most cases and unfortunately some dog owners are unaware of the extreme suffering their dog will experience as the arthritis reaches an acutely painful stage. For my severity grading system, grade 4 dog arthritis describes the most advanced stage of the disease.

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Dog arthritis is a painful malady that needs to be addressed before the pain becomes too great. Unfortunately, dogs are driven by their instinct to hide any pain or discomfort they are feeling. As a result, some dog owners are unaware that their dog may be suffering. When a dog has grade 1 dog arthritis, it is likely that the dog owner may only notice very subtle changes that do not warrant any concern. However, with grade 2 arthritis, the symptoms are more pronounced but still need a vigilant eye to be aware of them.

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