Treating Arthritis in Dogs with Hyaluronic Acid

A few days ago, within my comment “Pre-programmed disaster: People medication may kill your pet” I talked among other things about dogs with joint problems, what to do about them and which supplements may be helpful. I usually do not like to promote products, which we are selling in our on-line store on this blog, but this one is something I want to bring to every dog owner’s attention:

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a joint health supplement for Cats and Dogs. It helps eliminate your pet's joint pain and let them enjoy the other anti aging benefits of HA such as increased mobility, softer, healthier coat and skin, faster wound healing and clearer vision with healthier eyes. It is an easy to administer oral dietary supplement, taste and odorless, proven to be safe and effective.

Did you know that one out of every four pets suffer from arthritis or other type of joint disorder? This is unfortunate because your pet cannot tell you when and if they hurt. It can be difficult to know when your pet is in pain. However, we do know that pain perception is common to both humans and animals, so observing your pet's behavior is the key to recognizing possible discomforts. Nobody knows your pet like you do. You are the most important element when it comes to recognizing joint problems in your pet. Are they slow to move? Do they tire easily or have difficulty climbing stairs? Are they sensitive to touch and become aggressive? If any of these symptoms are recognizable in your pet, your pet may be experiencing some type of joint disorder and HA may help.

Oral HA can be used for overall joint health and relief from arthritis, bursitis, hip dysplasia, osteochondrosis (OCD) and other degenerative problems with the shoulders, elbows and hocks. It is the important component of synovial fluid and is responsible for the lubrication and shock absorption in the joints and tissues.

HA is a special compound that exists naturally in animals. It is one of the most heavily researched substances in medicine today with thousands of clinical trials mostly in the fields of orthopedics and eye surgery. Its function in the body is, amongst other things, to lubricate movable parts such as joints and muscles by restoring the amount and viscosity of synovial fluid. It is found most abundant in skin tissue to preserve moisture in the skin and regulate tissue permeation and transport of nutrients between the cells skin making it a great wound healing and moisturizing agent. Numerous medical studies have proven HA to be effective in relieving joint disorder in horses and humans. HA restores proper lubrication, joints are less stiff and pets regain full movement.

In all mammals, HA is found in the soft connective tissue and the synovial joint fluid (the fluid secreted by the lining of the joint to nourish and lubricate the joint). HA is a polysaccharide composed of repeating units of N-acetyl-glucosamine and D-glucuronic acid.The main source of HA is rooster combs but another important source of HA is microorganisms grown through a fermentation process. In humans, HA is found in the soft connective tissue and the synovial joint fluid (the fluid secreted by the lining of the joint to nourish and lubricate the joint).

Chemistry:
The chemical name is Sodium Hyaluronate (COO Na) (CH2OH). HA, a glycosaminoglycan, can exist in the following forms depending on the chemical environment in which it is found. As the acid, hyaluronic acid; and as the sodium salt, sodium hyaluronate. It is composed of repeating sub units of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl-D-glucosamine linked together by glycosidic bonds.

Before using HA you need to ask yourself the following questions:
Is Your Pet Mature? Most dogs and cats mature at the age of one or two years. Larger breeds of dogs mature faster. If your pet has any of the symptoms on this page, or has been diagnosed with any of the conditions listed, you owe it to them to try the latest breakthrough in joint and health maintenance.
Is Your Pet Overweight? It may be due to lack of exercise caused in part by discomfort. Relief will most likely dictate rejuvenation of your pet's natural incentive for exercise.
Is Your Pet's breed more susceptible to one of these conditions? Larger breeds of dogs mature faster and therefore are prone to developing certain conditions in their 2nd and third years. Using HA may prevent the onset of certain conditions listed here by maintaining a healthy amount of synovial fluid in the system.

An increasing number of animal owners and veterinarians are reporting of the many benefits of HA. Some veterinarians using HA have reported results within 3 to 4 days! Dr. Williams Jones, DVM, claims: “We tried the products on 12 dogs that varied in size from 10 to 86 pounds. All the patients that were in this limited study were dogs that had radiographic verficiation, physical signs and symptoms of hip dysplasia or osteoarthritis. All the patients's activity levels were increased following administration of both products. Six out of 12 showed excellent activity levels within 3 days of administration of HA. Four out of 12 patients showed dramatic levels of jumping ability; two out of 12 showed moderate levels of activity after receiving HA. Based on this limited study, I would conclude that in my professional opinion, HA is a product that I would recommend to my clients for use in their pets with hip dysplasia and/or osteoarthritis. In fact, I'm afraid to take my own dogs off HA.”

Recognizing the Signs and SymptomsArthritis is a degenerative disease that involves the deterioration of joint cartilage. This disease often affects many joints leading to pain, stiffness and decreased mobility. With these conditions, your pet's quality of life is decreased.
The key in preventing arthritis is to become aware of the signs and symptoms that your pet may exhibit as part of an arthritic condition. Becoming familiar with the signs and symptoms of joint disorder will help you to begin treatment early, thereby preventing irreversible damage to your pet’s body.
The key is to look for a change of behavior in your pet. Since arthritis is a progressive condition that manifests itself over time, the signs of pain become more apparent as the condition becomes more severe. They include decreased activity, a reluctance to walk, run, jump or play, lagging behind on walks, stiffness, limping, difficulty rising from a resting position, soreness when touched, acting aggressive or withdrawn and exhibiting other personality changes.

Recognizing ArthritisHave you noticed any of the following in your pet's behavior: Was he/she slow getting up from a resting position? Did he/she have trouble getting in the car or up the stairs? Was he/she much slower on recent walks? How long has this condition been going on?
Unfortunately, pets can't tell their owners if and where they hurt. So it can be difficult to know when your pet is in pain. However, we do know that pain perception is common to both humans and animals, so a guideline to follow is, if you think a activity would cause you discomfort, you can assume it may be the same for your pet. Therefore it is good for you to know the facts:
Arthritis is a degenerative disease that involves the deterioration of joint cartilage. This disease often affects many joints leading to pain, stiffness and decreased mobility. With these conditions, your pet's quality of life is decreased. Arthritis is a progressive disease. Left untreated, irreversible damage can occur which can prevent your pet from participating in everyday activities such as walking and running.
The key in preventing arthritis is to become aware of the signs and symptoms that your pet may exhibit as part of an arthritic condition. This familiarity with the signs and symptoms of arthritis will help you to begin treatment early, thereby preventing irreversible damage to your pet's body.
Arthritis affects 30% of dogs and cats. This is underestimated because these are just the actual cases that have been diagnosed and reported. Most cases never get diagnosed because most pet owners pass off the signs as of arthritis as "old age" when in fact it is most likely arthritis. Arthritis is not specific to certain breeds or discipline. Small animals of all age, size and breeds are affected equally. Arthritis is the number one chronic pain condition treated by veterinarians.

Preventing Joint ProblemsOlder pets have a variety of lameness problems due to a number of environmental stressors, but you can help prevent some of these stresses by: Avoiding obesity, quick changes in duration or intensity of exercise, hard and unstable ground surfaces and feeding a diet high in protein and other nutrients. Joints can never heal or become stronger without proper nutrition.

Summing it up, treatment of joint injuries can be very difficult. Pet owners should become very familiar with recognizing joint disorders in their pets. Because joint problems are progressive, treating early can give your pet a better chance at getting back to their normal activities such as walking and running. If treatment is not started early, often times injury to the joint is far past repair and it is quite likely that the animal will never regain normal movement. If any of these symptoms are recognizable in your pet, your pet may be experiencing some type of joint disorder and HA may help.
Notes: HyaFlex™ Oral Hyaluronic Acid Dietary Joint Health Supplement for Cats and Dogs