Arthritis Dog Food | Bladder Stones Dog Diet

As in humans, arthritis is a painful disease that robs your dog of his quality of life. Arthritis is a disease that causes your dog's bones to either break down (degenerative arthritis) or to become inflamed. Symptoms of arthritis include limping; difficulty getting up, lying down, or climbing stairs; and reluctance to or resistance to being touched.

Both degenerative arthritis and inflammatory arthritis can be debilitating. However, there are treatments that will restore some of your dog’s vitality. In addition to some medical and surgical interventions, some dietary supplements and diets can be used to treat this disease.

Degenerative arthritis occurs when the bone and cartilage have become worn over time through use or through accidental damage. The lubricating synovial fluid that permits smooth joint movement becomes thin and unable to do its job. This kind of arthritis usually appears later in life, after years of stress on the dog's joints.

Inflammatory arthritis falls into two different categories. This kind of arthritis can be caused either through bacterial and fungal infections, as well as diseases passed through tick bites. Immunodeficiency diseases can also cause inflammatory arthritis. Inflammatory arthritis falling into this second category may be inherited.

Both degenerative and inflammatory arthritis can be treated through pain-killing drugs, surgery, physical therapy, diet, and rest. Diet can be used to control the dog's weight and to introduce certain levels of glucosamine and chondroitin. Diet, in some dogs, should also be controlled as a preventive measure; large-breed puppies, for example, should be fed a diet lower in protein than small-breed puppies, to prevent rapid early growth. Early rapid growth in large-breed puppies can lead to hip dysplasia and other joint problems later in life.

Bladder Stones
Bladder stones can pose a major problem for your dog. Unlike humans, the urethra in male dogs is not surrounded by tissue that expands. Rather, the urethra is contained inside a bony sheath, which may prevent bladder stones from passing through depending on their size. Stones that start through the urethra may end up blocking it instead, which can lead to serious consequences--even death--for the dog if they are not removed.

Many bladder stones, such as struvite or uric acid bladder stones, can be controlled through your dog's diet. In these cases, a veterinarian can prescribe a suitable food that will either dissolve the stones or will prevent their reformation after they have been removed through surgery. Your dog's individual situation will determine the length of time that he will have to remain on the prescribed food. Some bladder stones, such as calcium oxalate stones, can not be dissolved by diet. However, once the stones have been removed by surgery, a prescription diet can prevent new stones from forming.

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