Food Refill
Pet Arthritis Pain Relief & Mobility Care
At Parker Center Animal Clinic, We are well-versed in treating pets with arthritis. While there is no cure for pet arthritis, there are a number of ways to improve your pet’s mobility and treat any pain they might be experiencing.
What is Pet Arthritis?
Arthritis occurs when the slippery material between bones known as cartilage is damaged, which leads to pain and inflammation. This inflammation can cause pain and a decreased range of motion. The most common form in pets is called osteoarthritis, also known as Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD).
Dog Arthritis Symptoms
Dog arthritis typically begins slowly, and at first you may not notice the symptoms. But as the disease progresses, your dog will begin to show more signs of discomfort. Contact us at Parker Center Animal Clinic if your dog develops:
- Limping or lameness
- Yelping when touched or when moving
- Changing behavior (especially irritability)
- Licking, chewing, and/or biting
- Tiredness
- Loss of muscle
If we determine your dog has arthritis, we’ll start working on a treatment plan right away to help ease your dog’s pain and regain any lost mobility.
Cat Arthritis Symptoms
Cat arthritis can be much more difficult to identify because cats are much more adept at hiding pain from their owners than dogs. Instead, cats with arthritis are more likely to display changes in behavior, including:
- Reduced movement
- Changes in grooming behavior
- Changes in personality
- Changes in activity level
- Limping
- Tiredness
If you notice any of these symptoms, contact us for an examination. If we suspect it’s arthritis, we’ll put together a treatment plan to help minimize the impact on your cat.
Ways to Mitigate Pet Arthritis
If your dog or cat is diagnosed with arthritis, the important thing to remember is that you’re treating the condition, not curing it. We offer a range of cat and dog arthritis pain management treatments, and including the following:
Remember, just because there is no cure for arthritis doesn’t mean there’s no treatment. If your dog or cat is diagnosed with arthritis, Parker Center Animal Clinic will be here to help give your pet the care they deserve.
Class IV Light Therapy Laser
Don’t you sometimes wish you could wave a magic wand and take away your pet’s pain? Although not actually “magic”, the Class IV Therapy Laser uses a wand that sends focused beams of light to stimulate healing cells to help reduce inflammation, reduce pain, and speed healing. The Class IV Therapy Laser is the newest and most powerful therapy laser available. It is FDA approved for use in humans where it is commonly used for sports injuries and chronic pain.
Please note, the Class IV Therapy Laser is different than the CO2 Laser used for surgery.
What Does It Do?
- Helps decrease inflammation
- Increases blood flow
- Stabilizes damaged cells
- Decreases pain
What Can It Be Used For?
- Arthritis
- Inflammation associated with ear infections
- Anal gland issues
- Hot spots
- Acute injuries
- Any situation that may be painful or need fast healing
How It Works
The Class IV Laser Therapy is completely painless, in fact, the gentle warmth it produces is often comforting and soothing to pets. Your pet will sit or lie comfortably during the procedure (with you if you prefer) while the technician administers the laser.
Sessions usually last 2-5 minutes per site. Multiple sites can be treated at each session. A typical treatment of a chronic condition (i.e. arthritis) might consist of 3 treatments the first week, 2 in the second, 1 in the third week, and then 1 treatment per month. Packages are available for the first 7 session treatment plan if recommended by your veterinarian.
Often owners are noticing a difference in their pet after the first session. Each pet is unique, however, and treatments will vary. Please contact us if you are interested in Class IV Laser Therapy at 303-841-8833 .
