Arthritis

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints of dogs and cats of all ages.  In Australia, it is the major cause of disability and pain in humans, with one in every five suffering from the condition.  For pets, the statistics are similar, and it is not only due to old age.  Arthritis can also occur in joints that have experienced an injury or surgery, those that are over worked in active or working dogs, due to the stress of excessive weight gain, following hip or elbow dysplasia, or even in large breeds that are predisposed to the disease. 

Arthritis is caused by inflammation in the joint.  In a normal joint, cartilage covers the ends of the bones so that when they move they rub smoothly against each other.  In arthritis, the inflammation causes the body to release enzymes which break down the cartilage layer, leaving the bones unprotected and causing pain when moving.

The degradation of the cartilage due to arthritis can be managed and in some cases reversed, allowing the cartilage to re-grow and balancing the effect of the damaging enzymes.  This relieves the painful symptoms of arthritis allowing your pet to regain its active life and live out its years comfortably.

How do I recognise arthritis in my pet?

Arthritis is the most common cause of chronic pain in adult dogs, but many owners often attribute the symptoms to ageing.  It is important to recognise the various signs of arthritis and visit your veterinarian for advice, because studies have shown that the earlier you begin treatment with a product such as RE-FLEX, the more success the treatment will have at rebuilding the damaged cartilage.

What is RE-FLEX and how does it work?

RE-FLEX contains important ingredients to fight the affects of arthritis - Glucosamine hydrochloride and Chondroitin sulfate, with the added benefits of MSM (methylsulfonylmethane).  These are the three ingredients that are now commonly found in natural treatments for human arthritis, in therapeutic doses designed especially for pets.  RE-FLEX also contains special vitamins and minerals called co-factors, which help keep the joint as healthy as possible by optimizing the production of cartilage components.

By including these key ingredients, RE-FLEX will not only reduce the pain and swelling in the joint, but will also rebuild the cartilage that has been broken down and prevent the damaging enzymes from causing further degradation. That is why RE-FLEX is considered to be a disease modifying treatment, different to the Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) which only work to reduce the pain associated with the inflammation.  However when used together, RE-FLEX and the NSAIDs work to reduce the effects of arthritis, and studies have shown that with continual use of RE-FLEX the dose of the NSAID can be reduced and potentially discontinued.  In fact in one recent study in dogs with arthritis, it was found that the ingredients in RE-FLEX actually had the same reduction in pain and inflammation as the NSAIDs after 2 months, without any significant side effects.  Another commonly prescribed medication for arthritis are Pentosan/Cartophen injections.  These injections work synergistically with the ingredients in RE-FLEX and combination treatment is often recommended.  Ask your vet's advice on what is the best combination of treatments for your pet.

RE-FLEX is the first and only natural arthritis treatment to be available in three different forms - POWDER, CHEWABLE TABLETS and LIQUID.  This allows you to dose RE-FLEX the way the you - and your pet - prefers.  Simply give the dose once a day when you feed your pet, day or night, following the dosing instructions on the pack.

The ingredients in RE-FLEX are all derived from natural sources, and as such have not shown to have any significant side effects.  The only caution is when using in pregnant or lactating animals as there have not been any specific studies done in these groups.

RE-FLEX is safe to use long term, and can be used in younger animals to protect the joints from damage later in life, or if your dog is showing symptoms at an early age due to hip or elbow dysplasia for example.  It is also useful to give RE-FLEX following surgery to help rebuild any damaged cartilage components.

What can I do to help keep my arthritic pet as comfortable as possible?

It is always sad to see a pet suffering from the painful symptoms of arthritis, but there are things you can do to make them as comfortable as possible:

• As soon as you suspect they have arthritis or any joint problem visit your vet for advice and treatment
• Offer gentle exercise only eg. only take your dog on short walks 3 or 4 times a week
• Keep your pet warm in winter as the cold weather often makes symptoms worse
• Offer your pet a comfortable bed to sleep on at night that is off any cold surfaces but not too far off the ground
• Try not to let you dog jump in our out of the car
• When bathing your dog, use only warm water and dry them thoroughly to keep them warm
• Don't let your pet get overweight as this puts more pressure on damaged joints
• Other possible complimentary treatments include hydrotherapy, acupuncture, or even visiting a veterinary chiropractor.