Understanding Animal Joint Function and Health In A Nutshell
If your talking about a horse, dog, cat or other animal, a joint can most simply be described
as the hinges that hold the skeletal system together. In addition, joints are what give the skeleton
movement and flexibility.
There are three kinds of joints, the ball and socket, such as the hip joint,
a hinge joint like the knee and a gliding joint such as found in the ankle. A joint has
tendons and ligaments which help stabilize and hold it together.
The tendons and ligaments are surrounded by synovial fluid which lubricates
it for smoother action and less wear and tear. Healthy production of synovial fluid is often a key
aspect to optimal joint health care.
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A common form of arthritis known as degenerative joint disease is usually
characterized by degeneration of the cartilage that protects the joint bones.
Many joint supplements claim to help prevent and/or rebuild the cartilage
surrounding a dog's joint, as well as other joint tissues and fluids.
But, in general, most joint supplements target better cartilage health and synovial fluid production.
In addition, many supplements work to improve joint health by
removing irritating and pain-causing toxins from the body, while others work to
reduce inflammation at the joint, such as can occur
from rheumatoid arthritis and hopefully provide a little pain relief in the process. Often
joint supplements are not enough to relieve your pet's pain and your veterinarian my prescribe a stronger NSAID or steroid
prescription medication. Drugs are often successful at relieving your pet's pain but they
can sometimes have side effects and serious adverse complications over the long run. As always,
you'll want to visit thoroughly with your veterinarian to determine what's best for your
specific pet.
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Learn More About Canine Arthritis, Related Terms and Products
Reading descriptions for arthritis medications for animals can be a little confusing sometimes including
arthritis related medical terms and ingredient listings. We've tried to make the process
a little easier for you with a description and explanation of the disease,
terms, products and ingredients associated with dog arthritis issues.
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A Little Bit About Cosequin Equine Powder for Horses
The
cosequin equine variety has become quite popular today for everything from growing yearlings, to
high performance adult equines, to older horses with stiff joints.
Performance training can strengthen a horses
muscles, bones and tendons. However,
competition and high activity can still cause stress, wear and tear on the
skeletal joints and cartilage around such important areas as the fetlock, knee, stifle and hock -
regardless of top notch conditioning.
In optimal conditions, synovi fluid bathes itself over the articular cartilage around the joint
to reduce friction between the bones. The raw ingredients in cosequin are intended to help provide the
body with the raw materials it needs for the synthesis of the synovi joint fluid.
The Benefits of Cosequin Cat for Feline Joint Health
Cats can also benefit from cosequin and there is a version made just for felines, utilizing
chicken and tuna flavored sprinkle capsules. Although cats are considered limber and
nimble, their
joints can deteriorate and get stiffer as they age as well. As a matter of fact, you may have
noticed that your cat does not like to hunt or jump around as much as they used to. Your cat's
joint cartilage is a slippery, resilient tissue designed to work in conjunction with joint fluids
and underlying bones to create a kind of shock absorber around the joint for flexibility and
mobility, cartilage well being is very important to your cat's overall joint health.
The ingredients in
cosequin cat were
designed to help maintain the optimal structure of the joints while helping
inhibit the activity of the enzymes that break down the cartilage to start with.
Cosamin Joint Supplement for "People"
From Nutramax, the makers of cosequin for animals, comes cosamin ds, a similar joint supplement for people.
Cosamin DS is designed to help reduce our cartilage cells from breaking down, thereby improving joint
health in general. Nutramax manufactures cosamin within the US according to high quality
pharmaceutical standards.
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