Understanding Animal Joint Function and Health

If your talking about a horse, dog, cat or other animal, the joint can simply be described as the hinges that hold the skeletal system together. The joints are what gives the skeleton movement and flexibility. But of course it is a little more complicated than that. 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 the key to optimal joint health and care.

Joint Care And Supplements - Treating Arthritis And Joint Pain

A common form of arthritis known as degenerative joint disease is 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. Some 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 sometimes have side effects or serious complications over the long run. As always, you'll want to visit with your veterinarian to determine what's best for your specific horse or pet.

Feline Joint Health And Canine Joint Medication Precautions

Most arthritis medications and some supplements for dogs should never be given to cats. Felines have a different physiology from dogs and canine products can actually be harmful or even dangerous for cats because of that physiology. Even simple pet health products such as aspirin can be hazardous. But there are some products such as cosequin cat that are made specifically for felines. The ingredients in cosequin cat were designed to help maintain optimal feline joint structure while helping inhibit the activity of the enzymes that break down the cartilage to start with.

Although cats are considered limber and nimble, their joints can deteriorate and get stiffer as they age. 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.

Home >

Arthritis In Dogs

More about dog arthritis such as disease information and online sources for discount prices on joint products and medications

Dog Arthritis Explained

RX Joint Meds For Dogs

Joint Supplements List

Joint Product Terminology

Equine Joint Care

Performance training can help strengthen a horses muscles, bones and tendons. However, competition and high activity can also cause stress, wear and tear on equine skeletal joints and cartilage around important areas like the fetlock, knee, stifle and hock - regardless of top notch conditioning efforts. In optimal conditions, synovi fluid bathes itself over the articular cartilage around the joint to reduce friction between the connecting bones.

There are a wide selection of equine joint products available today (see some below) such as cosequin, recovery and flex free for everything from growing colts to high performance horses to seniors with stiff aging joints.