Q: I have noticed for some time that my dog is having issues going up and down the stairs and doesn’t seem to last as long on his walks. Is there anything I can do to make him more comfortable?
A: What a great question! It is wonderful to know that you care so much about the comfort of your best friend. It turns out that my Veterinary friends have several products to help us out as we get older and stiffer. One thing I have tried that seems to help me feel a lot better is laser therapy. A technician places a probe near the skin around my joints and a wonderful warm feeling penetrates to the areas that ache. Afterward, I can move with less pain. My Vet tells me that it helps increase blood flow to the areas and removes antioxidants but I just know that it works really well and it doesn’t hurt to have it done! There are also several medications that can be given to help with arthritis and pain, especially on these colder mornings. Dasuquin and Glycoflex are chewable products that contain Glucosamine and Chondroitin that help increase my joint fluid to cushion the joints. There is an injection called Adequan that can do the same thing. There are also pain medications that we can take called NSAIDS that decrease inflammation, and stronger pain medications that help when the pain gets really severe. So, overall there are a lot of options to keep your best friend feeling young for as long as possible.
Q: I have been trying to brush the teeth of my dog Sasha but she still has bad breath. Is there anything easier I can do to help keep her teeth healthy?
A: There are so many things that can be done to help a dog’s breath! First of all, you may want to bring Sasha in to see if you need a dental cleaning. If they think she is fine, or if you want to keep her smile bright after her dental, I would recommend Ora Vet Dental Chews. They have a coating on them that protects the teeth from tartar buildup. I also like C.E.T. Chews. They make my breath smell great. Some of my friends don’t like to chew on things (I don’t know why!) so their owners sprinkle Perio Support on their food which can help prevent tartar-they say it tastes good. The only thing you want to avoid is hard products like deer antlers and real bones – I have had several friends break teeth on them and then they are in a lot of pain. I hope you can find some things to help Sasha’s breath because I know I feel better when I have healthy teeth and I am sure she does, too.
