Heal Pet Arthritis with Herbs

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One reward of holistic medicine in general and herbal medicines in particular is that the methods are safe and effective for treating a wide variety of disease processes. They’re especially beneficial for treating chronic diseases such as arthritis — ailments that typically escape Western medicine’s applications. I’ve found that the complex of disease processes lumped under the all-inclusive term “arthritis” is a perfect example of a category of diseases that responds to holistic medicines much better than anything I used in my previous lifetime as a “normal” veterinarian.

Arthritis: It Isn’t One Disease

Arthritis (and its cousin, rheumatism) are catch-all terms that encompass several dozen disease states of the joints and surrounding tissues such as tendons, ligaments, cartilage, joint sac (or bursa), muscles and connecting tissues.

The typical arthritis patient is a mid- to old-aged (5-plus years old) dog. Lower back and hips are the most commonly affected areas, but I think I’ve seen arthritis in every possible joint. Studies show that cats can also develop arthritis as they age, and I have treated several severely arthritic cats in my practice. But, with cats’ propensity to be couch potatoes for 23 hours per day, I suspect most owners aren’t aware when cats have a problem.

Most of the dogs I see have some form of structural abnormality, and due to the way they’re put together, they constantly put abnormal pressures on their joint surfaces, resulting in excess wear and tear and an increased production of harmful free radicals. Eventually, the joint cartilage erodes and loses its cushioning effects. Without the cushioning cartilage, a dog feels pain. As the cartilage continues to erode, bony growths may form, causing even more pain whenever the dog moves the joint.

Typically, a dog has been slowly getting worse and is now having a difficult time negotiating stairs or jumping onto Mom’s bed. The dog prefers to lie around in the warm sun and may groan whenever he gets up or lies down. There may be enough pain and inflammation in his joints that we can detect a noticeable limp when he walks, and sometimes the joints are actually swollen. X-rays may or may not show noticeable changes in joints and/or bony surfaces, but chiropractic evaluation often reveals joints that are less flexible than normal.

Six Pillars of Arthritis Treatment

Over the years, I’ve developed a general protocol for arthritis, adapted and refined from the treatments of several other holistic practitioners. I think of my protocol as having six pillars; each pillar helps me simplify my thinking while building a strong therapeutic base, and each one can be adapted to the individual patient’s needs as we progress along the pathway to healing.

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