Devil’s Claw
Native to South Africa, devils claw is a flowering plant thats been used for centuries as a traditional herbal pain remedy. In studies on devils claw, it appears to reduce pain more than a placebo, but all the studies done on the supplement have been low-quality. So, right now, theres not enough evidence to say for sure that its effective.
It is safe for dogs, but its much easier to find this supplement for horses than for our canine companions. If you want to try devils claw for dogs, ask your veterinarian for dosing guidance.
How do you know your dog might be in pain?
Joint pain, muscle pain, and pain in general can show up in different ways with dogs.
Dogs can also be very stoic when it comes to showing pain, but here are a few things to watch for to identify if your dog needs pain management:
If you are seeing any of these signs, it’s important to have your dog checked out by a veterinarian.
There are many causes of pain in dogs ranging from arthritis pain, muscle pain, hip dysplasia, internal problems in your dog’s body, cancer, and many other diseases.
But the good news is that there are many natural remedy treatment options for your dog that a holistic veterinarian or integrative veterinarian can partner with you on to provide safe pain relief for dogs.
Unfortunately, many older dogs are overweight, which predisposes them to osteoarthritis and inflammation in their bodies. Therefore, weight loss is the first step in providing natural pain relief, especially when your dog’s joints have osteoarthritis or joint pain.
Knowing your dog’s ideal body weight and how to body condition score your dog will help you get them to an ideal weight if they are overweight. This is important because studies have shown that excess fat on your dog increases the pressure on your dog‘s joints and can lead to excess inflammation in their body.
Reducing excess weight has natural anti-inflammatory properties for your dog and can be done by increasing exercise, adding real food like steamed broccoli and leafy greens to your dog’s food, and reducing excess treats.
One of the treats that can be beneficial for your dog‘s health and provides extra nutrients in a natural way is Wholesome Pride Pumpkin Slices. These single-ingredient natural treats help keep your dog full, help with weight loss, and aid in improving your overall dog health and wellness.
If your dog has joint pain, chronic pain, or is in need of pain relievers, your veterinarian (DVM) may recommend certain drugs.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the most common conventional pain relief for dogs.
Common drugs in this class of pain medications are Metacam, Rimadyl, Deramaxx, and carprofen. The human drug, Ibuprofen, is another NSAID pain management. However, Ibuprofen is toxic to dogs and should not be used, even though this is a commonly used over-the-counter drug for people with arthritis pain.
Common side effects seen with NSAIDs are gastric ulcers and possible liver and kidney disease. This class of drugs is COX-inhibitors which work by reducing the production of certain prostaglandins which are important for gut health. This is why dogs may experience these side effects when taking these types of pain medications.
Tramadol and gabapentin are two other common pain medications that your veterinarian may prescribe for your dog. There is a lower risk of toxicity with these medications. However, numerous studies have shown that tramadol is not a very effective pain reliever for dogs and should not be the only medication used in your dog’s pain management.
Because of these side effects, natural pain relievers and natural anti-inflammatory supplements should be an important part of your dog’s natural pain relief plan to provide comfort and minimize adverse side effects.
The Dangers of Conventional Anti-Inflammatory Medications
When your dog‘s inflammation starts to become a serious issue, it is usually accompanied by a substantial amount of pain.
In many cases, veterinarians will prescribe a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (also known as an NSAID) in order to alleviate the source of your dog’s distress.
However, these drugs (along with other conventional medications) often come with many potential adverse reactions that pet parents should be implicitly aware of. Always make sure to visit the website of the medication in question to take a look at the potential side effects.
Not surprisingly, once pet parents become aware of the potential downsides to NSAIDs, many begin researching holistic options for reducing inflammation and relieving their dog’s pain.