PAIN RELIEF OTHER THAN PILLS FOR PETS
Many mainstream medications have the capacity to severely damage the gut. This matters because a faulty gut doesn’t just cause gut issues, but also many other disease processes anywhere in the body. These diseases develop largely due to inflammation, (including in the joints!) So before you give your pet a pill or an injection consider these options first:
Nutrition
Ultra-processed foods are very inflammatory on the body. Inflammation hurts! Just by tweaking the food joint pain and all other pain can substantially improve. Addressing your pet’s nutrition should be the very first thing you do. It is incredibly impactful. You truly have nothing to lose. bella@thenutritionvet.co.uk
Acupuncture
This modality blocks pain pathways and, in the right hands, also improves the health of the entire body. It is important to take your pet’s temperament into account when considering this treatment. A fear aggressive and reactive dog will likely not tolerate this amount of handling.
Chiropractic
This type of treatment is often used for sporting animals such as racehorses, racing greyhounds, agility dogs and the like. Responsible chiropractors ask for a veterinary checkup to be done before seeing a patient in case chiropractic treatment is not suitable at that time.
Hydrotherapy
This can be an underwater treadmill or a swimming pool. Don’t be put off if your pet doesn’t like water. The water is lovely and warm to relax those tight muscles, they wear a flotation device, and the hydrotherapist will be with your pet the entire time ensuring they feel safe and secure. In my experience the vast majority of pets learn to absolutely love it since it is a non-weight bearing activity, and the properties of water are so soothing on the body.
Laser therapy
This can often be done at your local vet practice by the nurses.
Massage
Animal Physiotherapists can often show you how to perform the best massage techniques on your pet at home. Done the right way it can be extremely helpful for back and neck pain.
Physiotherapy
An animal physio. will show you how to perform exercises on your pet so you can do them at home. A plan is then made for checkups according to need and budget. It can greatly accelerate healing from injury and surgery.
Supplements
Supplements include neutraceuticals, herbs and spices. The aim is to both reduce inflammation, and nourish the body to support its natural healing processes. Sorting out which supplements to use is a minefield as the supplement/neutraceutical market is not regulated in the U.K. for pets or us humans. I can help. bella@thenutritionvet.co.uk
Weight loss
This is arguably one of the most helpful things that you can do for your pet. BUT on the wrong food it can be extremely difficult to achieve. Once your pet is eating less inflammatory-inducing foods weight loss can be done easily and permanently. So contact me! bella@thenutritionvet.co.uk
This list is not exhaustive but hopefully gives you pause for thought that there might be a better way. A way that does not help one area but then destroy another. A way that treats the body as a whole.
Helpful links
The Nutrition Vet
Complementary and alternative medicine for animals
Canine Arthritis Management