Dogs to Puppys

Glucosamine - The arthritis cure?

Author: bill morrison

Glucosamine sulphate has been around a long time now and as each year goes by more and more claims are made telling us about this miracle joint lubricant. Are all the claims true? Will it cure Arthritis? What is Glucosamine anyway? And what about Chondroitin?

Glucosamine is a naturally produced amino sugar which is found in small amounts in foods. It plays an important role in maintaining the cartilage gel-like material between our joints. The body also produces a carbohydrate called Chondroitin, which is thought to promote water retention and elasticity as well as blocking the enzymes that break down cartilage.

As we get older the body's ability to manufacture and synthesize Glucosamine and Chondroitin decreases. This probably contributes to the joint problems we have all come to associate with growing old, a fact that health food companies did not take long to latch on to. Although studies have been carried out in numerous countries to try to prove conclusively that Glucosamine is effective in treating arthritis and joint problems there have been an equal number of questions raised about the methodology of many of these studies. One such study, in Europe, took X-rays to measure the size of the gap in the knee joint before and after taking Glucosamine. Even though the results showed that the size of the gap was significantly larger, in a group of people taking Glucosamine compared to a group taking NSAIDs, critics said that the study was not large enough to draw firm conclusions. They also claimed the X-ray evidence was too difficult to interpret.

Many Vets and pet owners have been using Glucosamine to treat joint problems in horses and dogs for a number of years now. They swear by the effectiveness of this form of treatment for their animals. While there is no placebo effect in animals it is equally difficult to find well documented, and conclusive, scientific evidence to confirm the effectiveness of Glucosamine.

While there might be limited good, accredited, scientific proof as to the effectiveness of Glucosamine there is an abundance of people as well as pet owners who swear by the effectiveness of Glucosamine. Even though Glucosamine is often used in combination with other supplements, or treatments, the general feeling among most users is that it does help. Results of empirical studies in various countries have shown that arthritis sufferers report significant improvements when taking Glucosamine supplements. The same is also true for people who have other types of joint injuries or back problems. Some countries now sanction Glucosamine as a treatment for people with mild to moderately severe osteoarthritis.

To date no study has found any serious side effects from either Glucosamine or Chondroitin when taken as a supplement in humans. However people with diabetes are advised to keep a check on their blood-sugar level. While there have been no reports of allergic reactions to Glucosamine, since it's made from shellfish shells, it may not be suitable for people with seafood allergies. It may also increase a person's daily salt intake level - something people with high blood pressure may want to watch. Chondroitin on the other hand may sometimes cause bleeding in people with bleeding disorders or taking blood-thinning drugs. Like many supplements insufficient data is available about the long term effects and hence it should be not be taken by children, or pregnant or breastfeeding mothers.

The United States Food and Drug Administration embarked on a study involving 1500 people earlier in 2005 to determine the effects of Glucosamine and Chondroitin on people with arthritic problems.

There are many claims that taking Glucosamine will slow and possibly halt osteoarthritis-related damage to joints, speed healing of strains and sprains, control back pain and help promote healthy aging. Whether this is true or not, the overall rhetorical evidence is probably stacked in favour of the use of Glucosamine as a supplement - so maybe it's worth a try - for a trial period anyway!

This information in this article should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease. You should always consult with your health care professional especially relating suitability of supplements or drugs and on all health matters that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Bill Morrison has his own website http://www.help4urback.com where he describes his own personal experiences coping with lower back pain and sciatica. He also includes personal recommendations for people who suffer from sciatica or lower back pain including what books to buy, TENs machines, and what web sites to check out.

Dog Emergencies - 3 Tips to Help You Save Your Dog's Life

Author: Linda Boye

Dogs can also suffer injuries or get sick from a number of diseases, and it can happen at times when a veterinarian is not available and you haven't found out where the nearest emergency animal clinic is located. Since your dog is a dear member of your family, you want to save your dog's life, but are you prepared to deal with such emergencies?

A life-threatening emergency situation is always frightening and stressing both for the victim and for the helpers. And when the victim is a dog who can't tell you what happened and where it is hurting, the situation becomes even more difficult to deal with. The best help is to be prepared for an emergency by knowing about the more common dog emergencies.

Below are 3 tips about dog emergencies:

1. Caring for Wounds.

A dog can get bleeding wounds in several ways: By fighting with other animals or by (mainly traffic) accidents. So knowing how to stop a wound from bleeding the dog to death is useful knowledge: Apply a clean piece of cloth to the wound and keep it there for at least 5 minutes, - if possible tape the cloth to the wound. Don't take the cloth away, since that would probably make the wound start bleeding again. If it is bleeding through the cloth, find another clean piece of cloth and put it firmly around the first piece of cloth. Using hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the bleeding wound is not a good idea in this case, since it will slow the clotting of the blood and lead to a larger loss of blood. The clotting of the blood in the wound is nature's way of stopping the bleeding, so it is important not to disturb it.

2. Poisons in the Mouth?

Another common dog emergency situation is that your doggie has got something in his mouth, which is poisonous to him, and he may even have swallowed some of it. Some amphibians like toads, newts and the like excrete poisons on their skin (to keep other animals from eating them!) and if it gets into a dog's mouth it can become dangerous if it is left there or worse: if it is swallowed. The dog will show that something is wrong with its mouth by drooling and wiping it while whining. You must quickly rinse the dog's mouth with clean water until you feel that it has been cleaned of the poison. If you don't have a hose at hand, it may be easier to pour water in his mouth if he is lying down on the side. And you can prevent him from drinking the water by keeping his mouth open until the rinse is finished. It may be difficult to keep his mouth open all the time but since his life may be at stake you must be firm with him and - if necessary - use available materials to keep his mouth open.

If you suspect that your dog has eaten something poisonous, it is important that he is made to vomit the poison if he doesn't do it by himself. This does not apply if you know that your dog has swallowed for example a caustic liquid (like "drain cleaner"). In that case it would be better to give him some acid (like vinegar), so that the caustic liquid doesn't have to pass his gullet another time. Likewise if he has been swallowing acid: try to give him something that can neutralize the acid, like magnesia or chalk for that matter.

3. Choking

Because dogs love to feel things in their mouths, choking can be a common (and fatal) hazard. Apart from foreign objects, allergic reactions can make your dog�s throat swell to a point where he can't breathe.

If the dog is unconscious, you will have to act quickly. First you can try to push out whatever is in his throat by pushing his belly just below the ribs with one hand, while supporting his back with your leg/foot. This is easiest to do when the dog is lying on one side. Since there is a risk of damaging internal organs, don't push too hard but do it a couple of times. Watch his mouth to see whether something appears when you are pressing his belly, and be ready to remove it with your other hand. If nothing comes out after a couple of pushes, you could quickly let two fingers search his throat for an object, - while you are still pushing with the other hand.

Actually: If you can lift your dog by the hind legs, you can instead try to hold him firmly by the thighs and lightly shake him downwards. This could make the foreign object fall out in a gentle way.

If he is still choked by something, you could try to give him artificial respiration by closing his mouth and placing your mouth over his nose (he is your best friend!). Blow into his nose until his chest rises visibly and then push again as before. This can be repeated until the obstruction comes out.

If this doesn't seem to work or if he�s conscious and won't let you push his belly as described above, you will have to use tools to get the obstruction cleared, Back him in between your legs or better: have someone restrain him. Open his mouth and if necessary keep it open with what is available, while you check his mouth for whatever the obstruction may be. Try to get it out with a spoon or any other suitable tools at hand. The best tool is a pair of long blunt tweezers, as those sometimes used in the kitchen. You should still be cautious when pulling the obstruction out, but on the other hand, the life of you dog may be at stake if you don't get it out!

This is just some examples of what a dog emergency situation could be, - with a little imagination you could also come up with emergencies like broken limbs, shock, dehydration and so on.

If you want to be prepared for handling dog emergencies and maybe save your best friend's life, I recommend that you read an ebook called "Secrets to a Healthy and Happy Pooch". This will give you a basis for doing the right things in those scary emergency situations. Your dog will thank you for it!