As a dog owner, it can be difficult to see your pet struggle with the effects of arthritis. This is a condition that impacts many dogs as they get older, just as it's prevalent in older humans. While there's no specific treatment that will cure a dog's arthritis, there are still a number of things that can help your pet. Your local veterinarian will assess the severity of your dog's arthritis to determine what treatment approach to take. While the vet will likely give you some tips about how to manage your dog's condition at home, they may also move forward with one of these treatment options.

Prescription Medication

There's a good chance that your veterinarian will want to prescribe medication to help your pet's arthritis. There are many medications that can alleviate the joint pain that your animal experiences, helping it to have a better quality of life. Your vet will prescribe one or more of these medications, but you'll typically be responsible for administering them. You can administer medication at home in numerous different ways, and your vet will walk you through whatever process is applicable to your pet's situation. A common option is to mix a pill with the pet's food.

Acupuncture

There are lots of veterinarians who consider various alternative forms of treatment for animals' health conditions. When you take a dog with arthritis to one of these veterinary professionals, there's a chance that they may recommend acupuncture. If you've had this treatment yourself, you likely know that it can be effective in reducing pain and improving mobility. Your pet can experience the same results. The vet may be the one who administers the acupuncture, but they may also refer you to another vet—perhaps in the same clinic—who can perform this treatment.

CBD

As is the case with humans, CBD oil can be a potential treatment option for arthritis. This natural substance has the ability to help with pain management, and many veterinarians will advocate for it. If your veterinarian has recommended that other patients use CBD on their dogs, they'll likely share some success stories with you and may want to move forward with this type of treatment. Commonly, you'll administer this substance yourself at home around a regular schedule. CBD for dogs is often sold as a liquid, so you can put some of this liquid directly into your pet's mouth with a dropper or add it to the animal's food.

If you're looking for additional tips on how to help your dog, talk to a local veterinarian or visit a local clinic's website—such as http://www.murrellsinletvethospital.com.