Diseases

Cats display extraordinarily agility, from those sudden, unpredictable darts across the room to impressive leaps onto and off of high spaces. However, this agility depends on healthy, trouble-free joint function. If your cat has one of the conditions classified as feline arthritis, that agility may gradually disappear, replaced by increasing pain, stiffness, and avoidance of favorite pastimes. Cats who cannot trust their own joints to support their weight comfortably may find themselves unable to get out of harm's way or get the exercise they need. As a cat owner, you have more power to help your struggling feline friend [...]

When your beloved dog's hind legs just don't seem to work properly, both you and your pet may feel considerable distress. Few sights cause owners more sorrow than seeing their best friend hobbling stiffly or wobbling while standing due to a serious injury, congenital defect, or age-related health problem. In addition to the pain that they may cause, unstable or weak hind legs can also make your dog more vulnerable to accidents. Fortunately, modern medicine and assistive technology can help your struggling friend overcome his limitations. Let's take a look at some of the problems that can affect a [...]

One of the most common chronic medical conditions people face is arthritis; however, it is important for everyone to note that arthritis is a problem that impacts pets as well as people. Dogs are members of people’s families and it can be heartbreaking to see a dog living in pain. Sadly, this is exactly the situation that arthritis creates.  Arthritis is an inflammatory condition in which the body’s immune system is sent into overdrive. When this happens, inflammation gets out of control. This leads to the body breaking down its own cartilage that is meant to cushion the joints. [...]

How many times have you been minding your own business, reading a book or walking down the hall only to be pounced on by your mischievous cat? Though domesticated, these animals are still hunters at heart, and movement is essential to their quality of life. Though we wish our feline companions could stay sprightly and in perfect physical condition for their entire lives, diseases, traumatic injury, and other health issues can slow them down and making moving around difficult or even painful. To further complicate things, cats don’t like to show weakness. They may hide the fact that they’re in [...]

Sadly, veterinarians have no cure for hip dysplasia. This abnormality in the connection between a dog’s pelvis and thigh bones is a genetic condition—you can no more change the fact that a dog has hip dysplasia than you can change the color of his eyes. […]