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THE BERNARDS-RIDGE CONNECTION
FEB/MARCH 2017
• • • " ) ' &$ ) ! ( $$ ) ! % $$ 908.766.0041 Giorgios Pappas Furrier 914 Mt. Kemble Avenue Morristown, NJ 07960 973-425-1111 www.giorgiospappasfurrier.com Monday-Saturday 9:30am - 5:00pm • Private Parking Cleaning & Glazing Custom Designs Cold Storage Remodeling Restyling Re-Sizing Relining Repairs End of the Year Special Sale E lite T axi & Limousine of B ernardsville 908.953.9999 www.EliteTaxiAndLimo.com Airports - NYC - Local Service 24/7 Locally Owned & Operated Thank You for Supporting our Local Business Professional - Dependable - Courteous Fully Licensed & Insured All drivers are Bernardsville & Basking Ridge residents. Bernardsville/Basking Ridge to Newark Airport $ 69 99 * *For Sedan between 6am & 11pm Plus gratuity. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires 3/31/17. Sedans, SUVs, Limos Celebrating Our 6 Year Anniversary ONLY IS YOUR DOG A PAIN IN THE NECK? OR JUST IN PAIN? By: James D. Baxter, DVM, Bernardsville Animal Hospital 908-766-0041 www.bernardsvilleanimalhospital.com Arthritis affects over 50% of dogs at some point in life. We’ve succeeded in extending our companions’ lives, but that advanced age brings joint degeneration from prolonged wear and tear. Osteo-arthritis, or de- generative joint disease (DJD) is the breakdown of smooth cartilage in the joint resulting in bare bone rubbing against bare bone. This leads to remodeling of bone sur- faces with ensuing stiff- ness, inflammation and pain. Commonly affected areas are hips, knees, back, elbows and wrists. A dog suffering from DJD may exhibit any of the following: • Decreased physical activity • Stiffness after sleeping or laying down, difficulty rising • Lameness or uneven gait • A reluctance to walk, run or play • Difficulty doing stairs, jumping into car or onto a couch • Difficulty in eliminating, possibly with ‘accidents’ in the house Veterinarians aim to reduce the pain of arthritis while improving a pet’s mobility and quality of life. Current veterinary medicine offers many options to manage this painful condition. Step one: weight control/loss are key. Many pets today carry extra pounds. Any arthritis program must start with weight control. Frequently, it’s the only step neces- sary. Our pet’s weight is 100% in our control, so this can be the easiest fix. As a caring owner, one must have the will power to provide Fido with fewer calories so he can slim down. Many senior and low-calorie commercial foods exist to help us reach and maintain that weight goal, with calorie contents listed on the food package or on the company webpage. If your dog gets treats or table scraps, you must count them as well in her total daily caloric intake. Step two: numerous supplements exist to help reduce DJD-associated inflammation. The most common are glucosamine, chondroitin, Omega-3 fatty acids, and Microlactin, a milk protein that inhibits inflammation. Additionally, pain-relieving medicine, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) often help dogs feel better. Safe and effective veterinary NSAIDs are available through your veterinarian, as is Adequan, a polysulfated glycosaminoglycan administered by injection over a 4 week period. These remedies work best when com- bined with other treatment modalities noted here. Step three: arthritic dogs needs daily exercise, so get him off the couch and out on the trail. Exercise mobi- lizes stiff joints and sheds excess weight. For advanced arthritis cases try professional physical therapy and underwater treadmills, both locally available. At day’s end, offer your dog soft, warm bedding, and avoid hard, cold surfaces that exacerbate joint stiffness. Step four: a modern and effective tool against arthritis is the therapy LASER. It uses light energy to do its work. This progressive treatment tool is used by human orthope- dists, physical thera- pists and all major league sports teams. The LASER delivers diffuse photo-energetic light to pen- etrate deep tissues which, in turn, reduces inflammation and blocks pain receptors. It helps tissue repair, increas- es blood flow and accelerates new cell growth. It also inhibits scar tissue formation and improves nerve func- tion. For more info and actual “before and after” videos, go to: www.litecure.com/companion/ Lite-Cure is the LASER we use in our practice. It’s non-invasive and requires no prior preparation or sedation. Dogs and cats love the deep, warm feeling it creates. We observe them relaxing when the LASER does its magic on the treated area. In summary, to keep Fido fluid and fit as he ages, remember these points: 1. Weight control - keep him lean! 2. Daily anti-inflammatory supplements & pain management 3. Movement - Provide daily, low-impact, low-to-moderate intensity walks 4. Treatment with joint lubricating injections of Adequan. 5. Soft, warm bedding. 6. Treatments with deep-warming and cell-stimulating therapy LASER. Don’t give up! Fido and Fluffy are relying on you to help them age painlessly and gracefully. We are here to assist you in that process. www.theconnectionsnj.com