CAM LIVE: Nutrition, supplements, treatment plans and rehabilitation with Matt Brunke

In the US, two out of three dogs are obese. This exacerbates the difficulties vets face when trying to manage pain and rehabilitate arthritic dogs. Matt Brunke and Hannah Capon discuss nutrition and supplements and point out that fat doesn’t just increase loading on joints, it secretes inflammatory mediators that make arthritis worse. They then go on to discuss an imaginary case study – an overweight dog with elbow problems – and Matt outlines what he would do to reach a diagnosis and the different options for treatment, from stem cells and platelet rich plasma to the more usual pharmaceutical interventions. With all options, the aim is to get the dog as free from pain as possible so that it can complete a rehab programme aimed at restoring function.

Matt Brunke DVM, DACVSMR, CCRP, CVPP, CVA is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation and practises rehabilitation, acupuncture and pain management in Maryland, US.

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Canine Arthritis Management (CAM) is a veterinary driven initiative, set up by vet Hannah Capon who was becoming overwhelmed with the number of dogs she was having to put to sleep having "gone off their legs". This was often seen by the owners as a sudden incident, when in truth that dog had probably been suffering in silence for a long time prior to that day. In fact, we believe that as many as 1 in 5 dogs in the UK, and 80% of dogs over the age of 8, will have some degree of osteoarthritis. Unlike humans, dogs are unable to express their pain in words. Chronic pain is no doubt something most people will understand and empathise with, but it can be difficult to tell when a dog is suffering in the same way. We want to challenge the preconceived notion that "just getting old" or "slowing down" should be accepted in our four footed companions. Ageing in itself is not a disease! Here at CAM we think that by changing owner, vet and public perception of arthritis, we can improve and extend the lives of dogs.

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