Understanding Chronic Inflammation in Your Dog

Chronic inflammation in the body can lead to a host of illnesses, so chronic inflammation is a problem that should be dealt with as soon as possible. If your dog has been diagnosed with chronic inflammation, understanding the condition, as well as knowing what you can do to help, will allow you to take the appropriate steps to give your dog some much-needed relief and a better quality of life.

An Explanation of Chronic Inflammation

First off, what is chronic inflammation? Well, you have to understand that this condition affects the cells of your dog’s body. It is a problem that is persistent, and it is caused by the cells reacting as if there is a disease-causing agent in the body, even though there really isn’t. Also, when a dog has chronic inflammation, his body will never complete the inflammatory process and then begin to repair itself. Instead, the cells will continue in a state of—you guessed it—inflammation. Symptoms can develop as a result, such as skin allergies, kidney problems, liver disease, and heart disease, as a few examples. If you are noticing these symptoms within your pet, you may want to consider giving your pet a dog anti inflammatory pet supplement.

What Are Some of the Common Inflammatory Conditions Seen in Dogs?

In a healthy dog, inflammation will occur in response to a foreign invader, an infection, or an injury. This is normal, and it is part of the body’s ability to heal itself. With chronic inflammation, however, the body’s immune system doesn’t know that it should stop working so hard because there is no reason to keep up the inflammatory process. When this occurs, dogs could come down with a variety of conditions that include arthritis, inflammatory joint disease, inflammatory bowel disease, glomerulonephritis, dermatitis, and masticatory muscle myositis.

What Can Trigger Chronic Inflammation in Dogs?

There are a couple of triggers that researchers have identified when it comes to chronic inflammation in canines. One is fat, so if your dog is overweight, he may be more prone to developing inflammation that does not go away. This is because fat is not an inert tissue; instead, it actually plays a role within the endocrine system and could influence the regulation and the release of hormones. But another trigger is environmental pollution, as the body is continually bombarded with substances that are harmful, which causes the immune system to overreact.

What Can You Do to Treat Inflammation?

If your dog has been diagnosed with chronic inflammation, your vet can guide you towards the appropriate medications. However, researchers have also found that solid nutrition that is low in carbohydrates may help as well. Focus on feeding your dog a species-appropriate diet packed with animal protein, vegetables, fruits, eggs, and healthy fats. You can even add some additional vitamins, like vitamin E and vitamin C, to further support a healthy immune response. And, you can also provide your pet with herbs like milk thistle, parsley, Oregon grape extract, corn silk, and dandelion.

Now that you have a better understanding of what chronic inflammation in your dog is and what it could cause, you can keep an eye out for symptoms that your dog isn’t well. Then you can take the appropriate steps to work with your vet and bring your dog some much-needed relief.

*This is a collaboration post