Aching Dog Joints? Fix This Dog Health Symptom

We all know how it feels when we have aches and pains. This is also the case with our four legged friends who are suffering with these dog health symptoms. Good joints are essential to dog pain relief. This condition seems to be more apparent in some larger breeds. I think the reasons are obvious though. Bigger frame means more wear and tear over time. Not all dog health symptoms involving dog joints are related to size though. There could be other reasons for abnormal joint degradation.

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptoms how and why?

We need to find ways to provide pain relief as our favorite pooch starts getting on in years and those old aching joints starts playing up. Dog joints are continuously in motion, and this is even more so in the busier breeds. As the cartilage, that is the cushioning stuff in the joints, wears away, it can cause the bones of the joint to grind on each other. This will result in a lack of movement in the joints and the need for proper dog pain relief. The joints will become stiff. Age is just one factor.

Other dog health symptoms could be excessive weight. This will obviously affect the dog joints. Your pup may have been in an accident or accidentally hurt himself whilst playing or doing silly pup stuff. As always breeding is also a factor. Breeds at risk to these dog health symptoms are Labrador’s, German Shepherds and Rottweilers. Notice these boys are all the relatively large breeds, who knew!

These dog health symptoms can be extremely painful and can get progressively worse as time marches on, thus the need for pain relief. We therefore must start on the right foot from day 1 with mister new puppy and make sure that the dog joints are well cared for from an early age.

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptom warning signs!

If your boy is suffering from dog joint problems, you need to be able to pick this up. Dogs can handle huge amounts of pain, so they may not show it outwardly. Believe me, if your mutt is making noise because of sore joints or any other pooch pain, GET HIM TO THE VET NOW!!! When your boy struggles to get up or refuses to chase the neighbors cat away, you need to start taking action. If not you will soon be walking alone and not have the great company of your best mate. Here are some signs…

Your mutt is not keen to go walkies or tires easily whilst walking
The pup does not come to you readily when summoned
The pup walks stiffly and has lost that spring that he used to have
He does not groom himself as well as he used too
Growls when touched in certain affected areas

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptoms help?

In this case prevention is the best advice by far. That means start with your new pup by providing the most optimized diet and nutrition available to avert joint problems later in life. These dog health symptoms usually only manifests after several years and could be as a result of poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Healthy dog joints need a diet rich in fatty acids. I am talking about the Omega fatty acids here, check the dog food label. Some dog foods will actually reduce the loss of cartilage in the joints and also improve the retention of existing cartilage. Remember to get regular exercise, yes, you and your dog. This will help strengthen the muscles which ultimately support the bones and dog joints. As always, healthy body, healthy mind, healthy dog and a long and happy life.

Hi, my names Derek and I am a Dog Lover and Enthusiast. Why don’t you join me in my quest for knowledge about “man’s best friend” at my website packed with Dog Health and Training Advice [http://www.besthappydog.com/] where I share my insights as well as many experts advice.

Soft Water – Important Health Advice on the Effects of Softening Water

Softening water is often very helpful as it has a number of benefits, in particular reducing scale build-up and sometimes improving the taste. However, softening it also has a certain effects on human health and also on the environment which are important to consider.

The hard water to be treated passes through a bed of the resin which contains sodium and potassium ions. As the water passes through the resin, the hardness ions are trapped in the resin and replaced by the sodium or potassium ions which are released into the water – effectively softening it. The harder the water is, the more sodium or potassium ions are released from the resin and into the water.

Effect on Humans

For people on a low-sodium diet, the increase in sodium levels (for systems releasing sodium) in the water can be significant, especially when treating very hard water. A paper by Kansas State University gives an example: “A person who drinks two liters (2L) of softened, extremely hard water (assume 30 gpg) will consume about 480 mg more sodium (2L x 30 gpg x 8 mg/L/gpg = 480 mg), than if unsoftened water is consumed.” This is a significant amount, as they state: “The American Heart Association (AHA) suggests that the 3 percent of the population who must follow a severe, salt-restricted diet should not consume more than 500 mg of sodium a day. AHA suggests that no more than 10 percent of this sodium intake should come from water. The draft guideline of 20 mg/L for water protects people who are most susceptible.”

Effect on Environment

Over time the resins gradually lose their effectiveness and must be regenerated by passing a concentrated brine solution through them. Most of the salt used for regeneration gets flushed out of the system and may be released into the soil or sewer. This process can be damaging to the environment, especially in arid regions. Some jurisdictions prohibit such release and require users to dispose of the spent brine at an approved site or to use a commercial service company.

Most water softener manufacturers provide metered control valves to minimize the frequency of regeneration. It is also possible on most units to adjust the amount of salt used for each regeneration. Both of these steps are recommended to minimize the impact of water softeners on the environment.

In industrial scale water softening plants, the effluent flow from re-generation process can be very significant. Under certain conditions, such as when the effluent is discharged in admixture with domestic sewage, the calcium and magnesium salts may precipitate out as hardness scale on the inside of the discharge pipe. This can build up to such an extent so as to block the pipe as happened on a major industrial plant in Australia in the 1980s. I certainly would not want to be the person who had to clean that pipe!

To Sum Up

Although there are benefits to softening water, there are also consequences that must be taken into account, both human and environmental as discussed above. In my opinion, the benefits of softening probably outweigh the disadvantages as long as one is aware that it does directly effect the quality of the water and consequently the minerals it contains. People who must have strict control over their diet (particularly their sodium intake) need to be aware of this. Also, domestic water softening devices are very useful in preventing the hardness minerals which are removed causing hard water stains and limescale problems. They also do not have a significant impact on the environment compared to the much larger sized devices that are employed in industry.