Joint pain and arthritis, typically characterized by lack of mobility, stiffness and a reluctance to go upstairs or to jump into cars etc., is one of the most common health complications faced by dogs. Symptoms can be brought on by old-age and deterioration, but many dogs face complications from birth and early in life.
By following a few simple steps, you can minimize your dog’s chances of developing joint pain and arthritis, or minimize its discomfort, should it already be suffering from these complications.
Joint pain and arthritis tend to arise from two main factors: Age and body condition. Maintaining your dog’s condition, diet and weight are essential to warding off the onset of joint problems and arthritis in later life.
A healthy, nutritious, and above all, well-portioned diet is essential to ensuring that your dog does not become overweight. Weight problems are almost always a precursor to joint problems.
Exercise is essential to maintaining a healthy body weight for your dog. Especially for older dogs, it is important not to over-strain them. Frequent, low-impact exercise is preferable to infrequent but strenuous exercise. Swimming is a great way for dogs to exercise whilst minimizing strain on joints and muscles. You want to build your dog’s strength and muscle function, to best ward off the potential onset of joint pain and arthritis.
Another important factor in preventing against joint pain and osteoarthritis is to ensure that your dog has a comfortable, supportive dog bed.
For dogs already suffering from joint problems and osteoarthritis, there are a number of foods, food-additives and supplements (such as fish oil, which decreases inflammation, or Consequin DS, which helps improve joint heath), and medications (such as anti-inflammatories, pain relievers and analgesics).
If your dog is already suffering from joint problems, please consult your veterinarian for the best option. However, very basically, you should lift your dog up onto things instead of letting it jump up. Also, using planks of wood as ramps is an easy alternative to lifting for those with large dogs.
