Has your dog started to slow down as he’s got older? If it’s becoming a bit of a struggle for him to get out of bed in the morning or if he’s sluggish on walks, he may be suffering from stiff, achy, and possibly arthritic joints. There are many things you can do that may help improve your dog’s quality of life.
Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight will put extra strain on your dog’s already aching joints. Use diet and exercise to reduce your dog’s weight if necessary
Alter, but don’t eliminate, exercise. Staying active will actually help reduce stiffness in your dog’s joints, but he will benefit more from several shorter walks throughout the day rather than one or two longer ones.
Raise food and water bowls. Having raised food and water bowls can help reduce strain in the back and neck. (not recommended for dog breeds that are prone to bloat)
Prevent slipping. Slipping on hardwood floors or icy pavements can put a lot of extra strain on your dog’s joints.
Use a ramp. Jumping can be extremely painful for dogs with joint problems, so ramps and stairs can help a lot.
Keep nails trimmed. If nails are too long they can change the gait on the dog, causing skeletal changes and arthritis in the foot/toes.
Provide a soft, supportive bed. Sore joints need more cushion to be comfortable. Lying on the floor with little to no cushioning causes painful pressure points.
Chiropractic, Physio & Acupunture can be a great supplemental treatments to help keep your dog’s bones, joints and muscles all working as they should and as free as possible from pain and stiffness
Foods And Supplements That May Help
Glucosamine/chondroitin and MSM. These three nutrients are the go-to for most dog owners who start to observe wear and tear on their dog’s joints. All three have all been shown to reduce inflammation in dogs with arthritis.
Fish oil contains the fatty acids EPA and DHA, which are important components of cell membranes. They signal cells to decrease inflammation. Less inflammation means less pain, redness, swelling, and irritation of the skin, joints, and internal organs.
Turmeric has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties. Inflammation is the key driver of most diseases in the body including arthritis and turmeric is one of the best natural anti-inflammatories
Collagen is the most abundant protein in our body. But, it begins to decline with age leading to joint and bone degradation, causing arthritis, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. Supplementing your dog’s diet with a collagen powder can prevent and reverse the effects of this collagen loss by supporting the rebuilding of bones and joints and improving mobility and flexibility
CBD. Treatments with this naturally occurring compound from the cannabis plant, have become massively popular in the last five years owing to many studies championing its health benefits. Amongst other things, CBD reduces inflammation making it an effective treatment for a range of associated illnesses.