As your dog ages, he or she is susceptible to developing arthritis.
Arthritis involves inflammation that can affect your pet’s joints and make it difficult
for him or her to move.
Arthritis can be painful for your furry friend and something he or she could have to
take medication for.
Once arthritis is present, it can’t be reversed or cured.
So how can you help to prevent arthritis before it starts?
Injuries
The inflammation that arthritis causes can damage your pet’s joints—this is similar to
what happens in people.
An injury to one of your dog’s joints could affect him or her getting arthritis.
You can prevent injuries by keeping your dog safe during playtime as well as on walks
on outings.
If your pet does have an injury of any kind, schedule an appointment with your vet to
get treatment.
Even if the injury seems to heal itself, you’ll still want to ensure no lasting damage has
been done to your dog’s joints.
Preventing injuries and taking care of them with veterinary medical attention when they
do happen can help stop arthritis.
Infections
Your dog could also have an infection that could lead to arthritis, such as Lyme’s disease
or a bacterial infection.
Getting your pet vaccinated against Lyme’s and other tick infections can be an important
step in preventing arthritis.
Visit your vet to see what you can do to prevent your pet from getting infections from tick
bites as well as bacterial infections!
Diet
Your pet’s diet is an important factor when it comes to arthritis.
A diet high in grains could promote inflammation.
Try to balance your pet’s diet by getting a quality food.
You may also consider an omega-3 supplement in order to promote healthy joint function.
This could be fish oil or another oil rich in omega-3s, such as camelina oil.
Talk with your veterinarian about what other supplements you can incorporate into your
dog’s diet for joint health, such as glucosamine or turmeric.
Your dog will likely love getting these supplements in addition to their healthy food, and
it can help prevent arthritis!
A Healthy Weight
Keeping your pet at a healthy weight and getting him or her the recommended amount
of exercise can help to stop arthritis from happening!
Talk with your veterinarian to see how much exercise your pet should get per day based
on their current health, age, and any issues your pet may have.
Keeping your dog from being overweight could mean the difference between them getting
arthritis later in life and not getting it.
Ensure their diet is optimal and that he or she is getting enough exercise.
Remember, dogs are made to move!
Dr. Mike Maddux of Nipper’s Corner Pet Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee knows
that arthritis in pets is more successful with earlier treatments.
“Arthritis is a progressive disease with
many treatments available.
The earlier the treatment begins the
more successful it will be.”
No dog is safe from arthritis.
It can happen at any age due to autoimmune disorders or developmental disorders.
There are things you can do to help prevent it though—talk with your veterinarian
to see how you can keep your pet at an optimal weight, get him or her enough exercise,
and prevent injuries and infections.
Help stop arthritis before it starts!
Has your dog suffered from injuries, infections or arthritis?
What have you done to help prevent arthritis in your dog?
Share your thoughts and comments with us.
Lots of good information for our furry friends. My dog is on a grain free diet, and we give her fish oil. Hopefully the arthritis will stay away!
Hi Anne,
I am so delighted that you found this useful. I have seen so many cherished pets suffer from arthritis pain. Thanks for sharing your comments. I appreciate it.
Great article! One of my two Bichon’s had ACL/Meniscus surgery in June and we also learned he’s got arthritis in his back end, so to compliment the surgery and recovery, as well as help with the arthritis, we’ve been doing hydrotherapy twice a week since. It also helps that our dog gets excited and enjoys it but it’s so beneficial for his joints and not being impactful. It’s incredible the strength he’s built back and he’s even stronger than pre-surgery.
Thanks for the share. 🙂
Lindsay
Great post with lots of good information. We are always making sure our dogs are taking their fish oil, getting lots of exercise and eating right. You have to be very careful with Dachshunds and their backs.
Thanks for sharing at Turn It Up Tuesday,
Bev
I have not had a pet in a very long time, but I have fond memories of my wire haired terrier and spaniel. This post was quite informative, and honestly something I had never thought about. I wills hare with others who do have dogs,