Dealing With Your Dog and Arthritis
Your dog and arthritis pain can usually be managed safely and effectively. As people often will with age, older dogs can develop osteoarthritis. As in humans, age and genetics play the largest role in its development in your dog. Canine arthritis treatment is not always needed to combat your dog’s stiff joints. There are several things you can try before choosing to use a dog arthritis medication.
Read more about dog arthritis signs.
MORE INFO ABOUT GLUCOSAMINE FOR PETS:
Keep Your Dog Trim
First of all dog and arthritis pain can be eased in any dog if they get the right amount and level of exercise AND if they are not over weight. If your dog is showing signs of stiffness upon getting up, going up or down stairs, or is not as frisky as he or she used to be, it could be arthritis. This is especially true in older dogs. Before trying dog arthritis medicine, consider your dog's weight and exercise levels. If your dog is overweight at all, and you notice any of these signs, put him on a diet! Put in simple terms, a fat dog and arthritis can quite easily go hand in hand. Overweight dogs who are vulnerable to developing arthritis will experience more severe symptoms and suffer from it at an earlier age if they are carrying too much weight! Whatever it takes, keep your aging dog trim and lean. It may be hard to keep food from them when you know they are still hungry, but it is cruel to allow them to be overweight if it puts them at greater risk for arthritis.
Exercise Can Ease Arthritis Pain
The other thing you can do when you the signs of dog arthritis pain is to make sure your dog receives the right kinds and amounts of exercise. You want your dog to have strong muscles which can help support his frame while putting less stress on the joints. But too much exercise can be harmful and aggravate the condition. Our older dog, Katie, is prone to over-doing it outside. She is about 12 years old, but she still thinks she is 2. Sometimes she can really over-extend herself.
Many times she has come up limping for a day after too much “friskiness”. We can’t really stop her from doing it to herself all the time, but we can help by not encouraging her and playing fast and hard with her like we used to. For example, playing fetch with a ball gets her going in too high of gear now days. Get to know your dog’s body well so you are able to allow it enough exercise without him hurting itself. This is especially true in older dogs.Your dog and arthritis pain can often be managed in its earlier stages without expensive and sometimes dangerous dog arthritis medicine. Always consult with your vet if you suspect arthritis may be a problem. Here are more links which may help with your dog and arthritis questions.
Types of Arthritis in Pets
Caring for Older Dogs
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