Tips For Dealing With Dog Arthritis

Even though you may already be using Flexicose or Syn-flex liquid glucosamine for pet arthritis, here are a few more tips you should consider for easing the symptoms of dog arthritis.

Keep Your Canine Trim!

Be sure to keep your dog trim. Having to carry even a few extra pounds around can aggravate dog arthritis symptoms. Your arthritic dog will be better off bordering on the “skinny” side than on the heavy side. It may be hard to put your dog on a diet, but it is very important his or her joints do not have to support unneeded pounds.

Exercise is Crucial

When dealing with dog arthritis, the right amount of exercise is crucial. Too much exercise will only worsen dog arthritis symptoms and cause more pain. Too little will weaken the muscles and cause more stress on the joints. If your dog has been high-energy all its life, you will have to work at keeping him or her down to a slower pace during playtime. Do not encourage jumping, quick stops, or rapid sprinting in any way. Some dogs may simply have to stop playing “fetch” if they take it to an extreme. Brisk walks are by far the best for your aging dog.

More Info About Using Glucosamine for Dog Arthritis:

Slow and Easy!

If your dog has spent a lifetime of jumping up and down off of a bed or porch, it may be time for a booster stool of some sort. Jumping up is not so bad, but the impact of jumping down from a few feet can put undue stress on the joints. Your dog will not know what is causing its arthritis to flare up. You have to take charge of being aware and proactive in protecting you dog from itself in many cases.

Buy the Best Food

Be sure your dog eats well. Don’t buy low cost dog food. Buy the expensive kind. It doesn’t cost that much more per serving. Besides glucosamine, the joints need a wide variety of other nutrients which the expensive brands of dog foods will provide.

Beware of Aspirin

It is fine to give your dog a coated aspirin ONCE IN A WHILE to ease his or her pain on bad days. Be VERY CAREFUL if you give your dog aspirin more than a few times a week. My dog Storm almost died from an intestinal infection caused by baby aspirin! Do not give your dog aspirin if you are unable to monitor their stools EVERY DAY. If they should turn runny and black, STOP the aspirin and take them to the vet right away!

Warm and Cozy

Provide your dog a warm and soft place to sleep. Your older dog will love something soft to sleep on! When it is cold outside, be sure he has a good shelter he can snuggle up in and get good sleep. Of course it is best if you can bring them inside to sleep on cold days.