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6 Ways to Relieve Your Dog’s Arthritis

You need to take care of your dog if you want it to live a happy life. You should take it to the vet at least once a year, and include exercise, a healthy diet, and a lot of hydration into its life. Also, a wide variety of medication is available for any type of disease that dogs can experience.

But still, sometimes it is hard to avoid strong hereditary factors. Arthritis is one of the most common health problems among dogs. One in five dogs suffers from this disease, so you need to pay attention to your dog’s behavior to detect the signs. Arthritis is very painful for your dog, so follow these steps to make your dog’s life a little bit easier.

Symptoms

Arthritis is more common among older dogs, but it can affect younger dogs, too, especially those with strong genetic predispositions. The symptoms are not so clear at the start, but they become more visible over time. It is more painful for dogs to stand up in the morning, so if you notice this sign, make sure to pay a visit to the vet.

Some of the other symptoms of arthritis are limping, swollen joints, apathy, sleepiness, painful joints when touched, hesitation to move, visible joint deformities, and many more. Dogs in pain often avoid moving which leads to prolonged periods of sleep and inaction. This situation can cause weight gain and depression.

Causes

Some of the causes of arthritis may be an infection, injury, obesity, overuse, age, poor lifestyle, an autoimmune disorder, and cartilage issues. None of these factors cause arthritis all the time, but the circumstances and strong genetic predispositions can lead to this painful joint disease.

Some dog types are more prone to arthritis than others. Larger breeds like German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Newfoundlands, and Great Danes are more vulnerable because their bodies grow faster, and they usually carry a lot of weight which can wear out their joints more quickly.

Natural supplements

There are many ways you can help your pup deal with this painful disease like massages, physical therapy, chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture, or even medication. But don’t try any of these methods before you consult a vet.

Quite a few natural supplements are attainable to ease distress and prevent further development of arthritis. Make sure to improve your pet’s health by adding some to their diet. You can easily find a lot of important pet supplies online that can ease the pain and make your pup’s life much more comfortable.

Exercise

It is essential to maintain your dog’s weight to ease the pain of the stiff joints. You should start with a warm-up to make the joints more flexible for the exercise. It is recommended to engage in a low-impact exercise program because any sudden movements and more significant pressure on joints can cause even more damage.

Avoid running or jumping and engage in activities like swimming, walking, gentle play, or indoor games. These less intensive activities will keep your dog fit and happy. But this is also a challenge because you need to balance between too much and too little exercise. Only the right amount of activity is helpful to your dog.

Diet

A proper diet is one of the efficient ways to battle arthritis. An excellent way to manage this condition is to create a list of food that is helpful for your dog, and a list of food that harms your dog’s health. You should consult your vet to make the right choice.

Sweet potatoes are full of beta-carotene which helps in battling inflammation. Fish oil can improve the mobility of your dog’s joints due to the healing characteristics of omega-3 fatty acids. Your dog’s diet should also include curcumin, ginger, papaya, blueberries, celery, and coconut oil. You should avoid cheap low-quality dog food, fatty meats, grain, or foods based on vegetable oil.

Prevention

Prevention is the best way of battling any health problem. If you are treating your dog well from an early age, you are lowering the possibility of developing health issues, including arthritis. Make sure that your dog is physically active on a daily basis and try to include a wide variety of exercises in its life.

Include a proper diet in your pup’s life to make sure that it gets enough nutrients to build its body and fight diseases. And, of course, pay a visit to your vet at least once a year to detect any kind of health problems on time.

Dogs are kind and protective creatures that show unconditional love to their owners. They deserve to be treated well and to live a happy life, so make sure to spend enough time with them on a weekly basis. If you want them to be happy, you need to take care of their health, so make sure to react promptly when you notice a problem.

Author:

Sienna Penfold
Contributor at highstylife.com

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