Joints are what allow dogs to move freely about the world. Without the joints themselves, our skeletons would have no firm structure. Without the padding between these bones, any time we jumped, jogged, or simply changed positions, our bones would knock into each other and damage our skeletal structure.
Joint pain, arthritis, and bone degradation are common complaints about elderly dogs because as they age, the synovium produces less lubrication. Once the cartilage is damaged, repairing the joint can be difficult and can decrease mobility in senior dogs. For this reason, the importance of dog joint health cannot be understated.
Causes of Joint Pain in Dogs
Developmental Joint Conditions
Developmental joint problems are caused by abnormal joint development in your dog’s early years, which is often passed down. This can lead to more serious injuries, like hip or elbow dysplasia. These problems start when your puppy is a puppy. They are there from the start.
Degenerative Joint Conditions
Degenerative joint problems happen over time after a lot of use. These include cartilage deterioration and tendon damage. cruciate ligament problems are the most common cause of this type of joint pain. Pain happens when tissues break down over time because they are used a lot, causing more and more problems.
Degenerative joint problems can be caused by a wide range of things, from stress fractures to injuries or osteoarthritis. However, they are more common in bigger dogs, because their weight puts more strain on their joints over time.
Signs and Symptoms of Joint Problems
Because of the constant pain associated with DJD (degenerative joint disease) and arthritis, dogs have a hard time hiding dog arthritis symptoms. Even a halfway-attentive owner will notice one of the many signs and symptoms of joint problems:
Limping or favoring one side
The most noticeable sign your older dog is developing arthritis is when they limp or favor one side over the other. They do this to keep the weight off their affected joint.
Standing with only front legs
Hip dysplasia, the most common form of arthritis, can be spotted when your older dog stands up-they’ll only use its front legs. This is to avoid putting pressure on the hind legs and hips.
Refusal to jump or climb stairs
Jumping and inclining are stressful activities on joints.
Swollen joints
The inflammation caused by joint pain will typically cause the joints to swell. Noticing this early can be one way to prevent further damage to the joint.
Muscle degeneration
Dogs, are sometimes able to hide their joint pain by displacing their weight to their other legs. This quickly degenerates the muscles around the affected joint, worsening the problem.
Licking the affected joint
When dogs experience a cut, they’ll lick the wound to help it heal. Knowing that there’s something wrong in their body, they will sometimes lick the affected joint in an attempt to relieve some of the pain.
Changes in temperament
When dogs experience a cut, they’ll lick the wound to help it heal. Knowing that there’s something wrong in their body, they will sBeing greeted by our tail-wagging friends after a long day is always a treat. But when our furry companion develops chronic pain in the hips, knees, or elbows, this habitual greeting can suddenly become a thing of the past. Unfortunately, this inability to move can cause a complete change in temperament and can even cause irritability.
Tips to Improve Your Dog’s Joint Health
Exercise Your Dog
The most noticeable sign your older dog is developing arthritis is when they limp or favor one side over the other. They do this tIf your pup has been diagnosed with arthritis, you can still make him exercise but be sure to be very gentle. Overexertion can cause further wear & tear and increase the pain. You can try activities such as swimming since it doesn’t put pressure on the joints.
Massage the Joints
You can ask your vet if massaging the joints would be a good idea or not. If the veterinarian does approve, you can try different techniques and stick to the one that your pup finds relaxing. Be sure to warm up his body with long strokes before you begin. Don’t put pressure on any area that your pooch finds painful and keep an eye on inflammation. If the joints get inflamed, wrap that part of the body in a cold towel and make sure the swelling goes away otherwise contact the vet.
Maintain the Ideal Weight for Your Pup
If your pup is overweight, his bones and joints would have to bear more strain and thus would be prone to damage. It is essential to maintain your dog at the ideal weight to promote joint health and mobility. The best way to do this is to measure your pup’s food intake and feed him a balanced diet.
Ramps instead of stairs
If your daily walk typically involves climbing a lot of stairs, using ramps could be a way to support your dog’s joints. Especially if your dog likes to jump off the last few steps, this will prevent them from further degrading their weak joints.
Improve their diet
Having a healthy diet creates a healthy gut biome. A healthy gut biome improves everything from mood to heart health to joint health. Combining healthy ingredients and a dietary supplement is a great way to improve your dog’s quality of life and keep their joints strong.
Joint Supplements for Dog Health
The nutrients you want to look for in dog dietary supplements to improve joint health include:
- Omega-3 fatty acids – Omega-3 fatty acids are an all-around beneficial compound to have in the body. They help with skin and fur conditions, heart disease, cognitive function, and even arthritis. This compound is typically derived from plant oils, salmon, marine algae, and phytoplankton.
- Chondroitin – Chondroitin sulfate is a complex carbohydrate that helps cartilage retain water.
- Hyaluronic acid – Hyaluronic acid, also known as hyaluronan, is a clear, gooey substance that is naturally produced by a dog’s body. Its main function is to retain water to keep tissues well-lubricated and moist.
- Proline – Proline, also known as L-proline, is an amino acid. An important compound is responsible for tissue repair, collagen formation, arteriosclerosis prevention, and blood pressure maintenance.
- Collagen – Collagen is a protein found in the body of all animals. It makes up connective tissue like skin, tendons, cartilage, organs, and bones and can help reduce joint pain and enhance the integrity of cartilage.
Green-Lipped Mussels for Dogs
The best-known components of green-lipped mussels are Omega-3 fatty acids, including the fatty acids EPA and DHA, explains Petty. Omega-3s work by reducing the level of inflammation associated with diseases such as osteoarthritis. Although this is the same compound found in fish oil, in the case of green-lipped mussels, this is combined with other compounds that also fight joint inflammation and pain.
Green Lipped Mussels also contain glucosamine, chondroitin, zinc, and magnesium, which are beneficial for joint metabolism. In addition, green-lipped mussels have also been shown to contain glycosaminoglycans, substances with joint protective properties.
Hi Well Pet for Dogs Active-One for Joint Care 120Softgel Capsules
ACTIVE-ONE for JOINT CARE contains 100% natural New Zealand sourced Green-lipped mussel oil extract and has been carefully formulated for your pets’ healthy joints and mobility. New Zealand Green-lipped mussel oil naturally contains over 30 essential fatty acids including DHA and EPA.
Green-lipped mussel oil extraction is tested for heavy metals.
Support for
- Pet’s healthy joints and mobility
Ingredients
- Premium New Zealand Green-lipped mussel oil extract 50mg, d-alpha-Tocopherol (Vitamin E), olive oil, gelatin, glycerin and purified water.
Directions
- Feed the capsule directly Or pierce and squeeze the capsule to mix the content with your pet’s food or favourite treat.
Precautions
- The daily requirements may depend on your pet’s age, weight, and general health.
- If your pet has chronic medical conditions or other health issues, consult a vet-care professional before use.
- Stop use if your pet shows any symptoms.
- Store in a cool &dry place below 25°C away from direct sunlight.
By following our simple advice, you will be able to achieve a good balance between staying healthy and being able to focus on your work.
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The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, images and information, contained on or available through this website is for general information purposes only. Hi Well Healthcare is not responsibly liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis or any other information services or products that you obtain through this website.
※References
1.McCarthy, G., O’Donovan, J., Jones, B., McAllister, H., Seed, M., & Mooney, C. (2007). Randomised double-blind, positive-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis. Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997), 174(1), 54–61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.02.015
2.Rialland, P., Bichot, S., Lussier, B., Moreau, M., Beaudry, F., del Castillo, J. R., Gauvin, D., & Troncy, E. (2013). Effect of a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel on pain behavior and functioning in dogs with clinical osteoarthritis. Canadian journal of veterinary research = Revue canadienne de recherche veterinaire, 77(1), 66–74.
3.Pets Web MD. Dog Joint Health: Pain, Osteoarthritis, and Other Joint Problems. https://pets.webmd.com/dogs/guide/dog-joint-health-pain-osteoarthritis-and-other-joint-problems#1
4.Petful. How Many Words Can a Dog Understand? https://www.petful.com/behaviors/how-many-words-can-dog-understand/
5.PetMD. How to Treat Arthritis and Joint Pain in Dogs. https://m.petmd.com/dog/general-health/evr_dg_remedies_for_arthritis_in_dogs
6.PetMD. Green Lipped Mussels for Dogs: How They Can Help. https://www.petmd.com/dog/wellness/green-lipped-mussels-dogs-how-they-can-help
7.Bui, L. M., & Bierer, T. L. (2003). Influence of green lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) in alleviating signs of arthritis in dogs. Veterinary Therapeutics, 4(4), 397-407.
8.Whitehouse, M. W., Macrides, T. A., Kalafatis, N., Betts, W. H., Haynes, D. R., & Broadbent, J. (1997). Anti-inflammatory activity of a lipid fraction (Lyprinol) from the NZ green-lipped mussel. Inflammopharmacology, 5, 237-246.
9.Rainsford, K. D., & Whitehouse, M. W. (1980). Gastroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties of green lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus) preparation. Arzneimittel-forschung, 30(12), 2128-2132.
