What to Give Dogs for Joint Pain

Imagine if your dog could talk. After a day of playing outside, they might quietly come to you and say, “Hey, my knee hurts today.” But dogs don’t talk. They may show it in their behavior, which is actually telling us, “I have a problem with my joints!”

Dogs can develop arthritis due to genetics, age, infection, disease, injury, or overuse. Arthritis is a common condition that causes joint pain and affects most dogs as they age. Arthritis cannot be cured, but it can be alleviated and prevented. In this article, Hsviko will provide you with some ways to prevent and relieve arthritis and the pain it causes.

Arthritis in Dogs: How to Diagnose Joint Pain in Dogs

Arthritis in dogs is classified as rheumatoid, rheumatoid, traumatic, osteoarthritis, and septic arthritis.

Rheumatism is mainly seen in thousands of puppies, appearing in the puppy’s limbs; if the bacterial invasion causes it, it can basically be judged as “septic arthritis” and even accompanied by high fever.

Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in adult dogs, and the limbs will become stiff and deformed.

Exercising dogs are prone to “traumatic” and “osteoarthritis.” Middle-aged and older dogs are prone to “degenerative arthritis.”

Observing your dog at home is one of the most effective ways. If your dog exhibits any unusual behavior, you need to pay extra attention to your dog.

Watch for these signs in your dog:

1. reluctance to exercise and reduced interest in physical activity.

2. Has some difficulty standing up or squatting down.

3. Paw joints are fat, swollen, and painful when touched.

4. Stiffness in limb movement.

5. The dog licks a specific part of the body, and the licked part will lose hair after a long time.

6. The dog hesitates when jumping, running, and climbing stairs, and its temperament deteriorates and becomes inexplicably irritable.

7. Increased panting or drooling (may indicate stress or pain)

8. Lameness

To determine if your dog is experiencing joint pain as a result of osteoarthritis, contact your veterinarian, who will usually use the following diagnostic methods:

• Physical examination to check for localized pain and swelling
• Radiographs to look for abnormalities
• Gait evaluation and limb manipulation to assess mobility
• Joint fluid analysis to rule out other causes

Causes of arthritis pain in dogs

Causes of arthritis pain in dogs often occur at the same time. Common causes are listed below:

Degeneration of cartilage: As dogs age, the cartilage in the joints wears out or degenerates and loses its average protective effect. Cartilage is the smooth tissue that covers the ends of bones and cushions friction between bones. When the cartilage is damaged, the bones touch each other directly, causing joint pain.

Inflammatory Response: Joint inflammation causes the joint lining to become inflamed, producing excess synovial fluid and causing swelling, heat, pain, and dysfunction. An abnormal immune system response, infection, or mechanical injury may trigger inflammation.

Cruciate ligament rupture: especially of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL or CCL), commonly seen in active medium to large dogs, leading to knee instability and pain.

Overweight: Being overweight or obese increases the load on the joints and accelerates cartilage wear and tear, especially in weight-bearing joints such as the hip and knee.

Genetic factors: Due to genetic predisposition, certain dog breeds, such as German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers, are more prone to developing arthritis.

Nutritional deficiencies: Deficiencies in essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids can affect the health and repair ability of joint cartilage.

Bone spur formation: In some cases, bone spurs may form around the edges of the joints, and these protruding bony structures can further irritate the surrounding tissues and cause pain.

Which breeds of dogs are prone to arthritis?

As each dog ages, the risk of arthritis increases, and these breeds are significant to watch out for:

Large and giant breeds, these breeds are more susceptible to joint problems due to the stress their weight puts on the joints. Common breeds are listed below:

• Golden Retriever
• Labrador Retriever
• German Shepherd
• Alaskan Sheltie
• St. Bernard
• Great Dane
• Rottweiler

Short-legged breeds, due to their particular size, can lead to uneven joint stress. Common breeds include the Pug, Dachshund, and English Bulldog.

Working or athletic breeds, despite their robustness, are at increased risk of joint injuries from high-intensity activities. Standard weights include the Pineapple, Newfoundland, and Belgian Malinois.

Breeds with a significant genetic predisposition: Some breeds, such as the Schnauzer, Corgi, Poodle (especially the Miniature Poodle), and Rottweiler, have a higher risk of hip dysplasia due to genetic reasons.

Specific hunting breeds: These breeds may have an increased joint burden due to prolonged running and jumping. Specific hunting dog breeds include the Snipe Hound and the Indicator Dog.

In addition to the above breeds, other small dogs, such as the Hilti Shepherd and Teddy, may also suffer from arthritis, especially in old age. Arthritis can be caused by a variety of reasons, including genetics, obesity, sports injuries, torn ligaments, and fractures. Understanding and preventing these risk factors is essential to maintaining your dog’s joint health.

How can I treat my dog’s joint pain at home?

Currently, there is no cure for joint pain caused by arthritis, but there are a number of sub-methods that allow you to relieve joint pain for your dog at home. In some cases, it can also slow down the deterioration of your dog’s joints.

Below are some common home remedies for dog joint pain relief. Be sure to inform your veterinarian before using these home remedies in your dog’s treatment program.

Moderate, low-intensity exercise, depending on your dog’s breed and joint pain. Short, multiple walks are a better option than long walks. For example, you can walk your dog two to four times a day for 8-10 minutes. This can help your dog build muscle and reduce joint strain, but avoid strenuous or excessive activity that could aggravate joint damage.

Maintaining your dog’s ideal weight and reducing the load on the joints is an essential step in relieving arthritis pain. Obese dogs are more prone to arthritis because excess weight puts more stress on the joints. Discuss your dog’s ideal weight with your veterinarian and develop a sensible weight loss program.

Providing your dog with a comfortable area, heated dog beds, or dog-specific heating pads can also help relieve joint pain (moderate temperature, not too hot to the touch.). Avoid walking on stairs or uncarpeted floors, and promptly trim your dog’s nails and excess hair around their paw pads.

Gently massage your dog’s muscles and joints to improve blood circulation and relieve muscle tension. However, be careful how hard you press and avoid direct pressure on painful joints.

Sunlight encourages your dog’s body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D supports the immune system, reduces inflammation, strengthens joints, and helps with calcium absorption. Enjoying fresh air can also help regulate your dog’s mood if the pain is making him depressed.

When arthritis disease flares up in dogs, your dog may make noises. We can ease your dog’s pain at this time with simple methods such as hydrotherapy and hot packs, which gently build muscle strength and reduce stress on the joints.

Acupuncture Therapy. Acupuncture involves the insertion of tiny silver needles into acupuncture points on your dog’s body. There are clinical trials that have proven that traditional Chinese medicine, which releases natural analgesic substances by stimulating specific points on your dog’s body, promotes overall health.

Medication. Dogs diagnosed with arthritis need to be prescribed NSAIDs or specific supplements (e.g., Glucosamine, UC-II, and Glycosaminoglycans Polysulfate) to assist in repairing cartilage and reducing inflammation.

Supplements that are good for the joints can be given to your pet when recommended by your veterinarian. For example, fish oil contains Omega-3 fatty acids, glucosamine, chondroitin, etc. These ingredients help to reduce inflammation and promote joint health. Hsviko has designed a wide range of supplements for dogs based on their body structure, and we support the wholesaling and distribution of dog supplements. We can also provide you with Private Label Dog Supplements.

Dog Joint Care Supplements

• 
  Liquid Calcium Supplement for Dogs and Cats
• 
  Goat Milk Calcium Supplement for Dogs and Cats
• 
  Chondroitin Sulfate Tablets for Dogs and Cats

Eight Foods for Joint Health

Green-lipped mussels, which are naturally high in glucosamine and chondroitin, are also commonly used as a source of pet food ingredients.

Feeding recommendation: Give 40mg per 1kg of body weight, either alone or in the diet.

Eggshell membrane: The Eggshell membrane is the white film inside the eggshell (which can be removed if you have the patience).

Dosage for dogs: 15 mg/kg/day. For best results, double the dosage in the first 10 days or so.

Bone broth: You can buy fresh bones to make broth for your pet without any flavorings. You can add some animal joints that contain bones and cartilage, both natural sources of glucosamine.

Chicken claws contain about 30% cartilage, and this cartilage includes about 5% glucosamine.

Researchers estimate that each chicken claw contains about 450 milligrams of glucosamine. The claws can also be fed to other poultry, such as ducks, turkeys, geese, or quail.

The bovine trachea, like the chicken claw, is composed primarily of cartilage. It contains about 5% glucosamine, so just 30 grams contains about 1,400mg, and about 1,000mg is recommended for medium-sized dogs with arthritis.

Oxtail consists of cartilage surrounded by some meat. Cartilage contains 5% glucosamine, and either oxtail or pigtail is a rich food source of glucosamine.

Shellfish also contain glucosamine. Many laboratory-synthesized supplements contain glucosamine derived from shellfish.

Shrimp shells also contain glucosamine and can be simmered together in a broth made from shellfish shells.

Supplements for Dogs with Arthritis

Liquid Calcium for Dogs strengthens bones. Lacto Calcium tablets are derived from natural goat’s milk and contain Vitamin D3, which promotes calcium absorption. They also contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

Nutritional Gel for Dogs – strengthens muscles. Nutritional Cream for Dogs, Lactoferrin for Dogs, Liver Essence for Dogs, these dietary supplements usually have 0 sucrose, added fish oil, lecithin, help growth, muscular body, tasty hair cheeks, universal for dogs and cats of all ages, iron, zinc, multivitamins and other elements of supplementation. Helps pet bone growth and development

Chondroitin Sulfate – Promotes Cartilage Regeneration. Chondroitin Sulfate tablets can repair joint damage and inhibit joint inflammation.

Vitamin C – Promotes collagen formation + antioxidant. Examples include multivitamin tablets and vitamin C softgels.

Omega-3 fatty acids – Relieve joint pain. Examples include fish oil capsules, liquid fish oil, krill oil, and emulsified fish oil. All are rich in OMEGA 3/OMEGA 6/OMEGA 9 and effective in relieving arthritis problems in dogs.

Nutritional Requirements for Dogs with Symptomatic vs. Asymptomatic Joints

When your dog’s joints are asymptomatic, the core of joint protection lies in the intake of high-quality proteins.

Method: High Quality Protein + Calcium + Chondroitin + Glucosamine

When dogs have inflammation and pain in the joints, they need to consume vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and high-quality protein.

Method: High-quality protein + vitamins + omega-3 fatty acids.

Conclusion

This article is intended to share information to help families with dogs suffering from arthritis. Suppose you find any abnormalities in your dog. In that case, it is recommended that you consult a veterinarian for the first time, as this is the most responsible and effective treatment program for your dog.