You know the signs: your dog’s slower hobble when he greets you at the door instead of his usual leap, his laborious climb to standing from a resting position. You start to realize that your furry friend is getting old and restricted. It affects all the dogs sooner or later.
Reluctance to climb stairs, limping, and lethargy are the other signs to realize that your dog is up in years. His cartilage deteriorates and causes bones to rub together when he stands. You can understand how this pain can slow down even the most enthusiastic ones.
Arthritis in dogs is not just a matter of feeling old. It’s actually a very common condition that affects the joints and bones. According to Walkin’ Pets Blog, most dogs are affected by this painful disease by eight years of age.
Arthritis can be painful for any animal, but watching your dog suffer is tough. If you have a senior dog who has been diagnosed with arthritis, there are steps you can take to ease their pain and prevent the disease from worsening.
Holistic Treatments Can Help Ease Your Dog’s Arthritis Pain
- Acupuncture works by stimulating the body’s healing process. When the needles are inserted into specific points, it helps relieve inflammation and bring down swelling, which is why it’s so useful for joint pain.
- Chiropractic care focuses on aligning the spine to allow proper muscle movement and reduce pressure on joints. You can find a chiropractor specializing in dogs on several websites. They may recommend regular adjustments or manipulation of specific areas of your dog’s body that have been affected by arthritis pain over time, like the spine or hips, to restore healthy movement patterns and help with mobility issues caused by the disease.
- Massage therapy has many benefits for our furry friends: It increases blood flow and circulation throughout their bodies while lowering stress levels. Improves range of motion and flexibility, promotes weight loss (which may improve joint health), and even provides a sense of calmness that helps keep them relaxed.
Exercise
Exercising is one of the easiest ways to combat your senior dog’s pain. It can help build muscle, keep joints flexible, and even help with weight management. Exercise also increases blood flow through the body and helps with sleep.
The ASPCA suggests that you walk your arthritic dog every day. Not only will a daily walk keep its joints mobile, but it will also help to maintain a healthy shape. Obesity can make your pet’s joints hurt and make physical activity difficult. Ideally, you should walk at least twice a day for 15–20 minutes each time.
Supplements And Medication
While physical therapy has been shown effective for humans suffering from osteoarthritis (OA), there are currently no known cures for canine OA although there are many treatments available to help ease pain and manage symptoms, including medications such as NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), glucosamine chondroitin sulfate supplements which stimulate cartilage regeneration.
You can find these on trusted petcare platforms like PetCareRx, which usually cover your pets’ health-related needs. Before buying any of the medicine, make sure you get consent from your veterinarian.
Orthopedic Beds
These beds are designed specifically for senior dogs who have arthritis or other joint problems. They support their joints while they sleep so they don’t get stiff as quickly as they wake up in the morning. These beds aren’t cheap. They can cost upwards of $200 depending on whether you buy one from a pet store or online. But if your dog needs it, nothing will be worthier than this.
Elevated Dog Bowls
Some dogs, who suffer from arthritis in the neck or shoulder joints, find it difficult to lower and raise their heads when eating from a bowl set on the floor. Raising food dishes solves this problem for such animals by bringing their meals higher off the ground.
Maintain Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight will help reduce the strain on your dog’s joints. As with humans, dogs who are overweight are at risk of developing arthritis, so it’s important to stay on top of their weight and make sure that they don’t gain too much weight as they age.
If your senior dog suffers from arthritis pain, there are various ways to ease the symptoms. But the most important thing is paying attention. The sooner you treat your dog’s arthritis, the better. If his symptoms are worsening and he is having trouble doing simple tasks like climbing stairs or getting up off the floor, call upon your veterinarian as soon as possible.
