Keep The Spring in Their Step

Keep The Spring in Their Step

Just like people, dogs often encounter common joint issues such as arthritis, degenerative joint disease, and injuries, which can significantly impact their quality of life. As responsible dog owners, it becomes imperative for us to take proactive measures to maintain our furry friends’ joint health, ensuring they lead happy, healthy, and prolonged lives. We have compiled a list of resources to help you keep the spring in your canine companion's step.

Just like people, dogs often encounter common joint issues such as arthritis, degenerative joint disease, and injuries, which can significantly impact their quality of life. As responsible dog owners, it becomes imperative for us to take proactive measures to maintain our furry friends’ joint health, ensuring they lead happy, healthy, and prolonged lives. We have compiled a list of resources to help you keep the spring in your canine companion's step.

Essential Tips to Ease & Manage Arthritic Pain:

Essential Tips to Ease & Manage Arthritic Pain:

  • Consult with your vet if you notice a change in your pet's gait, or they display discomfort or a change in behaviour.
  • Consider adding a supplement to your pet's diet as well as asking your vet for arthritis specific medication. Often a combination of these is most successful.
  • Provide a comfortable padded bed for them to sleep on
  • Keep them warm, with blankets, heat pads or coats. Cold weather can exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis.
  • Consider an elevated bowl to make meal times more comfortable.
  • Use special mobility aids like ramps to get up stairs or onto furniture and for getting in and out of the car.
  • You can use a harness with a handle to help lift them into cars, up stairs or over obstacles.
  • Weight control or reduction is very important – try to keep them within a healthy weight range to reduce additional stress on joints.
  • Regular exercise is crucially important, where possible – either short walks or swimming. Perhaps it's time to grab them a new enrichment toy (pet's get bored of seeing the same old ones!)
  • Complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy may help.
  • Consult with your vet if you notice a change in your pet's gait, or they display discomfort or a change in behaviour.
  • Consider adding a supplement to your pet's diet as well as asking your vet for arthritis specific medication. Often a combination of these is most successful.
  • Provide a comfortable padded bed for them to sleep on
  • Keep them warm, with blankets, heat pads or coats. Cold weather can exacerbate the symptoms of arthritis.
  • Consider an elevated bowl to make meal times more comfortable.
  • Use special mobility aids like ramps to get up stairs or onto furniture and for getting in and out of the car.
  • You can use a harness with a handle to help lift them into cars, up stairs or over obstacles.
  • Weight control or reduction is very important – try to keep them within a healthy weight range to reduce additional stress on joints.
  • Regular exercise is crucially important, where possible – either short walks or swimming. Perhaps it's time to grab them a new enrichment toy (pet's get bored of seeing the same old ones!)
  • Complementary therapies like acupuncture, massage, hydrotherapy and physiotherapy may help.

Watch Advice from Dr Glenn

Is it Arthritis or Degenerative Joint Disease? Are they different? Or the same thing just different names? In this video veterinarian Dr Glenn discusses exactly what exactly they are and what causes these diseases in dogs.

From specialised joint supplements. omega oils, turmeric and veterinary prescription medications. Dr Glenn lets you know the most beneficial ways to use them and how/why a combination of a number of treatment options may be needed.

Arthritis is a common problem in dogs, and it can cause a lot of pain and discomfort. In this video, veterinarian Dr Glenn answers 10 common questions about arthritis in dogs.

Read Advice from our Help Centre

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Joint Injury Prevention

Joint injuries in dogs can not only cause problems initially but they can also be detrimental to your dog’s future health by contributing to chronic problems such as arthritis.