8 tips to treat your dog’s arthritis

Osteoarthritis is quite common in dogs and most especially in obese and older adult dogs. Although there is no known cure for the problem, there are treatment options that can alleviate the symptoms and help your dog manage the disease. Before you treat arthritis, be sure to consult with your vet to address the underlying cause of arthritis. 

Poor health, obesity, and age are just a few of the reasons why a dog may develop arthritis.

If your dog suffers from joint pain, try tips to treat arthritis in your dog.

Apply CBD topically or orally

CBD oil has become one of the new and effective methods of dealing with several ailments in humans and dogs. Since current and previous research has shown that CBD oil is anti-inflammatory and could speed up the healing of tissues and muscles of the body, using this oil may help your dog. Your dog will need topical applications at recommended low doses based on his weight, body size, and age. Most dogs start feeling relief within 48 hours to a week after repeated uses. Authentic CBD oil for dogs can be highly reactive when used in large doses, so use it sparingly and follow recommendations to increase the amount used gradually.

Deal with leaky guts

Uncontrollable leaky guts can lead to inflammatory disorders that cause arthritis. A poor diet, for instance, can cause joint diseases like arthritis. The lining of the dog’s gut comprises of millions of tiny holes that allow digested food to pass through and enter the body and used as fuel. These small holes also prevent undigested foods and toxins from entering the dog’s body. If the dog’s gut is damaged and inflamed as a result of poor diet, protein and bacteria can seep through and cause inflammation and joint pain. Fortunately, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to treat this problem.

Replace poor diet 

Perhaps your dog’s diet should be the first point of call when it comes to dealing with arthritis. Many components of a poor diet can cause harm to the gut of your dog and cause arthritis in the long run.

Processed grains such as rice, wheat, lectin, and soy, must be eliminated from the dog’s diet. Remove food additives and preservatives from your dog’s diet. Also, try to eliminate genetically modified foods, sugar, starch, pasteurized dairy, and meat from processed animals. You should also remove unnecessary drugs that can create toxins in the dog’s body.

Add recommendable doses of antioxidants, including essential vitamins and minerals, to the dog’s diet to treat arthritis.

Control your dog’s weight

It is better to prevent excessive weight gain in your dog from the onset because it can be difficult for the animal to lose weight after developing arthritis. Joints can rapidly deteriorate in dogs that are overweight. Hence you should not allow the dog to lay all day on the couch without walking her regularly.

Helping the dog to lose weight will ease the strains and pressure piling up on the dog.

There is a wide range of exercises you may want to consider for your dog, depending on her speed and energy levels. For the most obese dogs, a gentle walk in the park and changes in diet are enough to help them lose weight.

Install softer beds and slip-free flooring

You should consider buying an orthopedic bed for your dog to support her joints and bones. Supportive mattresses also help provide better friction between dogs and floor surfaces. There are pet stores that sell veterinary-recommended orthopedic beds that suit different types of dog breeds.

When choosing a soft bed for your arthritic dog, avoid choosing fabrics or materials that are incredibly soft, they may add to the problem. Choose a bed that is soft enough to protect the entire body from touching a hard surface.

Ramps, cubes, and slip-free flooring also are important to support your arthritic dog. Older dogs, in particular, may find it difficult to move on the stairs. The use of cubes and ramps can help your dog get on or off the sofa and climb stairs with ease.

Consider massage and special exercises

Massage may help increase mobility and flexibility. Regular massage for arthritic dogs can help improve blood circulation and also help relax their muscles. For proper massage, simply knead the dog’s muscles, but make sure you don’t apply pressure on the dog’s joints. Putting pressure on joints while massaging the dog can create extra pain. You should schedule a professional massage with a therapist if unsure about how to perform this.

When properly harnessed, massaging is a physical treatment method that can ease off symptoms of arthritis quickly, thus making movement a lot easier.

In addition, you should always create time for grooming your dog. Senior dogs suffering from arthritis, for instance, must be groomed more frequently than younger ones.

Avoid over-vaccination

You need to keep in mind that vaccines do contain a lot of animal protein with heavy metals such as aluminum – these are components that help exaggerate immune response against certain infections and ailments. In the long term, the continuous use of vaccination may eventually damage the immune system. A weakened immune system may lead to a compromised gut function and inflammatory ailments such as arthritis.

Limiting vaccines is one of the steps to take in limiting inflammation and prevent arthritis or reduce its onset. This does not mean you should abstain from vaccinating your dog. The animal needs sufficient vaccination to help prevent parasitic and other types of diseases. Be sure to keep an updated record of your dog’s vaccinations to avoid over-vaccinating.

Increase omega-3 fatty acids

Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential I the diets of your dog, however, you need to increase the omega-3 more while reducing the omega-6. Fat plays a critical role in increasing the risks of inflammatory infections such as arthritis; hence you must not allow your dog to consume excessive fat.

Foods with higher components of Omega-6 and lower Omega-3 components may worsen already developed arthritis or increase the dog’s risks. Factory-farmed animals and grains, for instance, are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids. If you have to include food from an animal source, then opt for grass-fed animals.

Conclusion

Having sufficient information on your dog’s health, especially when they are much younger, is essential. This will help determine whether the dog is a breed that rapidly gains weight even under strict feeding guidelines.

Be sure you understand how much food your dog needs and avoid overfeeding. By providing proper diet and exercise, you can do your part to help prevent your dog from getting arthritis.

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