Do you have a dog with joint pain? Joint-related health issues within dogs can cause severe pain and reduced mobility. While it commonly occurs within older dogs due to age-related conditions, it can present itself within younger dogs too.
Chronic joint pain can cause your dog to experience a lower quality of life. However, there are plenty of methods of helping a dog with joint pain, so that they can continue to have a fun-filled life!
In this article, we’re going to cover common ways to help your dog overcome their joint pain, from simple dietary changes to options involving surgery. So, let’s take a look at what we could be doing for our poor pups!
Weight Management & Diet
If your dog is experiencing joint pain, it’s a great idea to take a close look at your pup’s weight. After all, if your dog is overweight, it will be putting a lot of unnecessary strain on their already painful joints.
Therefore, it’s key that we try and keep a dog with joint pain at their ideal weight. This may require some dietary changes, even if your dog isn’t currently overweight. As your dog may be experiencing reduced mobility, their diet may need to be altered to reflect that.
Additionally, there exists some diets and supplements which are targeted towards dogs with joint pain. These contain ingredients that may have some effect in controlling your dog’s joint inflammation and pain.
Above all else, you should speak to your veterinarian and discuss whether a dietary change or supplements would be of help to your pupper.
Medical Options For a Dog with Joint Pain
In some cases, dietary changes and supplements can be all a dog needs to restore their quality of life. However, additional treatment is sometimes necessary to properly control the pain.
As of recent years, physical therapies have shown to be incredibly helpful to many dogs experiencing joint pain. There are many different therapies available, ranging from simple massages to hydrotherapy. Speak with your vet to find out if any of these therapies would be right for your pup.
Prescription medications may also be necessary for controlling your dog’s pain. It’s very important that you follow your veterinarian’s guidance when it comes to properly administering these medications.
However, in severe cases, the only thing that will significantly help is surgery. This can range from a simple cleaning of the joint to a total joint replacement. Discuss with your vet whether surgery could be a necessity for your pup.
Making Your Home Easier to Navigate
Sometimes, just the smallest changes to help your dog in their day-to-day life can have a significant effect. If you have a dog with joint issues, it can help to make your home much easier to navigate, even if their joint pain is currently under control.
Does your dog like to lie on the sofa or bed? If you have the room, you could create a gentle ramp up onto these areas, so your dog doesn’t have to jump or climb. It can also be helpful to raise your dog’s food and water bowl to a higher level.
It can also be a great idea to find particularly slippy areas of your home. Wood flooring can be easy for your dog to slip on, especially if they aren’t as mobile as they used to be. See here for various solutions to slippy floors!
Finally, it may be a good idea to gate off stairs, as they can be very difficult and dangerous for a dog with joint pain to navigate.
Our Last Tip – Don’t Give Up!
Watching your dog experience joint pain can be very difficult. But it’s important that you remain hopeful. Even if one treatment doesn’t work out, there’s plenty of other methods which may help.
Remember, our expert dog boarders at PetStay are experienced in taking care of dogs with joint pain. Our boarders will be able to give any medications on time and help ensure your doggo has a great time.
We hope these tips above have helped you and your dog. Feel free to comment below about the various methods that may have helped your dog!
