5 signs a dog has arthritis :

Your dog has difficulty getting up after resting
He’s more reluctant to jump into the car or up onto your lap
Your pooch can’t seem to get comfortable when going to bed
Your dog starts slowing up when you go out for your favourite walk
You hear pain noises. Little moans, huffs, and groans.

There’s been a lot of research into the symptoms and treatment of arthritis pain in dogs, so we don’t have to feel completely powerless to help our old mates.

Fortunately there are a few ways we can help and we’ll go through these here.

By the way, we only suggest products that we believe benefit our community of dog owners. Any links on this page that lead to products on Amazon are affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. This is at no extra cost to you.

When you notice joint pain in your dog

These are the small changes you can start to make when your dog starts to show signs of hip and joint pain or stiffening.

Encourage regular, consistent exercise. It’s important to keep taking your dog for a walk. Exercise is important to keep the joints lubricated and muscles strong. Make sure it’s at a pace that is comfortable for your dog so it doesn’t cause damaging stress to the joints.
Diet – Look for the best dog food for older dogs – Purina Supercoat Senior: contains Omega 3 to help joint issues
Pain relief and food: Supplement your dog’s diet with vitamins that can help provide relief and keep pain at bay.
Provide a snug bed– Make sure your dog’s bed is comfortable and warm. It’s important to be protected in winter and colder months. The bed should be raised up, off the cold floor and out of a breeze. The step up easy to navigate for painful joints. In winter consider a heated dog bed.
For the well-being of your dog, check with your vet to make sure there is nothing sinister going on with their health.

Hip and Joint Supplements

Hip and joint supplements make life more comfortable and help relieve some of the discomfort your dog is feeling.

Look for a supplement that contains antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids and glucosamine . These ingredients are well researched, extensively documented and known for the beneficial effects on joints, muscles and connective tissue.

The reason for adding a joint supplement to your dog’s daily routine is simple. It’s to help maintain muscle health and to lubricate joints and reduce inflammation for greater mobility.

The other job of supplements is to undertake repair work on joints and cartilage while supporting existing joint strength and healthy cartilage.

You can choose either a powder supplement that can be added to your dog’s food or a soft chew formula.

I haven’t had any trouble getting my dogs to take chewable supplements but some people find it easier to add a powder to their dog’s food. Either way, you know you’ll be doing the best to help your dog.

One of our dogs, ‘Beepa’ was a ‘bitsa’. He was quite a big dog with a lovely nature and a much loved part of our family. You could see the characteristics of all sorts of breeds in him at different times.

The vet even said to me one day “he had the heart of a greyhound and a ‘bit of dingo’ in him”. So he was quite an interesting combination, certainly a unique dog, and I loved him to bits.

Beepa lived to a grand age but as he got older he became arthritic and his joints stiffened considerably.

This little story will show you how agile and active he was. As a young dog he could jump into the back of my ute in a single bound, which he did often. One day I was playing with him and he was chasing me. I was ducking and weaving, in and out of things, challenging him. I couldn’t shake him, so I quickly climbed up the Jacaranda tree in the front yard as fast as I could, as part of the game, not thinking. As I looked behind, I expected to see him at the base of the tree gazing up at me with a puzzled expression.

Instead, he had somehow managed to follow me up the tree and was still right behind me. I couldn’t believe it! I had to grab him quickly in case he fell. We made our way down and I remember laughing so much at the time … it still makes me smile.

A dog in a tree – now that’s something that you don’t see every day.

He was a great mate and would follow me anywhere!

In fact at one stage we gave Beepa the nickname of ‘Houdini’ because he manage to get himself into, and out of, unbelieveable spots.

As he got older it was sad to see my old mate not being able to jump into the ute and unable to do the things that had been so much a part of his life.

He was starting to slow up. I’d hear the little groans as he got up from rest and the ‘huff’ when lowering himself down to sleep. Signs that age was catching up. Hip and joint pain were making life uncomfortable.

Dogs can’t tell you when they’re in pain. They just soldier on.

Just like us, as our pets get older, they often suffer from pain and inflammation of the joints. It’s our job as responsible owners to provide a healthy diet, comfort and exercise for our dog to keep them as comfortable as we can.

Pain Relief Options For A Dog With Arthritis

5 signs a dog has arthritis :

When you notice joint pain in your dog

Hip and Joint Supplements

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