Dog Pub

I’ve been very fortunate, even
blessed, with my dogs because most of them have lived very long lives. It’s
wonderful to have a dog from the time he’s a puppy until he becomes an old dog.
You feel like you’ve shared a long, wonderful life with him. But, as your dog
becomes older he can often develop some common aches and pains. Older dogs
often have a touch of arthritis. It may be a little harder for them to get up
and down from a dog bed. They may need some help getting up on a sofa or your
bed.

If your dog has a degenerative
problem like hip dysplasia then it will usually worsen with age. Both hip
dysplasia and luxating patellas, which can be common with some smaller breeds,
can lead to arthritis as your dog ages.

I once had a dog that I found in a
parking lot late at night. This poor old guy that I named Andy wasn’t a young
dog when I found him. It wasn’t easy to coax him into my car at midnight in the
rain but I finally got him in. My heart went out to him in particular because
he seemed like he had been hit by a car at some point. I took him to the vet
the next morning and the vet confirmed what I thought. At some time in the past
Andy had been hit by a car and probably hobbled away without treatment. His hips
were semi-crippled. He could walk with a definite limp but he had a lot of arthritis . The
good news was that Andy was otherwise in pretty good health. I ran an ad trying
to find Andy’s owners but no one answered. Andy became part of my family and
lived out the next few years with us. Over that time we tried several different
treatments for his arthritis. Here are some things that helped Andy:

Say No To Second Helpings

Dogs with arthritis and other joint problems
typically do much better if you keep their weight down. Obesity and being
overweight put unnecessary stress on joints that are already compromised and
cause your dog pain. Carefully monitor how much food you give your dog to eat and
watch his weight. Remember to count the calories in treats and table scraps,
too.

No Marathons!

Watch your dog’s exercise. Arthritis
is usually self-limiting but canine hip dysplasia and even luxating patellas
are not always evident, particularly at a young age. If your dog has been
diagnosed with hip dysplasia or luxating patellas, don’t let your dog overdo
the exercise. Regular, moderate exercise is better than one all-out race in a
blue moon. Your dog is less likely to injure himself if you pace his exercise.
However, don’t cut out exercise altogether. Exercise is good for keeping muscle
tone and that helps your dog in the long run.

Remember that one key to long term
health and fitness is to start young. DO let your puppy play and have
fun. DON’T make your puppy jog two miles with you or run races. Putting
too much stress on a puppy is one way to develop joint problems later.

Live In The Lap of Luxury

As your dog gets older it’s okay to
pamper him a little. Think about providing your dog with a comfy dog bed. Some
pets with joint problems may appreciate an orthopedic dog bed or even a heated
dog bed. If your pet sleeps on the sofa you may want to get him a heating pad.
Applying heat to his aching joints can help them feel better.

Everybody In The Pool!

Hydrotherapy and swimming have
proven beneficial for many dogs with aches and pains related to joint problems.
Swimming is one of the best treatments for arthritis, hip dysplasia and even
for post surgical rehabilitation of dogs. If your dog likes to swim he should
find swimming easier than doing exercises like walking or running and you can
swim with him. If your dog doesn’t know how to swim it’s not hard to teach most
dogs. Just be sure that you carefully teach your dog where the steps are in any
pool and show him how to get out of the pool. You can ask your vet for more
information about hydrotherapy.

Medicate Me

If your dog is experiencing spikes
in pain or ongoing pain then you should talk to your veterinarian about
anti-inflammatory medications. There are a number of
Non-Steroidal-Anti-Inflammatory (NSAID) medications that are being used to
treat chronic arthritis and other pain in dogs. There are some side effects
with some of these medications so be sure to thoroughly discuss them with your
vet before using them for your dog.

You should not try to medicate your
dog yourself without talking to your veterinarian. Many over-the-counter drugs
are not safe for dogs. Drugs like ibuprofen and acetaminophen can be very bad
for dogs.

These are all things that we tried
with Andy. Many of them worked. Since we had him for several years before he
finally passed away we were able to try different things depending on how he
felt. We also tried glucosamine-chondroitin tablets which helped his joints.

Herbal Is The Way To Go

There’s one treatment today that we
didn’t have when Andy lived with us and that’s Joint Resolution . I wish
we’d had it because I think it might have helped him a lot. Joint Resolution is
an herbal blend that works synergistically with BioCell Collagen II. It
includes Boswellia, devil’s claw and licorice to reduce inflammation and pain.
It also has dandelion to eliminate toxins from the body. Just a few drops of
Joint Resolution on a treat or in your dog’s mouth can bring relief and make
him feel more comfortable.

The BioCell Collagen II in Joint
Resolution also contains Hyaluronic Acid and chondroitin which have both
been shown to promote healing and tissue rejuvenation. According to the Mayo
Clinic, “Expert opinions support the use of chondroitin for improving the
symptoms and arresting (or possibly reversing) the degenerative process of
osteoarthritis.” So, Joint Resolution has exactly what your dog needs.

Joint Resolution promotes active joints and helps
improve your dog’s mobility and flexibility. It promotes strong, healthy
connective tissue. And, it’s easy to administer. Since it’s liquid the body
absorbs it faster than tablets or pills. .

If your dog has arthritis or is
suffering pain from canine hip dysplasia
or luxating patellas, Joint Resolution can help.

I
know that none of us want to see our dogs with any aches or pain but sometimes
they go along with getting older. We do want our dogs to get older so we just
have to find ways to help our dogs cope with the little aches and pains that go
along with age. Many dogs live for years after they begin experiencing some
arthritis or having a few problems from hip dysplasia or luxating patellas.
There’s no reason why your dog can’t lead a fairly normal life, especially if
you follow some of the tips offered here.

Related posts:

1. Treatment of Hip Dysplasia in Dogs
2. The most effective treatment for Arthritis in dogs
3. What to Give a Dog With Arthritis – All You Need to Know
4. Hip and Joint Support For Dogs
5. Don’t Make a Fatal Mistake When Choosing Dog Pain Relief Methods