As our pets age, it’s very normal for them to experience some joint stiffness, pain or even arthritis. Joint pain in dogs is very common. After all, running and jumping with you for years is bound to take a toll on their happy little bones.
Many pet owners struggle to relieve joint pain in dogs and cats. We often have little idea of what options are available, and resort to pain medications without question. While these medications are sometimes necessary for advanced joint disease, prolonged use can be damaging to your pet’s vital organs (kidneys and liver are especially vulnerable). Happily, the use of NSAIDs or stronger medications can be lessened with the addition of alternate therapies and lifestyle changes.
The Wetter the Better
When it comes to your pet’s food, wet food is best for keeping them feeling good. Hydration is so important for the body, and absolutely necessary for the repair and maintenance of healthy joints. Unfortunately, it’s tough to get this message across to our pets, and encourage them to drink more water. The easiest solution is to deliver good old H2O at mealtime.
The Original CrockPET Diet is the best way to ensure your pet is receiving adequate nutrition along with their hydration. Raw food or other cooked food diets, as well as various wet foods found in stores will provide your pet with better hydration than dry kibble. But following TOCPD at home will provide the best possible balanced diet, with no questionable ingredients.
If you’re making your pet’s food at home, you should be sure to include ingredients that help reduce inflammation and promote healthy cell building.
Joint Support
Giving your pet a broad spectrum joint support supplement on a regular basis will help ease their discomfort. Using a supplement that contains glucosamine and chondroitin is your best bet, as these ingredients are powerful chondroprotectives. A chondreprotective helps to protect cartilage in the joint, reducing wear and tear, but also helps relieve stiffness and pain from joint damage.
The best joint supplement for dogs and cats, in my opinion, is Arthriease Gold. It’s a formula that comes either in a powder (easily mixed with that wet food), or a delicious chew-able tablet that pups love. Arthriease has an extremely effective combination of glucosamine and chondroitin, and can make a noticeable difference in your pet in less than a few weeks.
This Seems Fishy…
Fish oil is a powerful ingredient in the recipe for pain relief. Omega-3 fatty acids found in high potency
fish oils can help reduce inflammation and slow the progression of inflammatory diseases (like arthritis or joint disease). Amino acids found in fish oil are essential tools for rebuilding damaged joints,
and maintaining healthy ones.
Adding just a small amount of a quality, high-potency fish oil to your pet’s daily routine can help loosen those stiff joints, and get them on the road to a faster recovery.
Gut Health is Good Health
I’ve said it dozens of times, but the fact remains that good gut health is a strong cornerstone of overall health. If you’re going to relieve joint pain in your dog or cat, you must start by making sure their overall health is the best it can be. The best possible gut health starts by establishing and maintaining the presence of “good” bacteria, or flora, in your pet’s gut. We do this by using a quality Probiotic supplement.
Probiotics promote a healthy balance of good flora in the stomach and intestines, which results
in more effective function. When the gut is working properly, vital nutrients can be more
effectively absorbed and put to use.
What’s more, a healthy gut can stave off other hearth problems and even improve emotional and mental health. ProbiotaMax has an extremely high count of these healthy microorganisms, and is the highest quality probiotic we could find to help your pet’s gut.
Get to the Point
Acupuncture is an amazingly multifaceted therapy based in traditional Chinese medicine. It works by stimulating groups of nerves that control specific functions and systems in the body. Acupuncture is incredibly effective as a form of pain control, and can even help damaged joints “re-learn” how to function properly. Regular acupuncture treatments can keep your pet’s pain level low, and keep their joints moving well as they should.
Cannabis Can Help
Medical cannabis for pets is a therapy that has shown tremendous opportunity. While is has a wide range of functions, from slowing cancer metastasis to improving appetite, CBD really shines as an aid for pain control. The CBD compound found in medicinal marijuana reacts with the endocannabinoid system, directly affecting the brain’s response to pain. You can read more about the details in the four-part series in previous blog posts.
As CBD products are actually made from hemp, they are considered agricultural in nature, and legal almost everywhere. Canna-Pet is a reliable, high-quality resource for these products for pets.
Don’t Give Up!
While it’s important to realize your many options for relieving joint pain in your pet, it’s equally valuable to recognize your pet’s specific needs. While almost all pets will improve with food therapy (including increased moisture in food and inclusion of anti-inflammatory foods), not all pets will respond dramatically to acupuncture. Every pet is unique. It’s important to work closely with your veterinarian and always listen to your pet’s queues. Above all, be patient. Because our pets can’t tell us when they start to feel better, it sometimes takes a bit of time until we notice true results.
Remember to start with the basics; after all, Your Pet’s Best Health Begins in the Bowl!
