5 Ways To Easy Your Arthritic Dog’s Pain

5 Ways To Easy Your Canine Arthritis Dog’s Pain

Your dog has developed canine arthritis.

5 Ways To Easy Your Canine Arthritis Dog's Pain

 

 

Canine Arthritis.  This can be hard to deal with, but do not despair. There are things you can do to help ease your dog’s pain. Consider the following five points as to what you can do to help your dog manage her pain.

What is Canine Arthritis?

Let’s start by getting a better handle on what canine arthritis is. While there are many types of canine arthritis, the most common form occurs when the cartilage between joints begins to degrade. Normally happens most often to senior dogs. As dogs age their bodies begin to age as well, and this causes things to not work as well, not rebuild as fast, and in some cases start to degenerate all together. After many years of walking and running and playing your dog’s cartilage will start to disappear.

 

Now the purpose of cartilage is to provide your dog’s joints with the ability to move smoothly and painlessly. The cartilage is what is between two bones, like at the elbow for example. When you move your elbow, your arm bones don’t grind against each other because there is cartilage between them preventing them from doing this. The great thing about cartilage is that it doesn’t have nerves, so we can’t feel the strain the bones put on it. Not only that, but there is a lubrication that is released when a joint is moved to help that joint move more efficiently. As the cartilage starts to degrade, less and less lubrication is released every time a joint is moved. Not only that, but as the cartilage starts to disappear the bones will start to rub against each other. This combined with less lubrication is what causes the pain in from arthritis.

5 Ways To Easy Your Canine Arthritis Dog's Pain

Is Canine Arthritis Normal?

Unfortunately canine arthritis is very common. Arthritis in dogs in general is very common. There is evidence that even dinosaurs had arthritis. In today’s world though, humans, dog, cats, and a medley of animals can be affected by arthritis. As I mentioned earlier, canine arthritis is fairly common in older dogs, but that doesn’t mean that younger dogs can’t be affected as well. Dogs can develop arthritis at a younger age especially if they had leg or spine injuries in their youth, or even if they were sick with a virus that affected their bones.

 

Is There a Cure for Canine Arthritis?

Unfortunately science has not found a cure for any type of arthritis, human, cat or dog. There are things you can do to help your dog though.

1.  Exercise

5 Ways To Easy Your Canine Arthritis Dog's Pain

2.  Healthy Weight

One of least expensive ways to help your dog manage her arthritic pain is to help her maintain a healthy weight. Arthritis is exacerbated with extra weight. Putting as little strain on your dog’s joints as possible will help her feel as little pain as possible. If your dog is too heavy, she will experience more pain.

Obviously this is easier to achieve in theory than in reality. It is hard to get your dog down to a healthy weight if she is so stiff and pain ridden she can’t walk or play. What you need to do is walk and play with her at her own speed. Maybe she can’t go on runs with you anymore, but she can still walk to the mailbox. While it is important not to over do your dog’s exercise, as this can cause the joints to degrade faster, it is important to get her to exercise. Obviously exercising will help her keep a healthy weight, but it will also help her body produce the lubrication for her joints that will help ease her pain.

 

5 Ways To Easy Your Canine Arthritis Dog's Pain