We all take our joints and what they do for us for granted and it’s only when they cause problems that we think about them and take action to keep them healthy. It’s the same with joint care for dogs. With our pets, this is even more of the case. We only become aware of problems when our pet shows pain with movement or difficulty going about their normal activities.
Unfortunately, many pets, particularly the older and overweight ones, will suffer with joint problems or impaired mobility at some stage in their lives. Often, this is first noticed during the cold and damp weather as this aggravates the problem.
Take Appropriate Action
Keeping an eye on your dog or cat’s ability to run, jump and generally get on with enjoying life will often enable you to spot any developing joint problem early on. This means that you can take appropriate action by providing joint care for dogs or cats before it becomes severe and affects the pet’s quality of life.
Often, the first sign often is noticing them take longer to get up after a long rest. However, it may also be a noticeable limp or even excessive licking of the swollen joint. Of course there are many different causes and the phrase “joint problems” will cover everything from a strain or sprain caused by exercise, to degenerative inflammatory diseases such as osteo-arthritis. Usually, a strain or sprain is improved by a few days rest. Some suitable muscle rub and giving the homeopathic remedy Symphytum 15C will also help. If in doubt, get the vet to check if there is anything more serious, particularly if it doesn’t improve within a week.
Arthritis and Pets
Arthritis is usually diagnosed by a vet and confirmed through x-rays. It is usually associated with age and wear and tear of the joints over time causing inflammation, pain and restricted mobility. Garlic tablets for dogs can help to care for arthritis symptoms. Our two herbal medicines Garlic & Fenugreek Tablets and Green Releaf® Tablets given together are very effective in relieving the pain and reducing inflammation to make movement easier and your pet more comfortable. These are also a great combination for maintaining good general health in older dogs, so it’s a really good choice for elderly pets. Give these joint supplements to your dog or cat to boost their health and comfort as they age.
A Bit of Support
Sometimes the joints may need a bit of support to maintain their flexibility. Particularly, where time and exercise have affected the cartilage in the joints and the synovial fluid that keeps them lubricated and able to perform their function well. JointWell® Tablets are effective joint supplements. They help the body to manufacture the necessary building blocks of collagen and proteoglycans, so are a great option for joint care for dogs and cats to help in these situations.
Turmeric Tablets For Dogs and Cats contain a pure and high potency extract of Turmeric. They are easily absorbed and consist of 95% Curcuminoids – the active part of the herb. Turmeric for dogs supports the body’s natural anti-inflammatory processes which, like glucosamine for dogs, will work in harmony with their body.
The one thing that does affect joint health is where a pet is overweight, and the joints are having to deal with a greater burden because of this. It is very important to try and manage your pet’s weight alongside the use of these treatments. The improvement in mobility will soon be noticeable. Your vet can advise you on the correct weight for your pet and many vet practices run clinics to help if needed – a bit like Weight Watchers for pets!
Keep Exercise Gentle
We often get asked about exercise for pets with joint conditions. The best advice is to make it gentle and regular, and not more than the dog or cat can easily manage. As the joint care for your dog/cat takes effect and the condition improves the exercise can be increased with time. Be guided by your pet’s reaction and how they seem to feel when exercising.
We have leaflets with information on how to identify different types of joint problems and also on weight management. This will make it easy for you to see how you can do your best for your pet to avoid these painful conditions.
Recommended in this blog
Garlic & Fenugreek Tablets For Dogs FROM: £10.00
Turmeric Tablets For Dogs And Cats A high quality turmeric extract containing 95% curcuminoids and combined with piperine for increased absorption.
FROM: £20.50
You can discuss any of our joint supplements for dogs that we have available with one of our experienced advisors. Please get in touch on 01308 897272 or use our contact form. Plus, get free UK delivery on orders over £50!
Please remember, you should always consult a vet if you are concerned about your pet’s health.
7 thoughts on "How To Improve Joint Care For Dogs"
My dog is 7 and has a very sensitive stomache I would like to start a joint supplement..which one would be best please
With all products we recommend to start on a small dose and gradually increase it for those with sensitive digestive systems. Out of the JointWell and MoveWellia (our updated and new joint supplements), there isn't a particular one which would more suited. If you email advice@dorwest.com and we can advise which would be the better support for the joints.
I have a whippet/lurcher/saluki cross, she is quiet a big girl & will be 10 years old next February, I have just noticed she is starting to limp sometimes on her right leg, I think it might be the start of arthritis, she is due to go to vets in January for yearly checkup, but please can you give me some advise what I can start giving her n the meantime.
Thank you
Hi Mandy, we have two products which can help relieve symptoms of arthritis however it is best to visit the vets to get the officially diagnosed, so it will be good to ask when you go in January. Otherwise we have our Glucosamine & Chondroitin Tablets which help maintain joint mobility & flexibility and our Turmeric Tablets can be given alongside to support the body’s natural anti-inflammatory processes. If you’d like more help or advice you can call us on 01308 897272 or email us at info@dorwest.com. The Dorwest Team
I have a 3 and half year old healthy and active beagle. Weight 16kg.
I feed the best wet, complete food I can afford which is 75% single protein meat, vegetables and vitamins.
Also included in the food is glucosamine 50mg per kg and Chondroitin 50mgs per kg and various herbs.
He only has high value treats, venison, tripe, fish etc.
Should I consider using a joint supplement too or is this diet balanced enough. I am aware that supplements are excreted if exceeding normal daily requirements.
He has daily walks on a variety of surfaces and 3 2 hour off lead runs a month.
Advice appreciiated. Thank you.
Hi Jen,
Complete foods don’t tend to have enough that a dog requires so adding our Glucosamine & Chondroitin Tablets would not overload the system and should be more beneficial that the Glucosamine and chondroitin in the food. And good news, our Glucosamine & Chondroitin Tablets are currently on offer with 25% off using code JOINTS19 until the end of January.
Our northern Inuit male unfortunately has osd3 (ocular skeletal dysplasia) and has a very badly formed hip as a result. His breeder has worked with the AHT to discover the cause of this and the genetic disorder has now been written up…. although the northern Inuit society are still trying to continue as before and file any of these pups in the round filing.
As his hip is a known issue we have been giving him umove tablets regularly and I wonder if your glucosamine and chondroitin tablets would be a suitable slternative
Kind regards
jane