This guide does not constitute medical advice. As with any changes in your pet’s diet, it’s best to consult your veterinarian first, especially if your pet is on medications.
Is your once playful and active pup starting to hesitate as they get up in the morning? If your dog isn’t stretching the way they used to or wants to walk less than usual, then they may be having issues with their joints. Other common signs of joint issues in dogs are:
- Sleeping and laying around more than usual.
- Wincing when being pet, especially around the hips.
- Less jumping and gamboling around.
- Changes in the way they walk.
As with any health issue concerning your pet, a trip to a kind and knowledgeable vet is the first step. Also, talk to your vet before giving your dog any kind of nutritional or herbal supplement. It’s especially important to talk to your vet first if your dog has an existing health condition or is on any kind of medication.
How to Care for a Dog with Joint Issues
With a few lifestyle changes and some supplements, you can make life easier for your dog with joint issues. We’ll go over a few of the changes you can make around your home, and then discuss joint supplements in the next section.
1. Use non-slip rugs
Your dog might become scared of slipping on hard floors, like tile or wood. And with good reason-joint issues can cause your dog to be less stable on his feet, making slipping a real risk. And, non-slip rugs aren’t just about safety, they also offer padding to your dog’s joints as he walks around, which will also make getting around more easy.
Place rugs along the main walkways around your home, and by places like chairs, couches and beds, so your dog can more easily get up and down. Another good spot is by the stairs, top and bottom, so your dog can catch himself if he slips.
2. Buy an orthopedic dog bed
Making sure your dog has a comfortable place to sleep and rest is important for any dog, but even more so for a dog with joint issues. In order for your dog to be comfortable and safe, the bed must be at the right height, have proper support and offer non-slip surfaces for getting up and down.
Dogs with joint issues have a harder time getting up and down from places like the couch or bed. Make both of your lives easier by placing the bed on the ground or on a low platform to allow for easy access.
Dogs with joint issues have more aches than other dogs, so finding your dog a bed with orthopedic padding and support can go a long way to making her more comfortable.
Most importantly, since your dog may be a little unsteady on her feet, find a bed with non-slip mats. Non-slip mats will give your dog more secure footing when she’s getting up and down.
3. Block off the stairs
If you’ve ever had a toddler in a house with stairs, you’re familiar with the dangers associated with stairs and creatures who are unsteady on their feet. For your dog’s protection, you may want to consider blocking off any staircases unless you are directly supervising your dog. A dog with joint issues is more vulnerable to a fall, and a fall down stairs could be disastrous.
4. Use a dog lift harness
A dog lift harness will allow you to easily and safely lift your dog onto the couch, off a chair and up stairs.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin for Joint Health
At this point, glucosamine is ubiquitous when it comes to dogs and joint health. Many vets consider glucosamine to be a standard part of care when it comes to joint issues in dogs. In addition, a lot of dog food for large dogs will contain glucosamine. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring substance or nutraceutical that is used to support joint health in mammals from humans to horses to dogs. It is an amino sugar and was discovered in 1876. While the way it works is still not fully understood, it seems to help the synthesis of glycosaminoglycans, which is one of the materials that cartilage is made of. A study done in 2012 on humans found that glucosamine may be quite effective at supporting occasional discomfort. Because glucosamine may be helpful and has low to no side effects, it is commonly used for dogs who have joint issues. For dogs, glucosamine is thought to help relieve occasional joint stiffness, and help support the structural integrity of joints and connective tissues. Glucosamine helps maintain synovial fluid that lubricates the joints. It may also help stimulate the production of proteoglycans which help maintain the health and resiliency of joints and connective tissue. Performance dogs also take it because it might help maintain their peak condition.
Glucosamine supplements may enhance bone and joint health by maintaining healthy joint fluid viscosity. It may help maintain cartilage and the connective tissues that pad the joint bones. Good for long-term use in most patients, many vets recommend its use in dogs from the moment joint issues are suspected.
Glucosamine is often used with chondroitin sulfate, which may help maintain joint mobility. Chondroitin is one of the glycosaminoglycans that make up cartilage. One of its functions is to keep water in the joint, and it keeps the cartilage supple, which helps cartilage do its job of cushioning joints. Both glucosamine and chondroitin may support a healthy inflammatory response. Chondroitin may help ease any aches or discomfort associated with normal daily exercise, play, and activity. Chondroitin is either made from animal cartilage, like from pigs or cows, or it can be sourced from the shells of creatures like crabs, oysters, and shrimp. It can also be created from plant sources in a laboratory. (Do not purchase chondroitin products made from shark cartilage. Pig and cow cartilage is just as good, and the shark population, which plays an important role in ocean ecosystems, needs to be protected. While there may be claims out there that shark cartilage is better, the best choice environmentally is cartilage from pigs or cows.) Chondroitin may be used for dogs and has been used with dogs, horses, and cats regularly. One odd thing about chondroitin that is good to note: it seems that some animals don’t benefit. Since the risks are so extremely low and there might be some benefit, chondroitin is recommended by vets for animals with joint issues.
Try Pet Releaf CBD for Healthy Joints and Hips
Keep your dog’s hips and joints healthy, and support occasional discomfort in the joints with Pet Releaf CBD. Pet Releaf CBD is the best pet CBD around. You can feel confident using Pet Releaf CBD because many of their products are certified USDA organic. These include their hemp oils and their hemp oil capsules, along with several of their CBD and herbal supplement chews, Edibites. Rest assured that the people at Pet Releaf love their pets as much as you do, and they are doing their best to help pets all around the world be as healthy as possible. Part of this mission means making the highest quality pet CBD on the market. They grow the hemp used for Pet Releaf CBD in the U.S. which allows them to control for quality starting with the seeds used. Every month one of each of their products is sent off to a third-party lab to be tested for: strength, levels of CBD, and safety. This means that Pet Releaf products are as strong as the label says and contain zero harmful contaminants. Pet Releaf has also received certification for many of their products from the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC).
This is good news for pups everywhere! CBD may support the connective tissue that’s part of joints. CBD may also enhance bone and joint health and may ease joint stiffness due to normal daily exercise and activity. CBD may also help maintain normal, healthy cartilage and joint function. And, CBD may help support strong bones. Pet Releaf has a variety of CBD products for your dog including oils, capsules, and chews. If you’re looking for a new treat for your pup, consider Pet Releaf’s line of Edibites. While these aren’t treats, but CBD and herbal supplement chews, many pups find them to be delicious! Try their Hip and Joint Edibites soft chews, which are Peanut Butter and Banana flavored. These yummy Hip and Joint CBD supplement chews also contain joint supporting glucosamine and chondroitin along with antioxidant powerhouse superfood, noni. Or maybe consider their Liposome Hemp Oil, which is CBD mixed in a base of Wild Alaskan Pollock Oil. Whatever your pet CBD needs are, Pet Releaf has a product for you!
