There are many joys associated with bringing home a frisky pet pup-long days of Frisbee chasing, bone fetching and snuggly tv-watching, to name a few. The downside of pet ownership is that as dogs get older, many of the bigger breeds develop arthritis. According to Placervillevet “Most large dogs develop arthritis as they age. Although there are no miracle cures, much can be done to make old dogs with arthritis more comfortable and improve their lives.” While arthritis in dogs is painful for pet and owner, now is the time to reward your faithful friend for all those fun, active years by making your old dog as comfy as you can in their new, more sedate condition.
Though you may not be able to completely prevent the loss of mobility afflicting your pet, there are several important things you can do to help significantly reduce your pet’s joint pain and discomfort, and make the arthritis a little less oppressive for your Fifi or Fido.
The first order of business is a heated dog bed. According to the article “Your dog's bed should be as comfortable as your own. Soft foam rubber at least four inches thick is good. “ One possible choice for this might be a portable Dolce Vita heated pet bed. These particular dog beds provide therapeutic heat that help dogs with arthritis. I use mine to bring my baby out grilling or gardening and not have to keep her inside and hear her howling.
The second important thing for your pup is gentle, regular exercise. It may seem counter-intuitive to make an aching dog exercise, but it actually helps them keep up their strength and vitality, and feel like a normal pup! But we’re not talking about races after squirrels through the park. Placervillevet recommends, “Once around the block two or three times a day is about right. Avoid strenuous activity on the weekends alternating with little or none during the week.” Getting your dog out of the house is important to alleviating arthritis affects; just make sure not to overdo it! Remember, the more weight on the joints, the more strain on the joints.
Which brings me to my final point, your doggie’s diet! Diet actually has a big affect on the level of discomfort your dog feels during arthritis. A good metric to use is whether you can easily locate each or your dog’s ribs when you feel for them, suggests Placervillevet. A lighter diet contributes to this ideal canine body weight. Iam’s Weight Control, Science Diet Oral Care, and Hill’s Rx t/d Canine are all recommended brands. Hill’s in particular is known for relieving joint pain in arthritis dogs.
The bottom line is that proper care for your arthritis dog can make his old age infinitely more comfortable and ensure many more pleasant pastimes for owner and pet. Follow these instructions for caring for an arthritis dog and your pet will repay you with face-licking, tail-wagging and plenty of puppy love.