Dog Health Symptoms ? Dog Joints

Dog Health Symptoms ? Dog Joints

Dog Health Symptoms – Dog Joints

We all know how it feels when we have aches and pains.  This is also the case with our four legged friends who are suffering with these dog health symptoms. Good dog joints are essential to a long and happy life for your dog.  This condition seems to be more apparent in some larger breeds.  I think the reasons are obvious though.  Bigger frame means more wear and tear over time. Not all dog health symptoms involving dog joints are related to size though.  There could be other reasons for abnormal joint degradation.

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptoms how and why?

As they get on in years it is understandable that our favorite pooch will start getting those old aching bones.  Dog joints are continuously in motion, and this is even more so in the busier breeds.  As the cartilage, that is the cushioning stuff in the joint, wears away, it can cause the bones of the joint to grind on each other.  This will result in a lack of movement in the joints.  The dog’s joints will become stiff.  Age is just one factor.

Other joint health factors could be excessive weight. This will obviously affect the dog joints. Your dog may have been in an accident or accidentally hurt himself whilst playing or doing silly dog stuff. As always breeding is also a factor.  Breeds at risk to these dog health symptoms are Labradors, German Shepherds and Rottweilers.  Notice these boys are all the relatively large breeds, who knew!

These dog health symptoms can be extremely painful and can get progressively worse as time marches on.  We therefore must try and start on the right foot from day 1 with mister new puppy and ensure that the dog joints are well maintained form an early age.

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptoms warning signs!

If your dog is suffering from joint problems, you need to be able to pick this up.  Dogs can handle huge amounts of pain, so they may not show it outwardly.  Believe me, if your dog is making noise because of sore dog joints or any other pain, GET HIM  TO THE VET NOW!!!  When your boy struggles to get up or refuses to chase the neighbors cat away, you need to start taking action.  If not you will soon be walking alone and not have the great company of your best mate.  Here are some signs…

Your dog is not keen to go walkies or tires easily whilst walking
The dog does not come to you readily when summoned
The dog walks stiffly and has lost that spring that he used to have
He does not groom himself as well as he used too
Growls when touched in certain affected areas

Dog Joints – Dog Health Symptoms help?

In this case prevention is the best advice by far.  That means start with your new dog by providing the most optimised diet and nutrition available to avert dog joints problems later in life.  These dog health symptoms usually only manifests after a number of years and could be as a result of poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Healthy dog joints need a diet rich in fatty acids. I am talking about the Omega fatty acids here, check the dog food label.  Some dog foods will actually reduce the loss of cartilage in the dog joints and also improve the retention of existing cartilage.  Remember to get regular exercise, yes, you and your dog.  This will help strengthen the muscles which ultimately support the bones and dog joints.  As always, healthy body, healthy mind, healthy dog and a long and happy life.

Does My Dog Have Arthritis?

There’s nothing worse than having to watch your pooch suffer from arthritis pain. You can tell by the look in their eye they hurt. Chances are you desperately want to do something to ease their misery. The good news is there are things you can do to slow down the progression of this painful disease, or perhaps prevent it from ever happening at all!

Arthritis is considered by many to be an auto-immune disease which causes the body to attack its own healthy tissue in the joints, causing pain and inflammation. In dogs, arthritis can appear in many forms and can’t affect canines of all ages.

This disease affects the cartilage of the joints and causes it to degenerate. Since cartilage connects and projects the joints between bones, when cartilage breaks down it can lead to the bones rubbing against each other which is very painful. In dogs, most owners will first notice arthritis in the major joints such as the hips and knees, although arthritis can affect any joint in the body.

Symptoms of arthritis in dogs include:

v Difficulty sitting, standing, or getting up from the floor or bed
v Favoring a limb
v Decreased activity, sleeping more, lack of interest in play
v Weight gain
v Attitude or behavior changes
v Appearing to have stiffness or sore joints
v Swelling around the joints

In recent years, scientists have been studying Glucosamine as a way to treat arthritis in dogs. Glucosamine is a glucose molecule produced naturally in the body. Its job is to fuel cartilage cells to produce the proteins that hold joint tissue together. As dogs age, they are less able to produce glucosamine, which causes the cartilage to wear down and stiffen.

Along with glucosamine you may want to consider chondroitin, which is found in cartilage and can help slow down the enzymes that are causing the breakdown of the cartilage. Combining these two components and giving them to your dog regularly can help them create new cartilage and relieve their arthritis suffering.

Glucosamine plus chondroitin has been clinically proven to prevent arthritis symptoms in rats with arthritis in up to 54% of cases, as opposed to 96.5% of the group that received no treatment. What this means is that by giving your dog this compound you have an over 50% chance of helping them get rid of some, if not all of their arthritis symptoms.

Secondary arthritis usually occurs as a result of surgery or injury. This conditions as well as osteoarthritis show promising results when treated with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements.

Last, but not least, studies indicate Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements are a safe and effective supplement to add to your dog’s diet at an early age. However, there are conflicting reports on this topic and it’s best to consult with your veterinarian and determine if this is the best option for you and your dog.