Would you know if your dog has arthritis? The signs can be more subtle than you think and dogs are very good at hiding it. Canine arthritis is a huge welfare concern and one of the leading causes of euthanasia so it's really important to know what to look for in order that you can manage your dog effectively and give your dog more years. Arthritis is a bit of a passion of mine as I've got two dog diagnosed with arthritis and another two who I suspect have arthritis one with normal xrays - here is the rub normal xrays can still mean a dog has arthritis!
With my animal aromatherapy I have a lot of clients with arthritis and I like to approach it from a multifactorial point of view which is crucial for effective management. I also decided to undertake the canine arthritis management advocate level 1 because I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything and I wanted to make sure that I was giving my clients all the up-to-date information so that I can help them to the best of my ability.
Some not so fun statistics for you. 80% of dogs over the age of 8 have arthritis and 20% of those actually don't show any signs which is quite concerning and latest studies show that 35% of all dogs no matter their age have arthritis!
When my dog Evelyn got diagnosed with arthritis I was absolutely gutted my beautiful dog Treacle had arthritis and I done a lots of stuff wrong with her, I’d let her play lots of ball, jump out of the Land Rover, etc so when I got Evie I was determined the same would not happen and never let her do many of those things to excess. I have never let her jump out of the Land Rover she has always been carried along with the saying Evie is a Princess so must always be carried :) Evie also comes from excellent stock with none of her siblings having any issues, she has an excellent diet but still she got it so unfortunately sometimes it is just one of those things!
There are many signs that could indicate arthritis
Arthritis is painful and whilst it may be inevitable it does not stop it being painful and I aim to help my dogs and my clients with as much good advice as I possibly can. It is a common condition that is often overlooked and often dogs are just said to be “getting old” and “slowing down” and with many different signs they can present with other complaints and arthritis is often not considered. Many owners also do not have the understanding or the training to identify it early and don’t understand how arthritis is a chronic type of pain. Pain isn’t always just in the affected joint either but in other joints as they compensate. It really is important to look at your dog through a different lens so that you can give them more years that are comfortable and pain free.
So my 5 tops tips whatever their age
Don’t let them get overweight
Keep exercise varied and no repetitive ball throwing
Feed a good diet - raw is best but if you can’t do raw at least add some fresh food - berries are a superfood and good old broccoli as well as fresh meat - but avoid chicken - its ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 means it is a pro-inflammatory food and can exacerbate inflammation.
Add omega 3 fish oil to their diet - 1000mg per 10kg body weight once a day
Add copaiba twice a day 1 drop over 10kg and a toothpick under 10kg
I have a class on at the end of the month exploring natural ways to support a dog with arthritis we will cover lots of the signs, and look at a multi-faced approach from diet, to massage, play, exercise, essential oils and supplements and more >>>
www.thehealthfuldoctor.com/events
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If you would like to learn some more tips for managing senior pets download my FREE PDF
Senior Dog Health & Wellness Tips
Information given here is not intended as a substitute for medical or veterinary consultation - the author has no liability nor responsibility with respect to any issues occurring out of use such as damage, loss, injury.