If you think that arthritis or joint pain is limited to humans then, unfortunately, you are wrong. Just like human beings, man’s best friends, dogs, are also seriously affected by this painful condition that can make life pathetic for them!
With the advancement of age or poor eating habits in certain breeds of dogs, we often find them becoming lazier for no apparent reason, or developing a slow limp or even showing other signs of pain in their joints. And when the joints are inflamed, the dogs either stop doing those tasks or become very reluctant to do activities that they earlier enjoyed a lot.
The solution to these problems lies majorly in nutrition. Nutrition is perhaps the most crucial aspect of reducing the impact of these joint-related diseases on dog health. It is understood that there is no cure for arthritis as such, and the conditions continue to impact their health conditions. But with proper nutrition and the right supplements, the effect of arthritis can be limited to a large extent. You can check out alphadognutrition.com for more details on the hip and joint supplements for dogs.
How to choose the right supplements for your dog?
Source: wagwalking
Nutritional supplements are food items that dogs enjoy, and these also have the required dietary ingredients that can act as a savior in reducing the impacts of painful conditions in the dogs. Various chemical agents can help the dogs in this regard and the owners need to choose Hip and Joint supplements for their dogs based on how these ingredients are included in the supplement.
There are plenty of supplements available today and each brand claims to be the best. However, not all can deliver what they say. So it is important to look for supplements that have these below-mentioned ingredients in them.
Remember, the best joint and hip supplements for dogs will contain these crucial elements.
- Glucosamine – This has been studied extensively by various research teams as a key element in the management of arthritis. This is used extensively in the management of pain due to arthritis. Glucosamine is produced in the body itself and it helps in maintaining the cartilage cushions in various joints. When dogs start getting older then the production of the same in their own body starts reducing. The cartilages, as a result, starts wear and tear. When any nutritional supplement is chosen that can replenish the required amount of glucosamine in the body then the damaged cartilages can be repaired which results in controlling arthritis.
- Chondroitin – This is also naturally produced in the bodies. This is found in the bone and the connective tissues of dogs and this is something that works as a complement with Glucosamine to reduce the symptoms of arthritis in dogs. Chondroitin has a very clear way of dealing with the progression of arthritis in dogs by producing corrective actions and counteracting any enzyme that affects the cartilages adversely and this helps in reducing the pain and inflammation of the joints in dogs.
- Omega-3 fatty acids – One of the well-known agents that are particularly known for their good effects on the health of those consuming the same. Omega-3 fatty acids are generally sourced from fish oil and they have particularly strong anti-inflammatory properties that can help in reducing the joint pain that is associated with arthritis.
- Turmeric – This spice has also been lauded extensively that it has very strong anti-inflammatory properties and thus it is also very potent in reducing and managing the pain and swelling in the case of arthritis.
- Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) – MSM is produced naturally in the body. It is also found in many fruits and vegetables. MSM has been studied as an agent that may be useful in reducing the pain that is associated with inflammation of joints in the case of arthritis. MSM is used in conjunction with glucosamine and chondroitin quite often in the treatment of arthritis in dogs.
- Hyaluronic acid – Hyaluronic acid also is synthesized by the body naturally. The production of this gets reduced with the advancement of age and thus use of this in supplements helps bring back the levels of the same in the body to normal levels. Hyaluronic acid helps in the lubrication of joints in the body and thus when the joints are properly lubricated then any wear and tear of cartilages are avoided resulting in reducing the impact of arthritis.
- Cannabidiol (CBD) – This is an active ingredient that is found in hemp and cannabis. This is known to have strong anti-inflammatory and painkilling effects and thus helps in the management of arthritis in dogs.
Does your dog need hip and joint supplements?
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If your dog shows any of these signs mentioned below, providing them with supplements will certainly be a good idea.
- They sleep more than what was the usual amount of sleep for them earlier
- They don’t show the urge to go out for walks or otherwise which would probably have been very enjoyable to them earlier
- They no longer like to use stairs
- They would no longer want to jump into cars or prefer to jump onto couches or sofas
- After getting up from their sleep their walking would generally be stiff and would look as if they are putting in extra effort to walk
- A visible loss in the appetite
- They may start crying very often and would show clear signs of pain when somebody touches them in the affected places
Dogs become a part of any family in the shortest time, and thus the pain of a dog generally becomes the pain of everyone in the household. To alleviate the issue dog parents start looking into options and that is when most of them start considering the nutritional angle. And needless to say, nutritional supplements for hips and joints are highly effective in battling the pains of dog arthritis and other bone-related ailments.
So make sure to choose the supplement wisely and read the label thoroughly before making a purchase.
