It is estimated 1 in 4 dogs in the UK will suffer from arthritis! At least!
Did you know that although we often associate arthritis with the older generations, in recent studies 77% were found to be caused by developmental diseases and a huge 22% were found in dogs under 1 year old!
What are developmental diseases?
They are degenerative so they tend to worsen with time. This can be dysplasia of elbows or hips for example. Degenerative joint disease is often seen as osteoarthritis.
They involve inflammation. Short lasting inflammation is the bodies way of healing. Ongoing inflammation though can damage the cartilage in joints, causing them to become diseased sadly.
Can I use vet prescribed medication?
Any pet guardian has the right and duty of care, to ensure their pets are free from pain. If you use vet prescribed medication for your dog we always recommend working closely with a team of professionals to tackle pain management, nutrition, behaviour, and any other areas needed. We will never, ever advise you to stop any medication as legally only a vet professional can advise you do this
A good vet will discuss pros and cons of any medication they recommend using and should always be consulted before seeking support from any other professionals, to understand any risks of medication side effects or interactions with other treatment options.
What should I do then?
This is entirely your choice and we will never force you to avoid medications as the Animal Act 2006 clearly states that animals should be kept free from pain. If you do use medications we would recommend focussing on gut, liver & kidney support from our supplements list (liaise with a vet to ensure your choices do not interact with the medications)
You can also:
Look to purchase the incredible Yorkshire Pooches Therapies Pain Diary which will help you to understand, better manage, and discuss with your vet, your dogs pain
Include Green lipped mussels in the diet such as Mr Bones dehydrated whole green lipped mussels available from Stefs pet pantry, or powdered GLM available from Riaflex or Aniforte. Paleo Ridge Berry Good and Naturaw Forage Range also contain Mussels
Raw oily fish as per our fish blog found here
Natural Egg Shell Membrane: The thin layer from inside the eggshell. Either feed the whole shell or peel the membrane off.
Dog Safe Bone broth. Either homemade or a premade such as Alexander's Natural or Karnlea
Maintain your dogs weight at a healthy level. Use a body condition scoring for gauging a good weight for your dog. you want to aim for a level 5 on our body condition chart.
Using a joint support supplement such as Riaflex Canine Joint Plus HA, Dorwest Herbs Jointwell, Dorwest Herbs Movewellia , Aniforte Rose Hips Powder, Prodog Flexx (having healthy strong muscles is also vital for joint care so you may want to consider teaming up joint care with Prodog Muscle )
Raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar with the mother and bovine colostrum are also good additions.
Ensure any treats you give are free of carbs too, and aim for treats like ligament or tendon chews.
A raw meaty bone, appropriate for your dogs age and size, can also help. See our bones and out the rear end blogs for support around these.
⚠️ If you feed any diet that is not 100% raw, now is the time to make the switch as this can also support and aid your dogs joint health.
Join Hop, Skip and a Jump Facebook group which is a great resource for pet parents and professionals about Natural Canine Joint Health
⁉️ Are there alternative therapies I can use?
Yes!
Hydrotherapy
Massage therapies such as Yorkshire Pooches Therapies
Acupuncture
Cold Laser Therapy
Chiropractor
Physiotherapy
Homeopathic Therapy such as Arnica
Hemp Oil (see our CBD Oil blog, it is vital you work with a vet or a shop with access to a vet for this)
There are even treatment options, depending on suitability of course, such as Plasma Cells, Hydrogel injections, stem cell therapy and of course other options including surgical routes. Never feel scared to investigate alternative options.
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