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How To Relieve Arthritis Pain In Dogs

October 16, 2019 by Mary Telesz

a dog that needs their owner to help relieve arthritis pain in dogsAs your dog ages, it will experience the onset of arthritis. However, the severity of the arthritis varies. Just like us humans, some dogs suffer from severe arthritis, while others experience milder cases of it. Some dogs are stoic and will not express the amount of pain they feel.

You can tell if your dog has arthritis by noticing the way it moves. It may suddenly begin to limp, or have trouble hopping into the car or going up stairs. It may be reluctant to run the way it once did. If you are not sure whether your dog is suffering from arthritis, your vet can diagnose it with a simple physical exam.

You can take some simple steps to delay the effects of arthritis in your dog. And you can ease the pain once it starts. Here are some of the best things you can do to help your arthritic canine pal.

Keep Your Dog Active

Manage your dog’s arthritis with exercise. The best forms of exercise for arthritic dogs are leash walking, controlled jogging, and swimming.

Take your dog on regular walks. A walk a couple of times each day will keep the dog’s (and your own!) joints moving. If your dog is reluctant to go, find a way to make the walk fun. Perhaps take the dog to the dog park, a regular park, or a place with an area fenced in where you can let the dog safely off its leash.

If regular walks are not feasible, engage the dog in some kind of play activity in your yard. You do not have to make your dog run long distances. Just make sure it moves around for at least fifteen minutes. You can also consider taking it to a day care service where it will have lots of play time with other dogs. Make sure your dog is together with dogs in similar conditions so your dog is not overwhelmed or bullied by the others.

The most convenient and time-saving option is to hire a professional pet care service. Some services have people trained in dog health care. Those professionals know how to give your dog just the right kind and amount of exercise it needs to help with its arthritis.

Give Your Dog Arthritis Supplements

a dog happy because the owner knows how to relieve arthritis pain in dogsEven before arthritis sets in, start giving your dog effective joint supplements to delay it. Many excellent joint supplements are available over the counter, such as glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, fish oil, and omega fatty acids. These also have beneficial properties for a healthy coat and skin. You should talk it over with your vet for help identifying the type of supplement and the dosage that is best for your pup.

Feed Your Dog a Healthy Diet

Avoid feeding your dog too much. An overweight dog is much more likely to have joint problems than a dog kept to a healthy weight. Fat secretes hormones that cause pain and inflammation in the joints. Also, the extra weight puts more stress on joints and cartilage. A healthy diet for your dog means controlling its weight and managing any food allergies it may have. If your dog is constantly licking or chewing its paws, for example, it could have a food allergy and some arthritis to boot. Your vet can identify the issue for you. Your vet can give you guidance for a healthy diet, and if needed, they can prescribe weight management food suitable for your dog.

Keep Your Dog Warm

Cold air will stiffen the dog’s joints. Keep the dog warm by providing a bed that it can snuggle in, perhaps add a blanket or a dog-friendly heating pad. On cold days, put a sweater on the dog. If the dog gets wet, make sure you dry it as quickly as possible so it does not get too cold.

Give Your Dog Massages

Who doesn’t love a massage? Your dog certainly will! A massage will warm its joints, improve circulation, soothe pain, and help the dog relax. Best of all, it will remind your dog how much you love it.

Give Your Dog Arthritis Pain Medication

a dog with arthritis and need to relieve the painConsult your vet about whether you should give your dog medication to manage its arthritis pain. Non-steroidal medications commonly prescribed to treat arthritis include Rimadyl®, Etogesic®, Deramaxx®, and Metacam®.

Contact Paw Pals for More Information about Their Dog Care Services

The professional pet care providers at Paw Pals can help you with your arthritic dog. Contact them for more information about what steps you can take to relieve arthritis in your dog. They can work with you to develop a dog walking regimen tailored to your dog’s condition – one that your dog will look forward to each day!

Filed Under: Pet Advice

Contact Paw Pals for More Information

Paw Pals specializes in professional dog walking, dog sitting, and pet sitting services. One of our reliable, adult staff members will keep your pet safe, while providing your pet the love and care they need when you are away. Contact us to learn more!

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting, LLC
14001-C Saint Germain Drive #213
Centreville, VA 20121
(703) 345-1695

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9am - 5pm
Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Centreville – 20120, 20121
Chantilly – 22151
Clifton – 20124
Fairfax – 22030, 22033
Fairfax Station – 22039
Manassas – 20109, 20110, 20111
Reston – 20191, 20190

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Paw Pals Pet Sitting
Paw Pals Pet Sitting
5.0
Andrea Hall
Andrea Hall
22:45 03 Oct 20
I wasn't sure about hiring a new doggie walker service... after all they are our kiddos... my babies were in great hands and I felt relaxed having them in their care. Thank you for everything!
Phillip Evans
Phillip Evans
14:38 11 Jul 20
When we adopted our new dog in January, Paw Pals agreed to walk her and give her some outside time so she wasn't in the crate all day. She loved her dog walker and you could see her excitement every time the walker showed up. We moved out of the area but would recommend Paw Pals to anyone needing someone to care for their pets.
Katie Russell
Katie Russell
15:01 17 May 20
Paw Pals is fantastic! I have had a great experience with Mary! Compassionate, professional, responsive, and prompt! Thank you!
Kristin Conrad
Kristin Conrad
16:00 16 Nov 19
We are so grateful we found Mary and her team at Paw Pals. They are exceptionally responsive, amazingly organized and detail-oriented.We have such peace of mind when we travel knowing our home and pets are so well cared for. Paw Pals is the best pet sitting service we’ve used, and we’re so happy we found them.
Dr Tammy Cashion
Dr Tammy Cashion
21:11 12 Mar 19
We have used Paw pals pet sitting on multiple occasions for our bunnies while we are away. Many pet sitters are not interested in small pets however; Mary and her team, are amazing and we trust her implicitly! We are very happy with the outstanding service we have received from her team including texts and photos of our pets when we are out of town. They always go the extra mile and we highly recommend them!
Cindy Welgoss
Cindy Welgoss
13:12 27 Nov 20
We have been using Paw Pals for several years, and through a variety of pets that we have loved. Mary and her team have always been *exceptional* in every way. They are professional, courteous, and truly love our fur family! Mary herself is an organized and stellar administrator of her pet care business, keeping detailed records of our pet’s needs, scheduled pet visits, payments, and balance due easy to keep track of as the pet owner. The pet caretaking team is reliable and trustworthy. When our dogs see any of their Paw Pal friends, they get SO excited to see them! Follow up comments are left via text to keep the pet owner informed of the visit and how the pets are faring. Paw Pals has allowed our family the peace of mind to leave our pets at home, for work, weekend getaways and longer times away when necessary, where they are the most comfortable and familiar. We are grateful to Mary and her team for giving us the ability to enjoy pet ownership without feeling tied down. The responsibility of having pets comes with the need to keep them safe and comfortable at all times, and Mary and her team affords us this when our family has to be away.
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