When it boils down to doing everything you can to make your canine companion the happiest they can be, many folks do not know that there is a plethora of products out there to assist with some of the worst bodily ailments. All animals, including humans, inevitably age over time. This means things such as arthritis, joint inflammation, and other similar ailments will arise. But what can you as a pet owner do to ensure your aging dog’s wellbeing?
It can be heartbreaking to watch your beloved pet suffer from the aches and pain of aging. But some of these symptoms that you are witnessing can be majorly helped with the assistance of easy-to-take supplements.
Luckily, when it comes to aging joints, there are a few supplements that work wonders. I know what you are thinking, “Supplements to help with my dog’s arthritis?” Indeed, there are!
Dog Arthritis Supplements on the Market
While searching the web for supplements to aid in your canine’s happiness, you will likely be lead to quite an array of products. While there are many other newfound supplements that possibly aid in your pet’s overall health, this article will discuss the ones that work the best for dogs when it comes to arthritis and degenerative joint disease pain.
Chondroitin
Chondroitin sulfate is a major part of what makes up your dog’s cartilage, helping with elasticity and water retention. It is crucial to promote adequate nourishment to surrounding tissues and for shock absorption. Chondroitin is also responsible for fighting against inflammatory mediators that are cause detrimental destruction to joints.
Any pet that’s suffering from degenerative joint disease and/or arthritis can greatly benefit from taking chondroitin supplements. These supplements are often paired with glucosamine, which we will discuss here shortly. Chondroitin for dogs can be both injected or taken orally. Both types have shown great promise for giving canine’s relief from arthritis pain. It has been shown that not only dogs, but felines and horses also show significant reduction in pain, which allows for improved mobility. This results in better exercise, which helps to improve strength in your aging pet.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a substance that is naturally found within your pet’s body, with the highest percentage being located in concentrated amounts in cartilage. The glucosamine in your pet’s body is responsible for producing glycosaminoglycan, which helps to repair and form bodily tissues. As you dog gets older, the production of glucosamine naturally starts to slow down, which results in a slow repairing process. This eventually results in joint stiffness and joint pain.
As your dog’s joints suffer continued wear and tear, the cartilage fails to heal any faster, which can result in very painful arthritis symptoms. Thankfully, there is glucosamine for dogs, which aids in the rebuilding of cartilage and helps to reduce your dog’s overall functionality and levels of activity.
- Benefits of glucosamine for dogs:
- Reduce and may even eliminate the need for narcotic drugs, which have multiple negative side effects that only reduce pain, not help in healing joints.
- Promotes the natural lubrication of joints
- Promotes restoration of joint health, increasing your dog’s mobility.
- Side effects are rare and few and far between.
- Contains anti-inflammatory effects, which greatly reduces your dog’s pain.
MSM
Methylsulfonylmethane, also referred to as MSM, is an organic type of sulfur that is made up of a compound that is renowned for its benefits in the health of joints. MSM is a natural remedy that aids in blocking the transfer of pain impulses within nerve fibers. It also helps to fight again the inflammation process by boosting the activity of cortisol, a natural hormone that has anti-inflammatory properties.
MSM for dogs can be found in many raw and organic dog foods. You can also implement foods that are rich in sulfur to your canine’s diet, which helps to produce glutathione, another vital antioxidant that plays a role in your dog’s overall joint health.
Putting Them All Together
While each of these substances can enhance your dog’s overall mobility on their own, they are far more powerful when they are grouped together. Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM for dogs can help to radically change your canine’s joint health, even if you have a rapidly aging dog. While you do not have the power to turn back the clock for your beloved pet, these supplements are a natural and safe way to improve your dog’s overall quality of life. Once you start utilizing them, you may be surprised at your dog’s activity levels.
Turmeric for Dogs
If you are a pet owner that wildly relates to the promotion of natural remedies, then perhaps you would like to hear about how a spice that is likely sitting in your kitchen cupboard at this moment can greatly impact your canine’s health and their lifespan!
Turmeric for dogs has been greatly tested and after 6,000+ studies, it has been shown to literally trump many of the expensive narcotic drugs on the market.
The compound curcumin that lies within turmeric is an active component that aids in many essential ways: anticancer, healing of wounds. Antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and works as an antioxidant as well. It fights back against gastrointestinal problem, liver disease, diabetes, cancer, and most importantly for this article, arthritis.
Chronic inflammation is a silent killer in many living things and is typically the root of many diseases; human, canine, and otherwise. Digestive disease, dental issues, kidney disease, allergies, cancer, and arthritis all result from inflammation. While all inflammation is not necessarily negative, the chronic kind can really create degenerative health issues for your dog. Turmeric has been scientifically proven to work better than both ibuprofen and aspirin combined.
Since turmeric plays a major role in reducing inflammation in canine bodies, it also promotes the relief of stiffness and pain that arthritis inevitably causes. It works way better than those traditional methods.
Giving Your Canine Turmeric
Now that you have read how awesome turmeric is at fighting against the inflammation that causes arthritis in your pet, you are probably wondering how in the world to give your dog this magical aid.
Here is a recipe for turmeric sauce:
- Ingredients:
- ¼ C. cold pressed coconut oil (preferably organic)
- 1 ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 1 – 1 ½ C. filtered water
- ½ C. organic turmeric powder
- Instructions:
- Mix water and turmeric in a pan.
- Start with just 1 cup of water and add more only if needed.
- Stir over low to medium heat 7-10 minutes till a thick paste begins to form.
- If mixture looks too watery, just add a bit more turmeric.
- Once you achieved a paste, add coconut oil and pepper. Mix well.
- Let the mixture cool and place in a jar with a tight lid. Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks at most. You will want to make a fresh batch after this length of time.
After you have made this magical paste, you can mix it right into your dogs’ meals. Most dogs will not mind the taste at all.
- Small dogs: Begin with ¼ tsp. per day
- Medium dogs: Begin with ½ tsp. per day
- Large dogs: Begin with ¾ tsp. per day
- Huge dogs: Begin with 1 tsp. per day
This is a starting point, but you can easily increase your dog’s daily intake of turmeric. Here are some things to consider when you use turmeric, however:
- Turmeric can leave a yellow stain on your hands, so wear gloves when messing with it. It can stain your dog’s mouth too, so be sure to mix it well with their food to avoid your dog getting a yellow mustache.
- Turmeric is binding, which can lead to constipation. Add water or kefir to meals when adding in turmeric.
- Not all dogs should take turmeric. It is a spice that warms, so if your canine is constantly seeking out cold places, turmeric is probably not for them.
- Turmeric can interact with medications that your dog may be already taking. Make sure to check with your vet before implementing turmeric daily.
Recommended Arthritis Supplements to Try Out
Instead of spending valuable hours shopping for supplements online, to end this article we have provided you with a couple great options for your dog to try out!
When it comes to taking adequate care of your aging dog’s health, it is important to research and consider specific supplements. Ask your pet’s health provider about which ones they think are the best for your canine companion. Once you begin giving your dog the supplements discussed in this article, there is no doubt that you will see some improvement in your dog’s activity levels and overall mobility. Good luck as you and your beloved dog discover the magic of arthritic and joint supplements!