March 15, 2012
Posted in How to, Pet Health, Pet Meds

As your pooch ages, it is more than likely it will start to suffer from some stiffness and pain in the joints caused by arthritis. One of the best treatments to manage arthritis pain is exercise, but this can seem impossible for dogs that can hardly climb the stairs. That is where joint supplements come into play.

There are a variety of joint supplements on the market today that aim to boost the cartilage around the joints, allowing the dog to stay active without pain and thus maintain the muscle and bone health throughout its golden years. There are three main ingredients to look for in joint supplements for your dog – glucosamine, chondroitin and MSM.

Glucosamine for dogs is a naturally occuring substance already found in its body, the highest concentration found in healthy cartilage. As the dog ages, its ability to produce glucosamine slows down. This is problematic because glucosamine produces glycosaminoglycan, a substance that forms and repairs tissues in the body, including cartilage. As glucosamine production slows down, arthritis may develop and worsen. That is why giving your dog a supplement like Cosequin, which has 500 milligrams of glucosamine, can improve its mobility. Many varieties of pet food also contain glucosamine for joint health.

Chondroitin is another substance commonly found in joint supplements for dogs. This too is naturally occurring in a dog's cartilage. It is often paired with glucosamine to improve a dog's joint health even more. Still other supplements combine chondroitin, glucosamine and methylsulphynolmethane (MSM), a natural sulphur compound that has been found to improve joint flexibility and reduce pain and inflammation.

You can get the trifecta of these joint supplements in pet drugs like Dasuquin with MSM for Dogs or Super Joint Enhancer. If you start giving your dog a supplement like this, it will take a few weeks to go into effect. Your veterinarian may recommend starting the dog on a "loading dose," and then lowering the dosage after several weeks to a "maintenance dose." Dogs can keep taking joint supplements throughout their lives to keep their joints healthy and strong.

There are other things you can do to help an arthritic dog, too. Getting pet products like dog steps may make it easier for your pooch to climb up on the bed or couch with you without straining its joints. 

Related posts:

1. Understanding osteoarthritis in dogs
2. Are joint medications safe for cats?
3. Learning the foreign language of joint supplements
4. How to feed an arthritic cat
5. Why does arthritis hurt my dog?