5 Home Remedies For Dog Arthritis

As our dogs age, their joints begin to break down. The cartilage over the joints becomes thin. This creates the beginning stages of arthritis. In this article, we'll discuss 5 home remedies for dog arthritis.

As pet owners, understanding canine arthritis is the first step in helping your dog find pain relief.

As we go through a few natural remedies for arthritis in dogs, think about how you can incorporate these practices into your dog's life!

Quick Overview of Canine Arthritis

As we discussed, arthritis in dogs is generally caused by the breakdown of the healthy cartilage that surrounds their joints.

It's also important to know that a dog's arthritis is not a single disease. It can also be used to describe general joint pain and joint inflammation.

Since your dog's arthritis can be caused by a number of different things, it's important to speak with a vet to understand the cause, to better treat arthritis.

5 Home Remedies For Dog Arthritis

Onward! Let's see what home remedies we have to manage arthritis pain and increase joint health.

1. Managing Your Dog's Diet

Weight management is the easiest way to help arthritic dogs. Heavier dogs develop arthritis at much faster rates than a dog who is at a healthy weight. Your dog's joints are meant to keep up only what they were designed to carry.

A healthy weight will also increase blood flow and the general health of your dog! If you feel like your dog is overweight, you can take him to a vet or maybe even your local PetSmart to get them weighed.

If you find they are heavier than they should be, consider restricting your dog's diet. We know it can be difficult to hold those treats back! But if it can provide pain relief, please consider it.

2. Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can mean a number of different things. You can get professional assistance at your local veterinary medicine. You can also take your dog on short walks. Many dog owners believe a short walk can help decrease pain.

If you choose to go on regularly scheduled walks, be aware of your dog's limits. A long walk can cause severe pain, and we do not want this! So, give it a try and make it part of your pain management toolkit!

3. Massage Therapy

Massage therapy can help increase circulation and blood flow to the tendons, muscles, and ligaments around your dog's joints.

Since this therapy is new to our canine companions, we borrow a lot of the technique from human massage therapy.

Human Massage Therapy Techniques

• Acupuncture treatment

• Trigger-point massage

• Passive range of motion

• Craniosacral therapy

Give it a try!

4. Joint Supplements

Although not necessarily a "home remedy," we can at least administer the joint supplements at home. Joint supplements usually contain essential ingredients for joint health like MSM Chondroitin and Glucosamine.

5. Make Your Home Arthritis Friendly

This is a relatively easy task we can check off. Your dog's arthritis pain can be very intense, especially when they move too much or try to jump.

Make sure your furry friend has easily accessible food and water. Don't make them jump or reach up for it.

Additionally, make sure they have a cushioned bed to sleep on. Joint pain can increase at night, since the joints become stiff from not moving.

5 Home Remedies For Dog Arthritis (Video)

Wrap Up: Remedies For Dog Arthritis

If your dog is beginning to age and you think they may be feeling joint pain, consider implementing some of these home remedies for relief.

And please, if you're concerned about your dog's health and affected joints, please see a veterinarian. They will have additional advice tailored specifically for your pup.

Do you have any experience treating pet arthritis? What natural methods do you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!