Joint Supplements for Dogs: Their Benefits and Use
Did you know that most dogs over the age of seven suffer from some type of canine arthritis? Having a healthy dog is something every dog owner wants. Dog joint supplements are a quick and easy way to promote a healthier, happier life for your best friend. As a pet owner, it’s your job to create a safe and comfy space for your dog and give it the best nutrition possible to ensure its overall health and happiness.
How Can Joint Supplements Benefit Your Dog’s Health?
When it comes to the health of your dog’s joints, proper nutrition boosted with quality dog pet supplies such as joint supplements is important to help prevent the onset of arthritis and other joint problems. Ideally, you want to give your dog food that will slow down the development of arthritis and joint problems. Joint supplements for dogs can help with the following issues:
- Improve mobility in dogs suffering from hip dysplasia;
- Degenerative myelopathy or spinal injuries caused by trauma or accidents;
- Help control pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, osteoarthritis and canine hip dysplasia;
- Help improve cartilage production and reduce inflammation, etc.
Which Pet Joint Supplement Is Right for Your Dog?
Even though all dog joint supplements have certain ingredients in common, there are differences in their concentration. So, as you look for a joint supplement for your pup, be sure to read the label carefully to find one that has the right combination of nutrients.
Ingredients to Look For
The main ingredient should be glucosamine. This is an amino sugar that helps to lubricate the joints and cartilage. It also helps to rebuild damaged tissue, which makes it perfect for use with older dogs that have joint problems or other joint issues. Glucosamine is not an ingredient that should be used alone in joint supplements for dogs. It needs to be used along with other ingredients in order for it to be effective.
Chondroitin sulphate is another ingredient that should be included in any good dog joint supplement. This substance works in conjunction with glucosamine and MSM. For dogs that have more severe joint issues, chondroitin sulphate can actually work better than glucosamine alone.
Approved Brands
When choosing dog pet supplies for your dog, it’s very important to choose a supplement that has been approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). This is because most manufacturers who make poor quality products will try to make their products look like they’re from a reputable company. This can be done by using counterfeit packaging and labelling.
There are two ways for you to ensure that you’re getting a safe joint supplement for your dog. One is to purchase your supplements from your veterinarian’s office or through the mail from them directly. The other way is to purchase online only from companies with an established reputation for selling quality pet products.
Know the Right Dose
You need to be careful when choosing the right joint supplements for your dog. You will first have to consult your vet on this matter. This is simply to ensure that you will be able to choose the right supplement for your dog. Also, there are different types and dosages of joint supplements which are available for purchase. Thus, it is important first for you to talk with your vet about this matter in order for you to know which one would be good for your dog. Otherwise, you may end up choosing the wrong supplement which will only worsen your dog’s condition instead of improving it.
Also, it’s very important to know that you should not combine supplements with medication or other supplements without a vet’s consent
Ease Into Supplementing your Dog’s Diet
If you find that your dog is reluctant to eat their food after it has been mixed with a joint supplement, try using a pill gun to give them the supplement. This will mean that they are less likely to spit the food out, and will enjoy eating their food more. It is easier to give pills to dogs than it is to people because dogs have no gag reflex, so you don’t need to worry that they might choke if you place the tablet in their mouth or throat. You can also use this feature to make sure your dog takes their joint supplement each day, by hiding the pill in their food. If they know where the tablets are hidden, they will often go looking for them when they see you preparing their meal.
You should only give your dog one joint supplement each day, and it should not be given with other supplements as this may reduce its effectiveness. However, many dogs’ benefits from taking more than one joint supplement each day, so talk to your vet about ways of doing this safely. If you want your dog to enjoy eating their food, you should make sure that the joint supplement is palatable and that way your dog will be more likely to eat it.
To Sum Up
Joint supplements can be a great addition to your dog’s daily feeding routine to help them lead a happy, healthy life. Supplementing minerals and nutrients into your dog’s diet can also help improve their general health and reduce the chances of common health problems in older dogs. If you have noticed your dog having problems with walking, we recommend that you get your pets legs checked out by a vet, so they can make sure they don’t have hip dysplasia or arthritis. As with humans, joint supplements are only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to joint care for dogs, so be sure to give your pet some exercise every day so it stays happy and healthy.