Animal Advocacy
Seven Tips For Dogs With Arthritis
With increased life span expectancy of our best friends it should come as no surprise to see that osteoarthritis is becoming a common companion for dogs in later stages of their lives. It doesn’t only affect the elderly animal either. Many breeds can suffer from congenital orthopaedic conditions, which predispose them to accelerated wear and tear to particular joints such as hips, elbows and carpus (wrists to you and me).
What can we do to help?
First of all we must recognize that osteoarthritis is a fact of life. Then we need to look at how we can delay its onset, and if already present, how we can reduce its affects on our beloved dogs. Their owner controls every aspect of a dog’s life. Where they live, how much exercise they get, what they eat, and where they sleep. Each of these factors will impact on a dog’s life. Therefore we need to make sure that the impact is as positive as possible.
Tip 1: Environmental conditions
Cold and damp conditions will generally increase stiffness and apparent discomfort. OA in humans has been very well documented and it is for this reason that many sufferers move to warmer, drier climates where they find it much more amenable for their condition.
