Seven Tips to Help Relieve Dog Joint Pain

Just as the name implies, Dog joint pain means pain that radiates in your dog from his joints. As your dog ages, he will start to have pain in his joints. This ailment is widespread among most breeds of dogs. Aging dogs also experience dog arthritis that begins in dogs as they advance in age, and causes pain in the joints. Here are a few signs that you need to keep an eye on if you think your aging dog is suffering from joint pain.

As most of the causes and effects of dog joint pain is internal, it may be hard to see by simply looking at your dog. Careful observation is about the only way you will be able to see the effects on your dog. If he begins walking in a peculiar manner, he may have joint pain.

If you notice that your dog's appendages are swollen, he most likely is in pain. If you or your vet has diagnosed your pet to have joint pain or arthritis, here are seven tips that may help relieve some of the pain:

1. Make sure he is getting food rich in nutrients. Vitamin and mineral supplements are available for dogs just as they are for humans. They play an important role in a dog's physical health. This is often the first place to look if your dog is in pain. Adjust their diet and try to limit their intake of unhealthy foods. Overweight dogs have a harder time coping with joint pain, and by losing just a few pounds, some of the pain may be lessened.

2. Out with the stairs/steps: If you have steps or stairs around your home, try installing a ramp for your dog to walk on. It is hard on a dog with joint pain to climb stairs, so a ramp can drastically reduce the amount of pain they feel getting up the porch.

3. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise: A body in motion tends to stay in motion, and an arthritic body is no different. Pain should never become an excuse for your dog to quit exercising. It is up to you to ensure your dog gets the exercise he needs. Don't overdo it though. If he begins to get tired, don't push him to exhaustion. Just because he can't run around or chase balls like he used to does not mean he can't go on a stroll with you down the block.

4. Be sure to make nutrition fun for your dog. If he does well in his exercise, give him a treat that is enriched with vitamins. These help with joint and hip development.

5. Make sure your dog has a comfortable bed to sleep on. They even make special beds for dogs that have arthritis. If you don't have a cushy bed for your pet, you might look into getting one.

6. Massage: Just as massage relieves stress and tension in us, it is beneficial to dogs as well. If his joints are hurting, massage them as you would someone's hand. The more you rub, the more relief your pet may feel. Be gentle when you massage your dog. They may try to bite or pull away from you if you do it too hard and hurt them worse. If they seem to relax, you are helping them. Results may not be immediate, but you should see improvement in your pet's walking and range of movement within a few weeks or months.

7. Have wood or tile floors? Cover them! Tile, wood, or vinyl flooring is usually smooth and often times very slick on the surface. Because of this, your dog may have a hard time getting traction and may slip and slide around on them. When a dog has trouble like this, they normally try to compensate by "running". All this normally accomplishes is the dog falling all over the floor. If you can't cover the floors with area rugs or carpeting, get a pet gate to keep Fido out of these areas if at all possible.

Just like dealing with a child, your dog will require patience when you deal with him. Dog Joint Pain may make your dog so slow or sluggish that you become impatient with him. Just remember, he's in pain and try to be sympathetic. Keep in mind that he won't be able to run and play like he used to.

By following the simple tips listed above, you can be a hero to your pet when it comes to relieving some of his pain. Try to refrain from using over the counter "human" pain relieving medication, as these may cause unwanted side effects, some of which may be severe.