Dog Joint Supplements – How To Treat Joint Pain In Dogs

Joint Supplements For Dogs

Joint health is extremely important for our canines to live long and happy lives. After all, strong, healthy functioning joints are what allow our dogs to move freely and run without pain or stiffness.

Sometimes however, our beloved pets need extra nutritional joint support supplements to keep their joints healthy and functioning at peak performance.

A dog’s joints can become stiff or painful; and suddenly your once ‘hyperactive’, fun-loving dog is spending more time laying around unwilling or unable to climb stairs or jump into and out of the family car or get up to greet you at the door when you come home.

In these situations, knowing how to treat joint pain in dogs using joint supplements can help provide the boost dogs need to get back to their normal, active frolicsome selves. Joint supplements can often help delay the need to use arthritis medications or reduce the amount needed as your dog ages.

Supplements For Dog Joints

A common misconception about joint problems in dogs is that only middle-aged or older, senior K9′s are affected by degenerative joint diseases. In fact, conditions like osteoarthritis begin much earlier in a dog’s life.

Joint problems and mobility issues with your dog’s elbow, hip and knees start from early development during or just following puppyhood and can progress into more painful joint and cartilage developmental disorders.

Supplements For Dogs Hips and Joints

Generally speaking, canine joint problems fall into two major categories:

Developmental—which include hip and elbow dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, and hypertrophic osteodystrophy that tends to affect certain breeds and dogs. And Degenerative—which happens because a ligament is degenerating over time, causing instability and secondary osteoarthritis.

By their nature, joint supplements (also called botanical nutraceuticals) are substances that are added to your dog’s normal diet to alleviate pain and inflammation caused by progressive degenerative conditions like hip dysplasia, Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD) and canine arthritis.

Although dogs of any age that show signs of pain and stiffness may benefit from a joint supplement, it’s important to note that no nutritional supplement will correct structural damage to a dog’s joints due to breed genetic abnormalities.

Supplements For Dogs Arthritis

Today, the most commonly used ingredients in pet health supplements for dogs with arthritis are Glucosamine, Chondroitin sulfate, Omega-3 fatty acids, Methylsulfanylmethane and the anti-inflammatory properties of Curcumin.

• Glucosamine – Has been shown to boost the repair of damaged joint cartilage and alleviate minor pain caused by joint damage in predisposed canines to conditions like arthritis. Glucosamine stimulates cartilage growth, which pads your dog’s joints. It is scientifically proven to decrease a dog’s joint pain and improve their mobility, with most patients showing improvements after 70 days of treatment.
• Chondroitin – This supplement reduces the wear-and-tear of cartilage by inhibiting cartilage-destroying enzymes. Chondroitin requires a loading dose similar to glucosamine (70 days), but when given with glucosamine, chondroitin has a synergistic effect and has been shown to lessen inflammation if given before a joint injury in dogs that prevents further damage to your dog’s joints.
• MSM – Methylsulfanylmethane has not be rigorously tested, so its exact effectiveness is unknown. However, it is thought to work as an antioxidant, which can prevent inflammation and damage to your dog’s cells.
• Curcumin – Curcumin offers anti-inflammatory support for osteoarthritis treatment in dogs by inhibiting macrophage proliferation related to a strong down-regulation of TNF-alpha and fibrinolysis activation. But standard extracts are not well-absorbed in dogs, making this a less-effective joint supplement. And turmeric, from which curcumin is derived, is not safe or efficacious for pet health.
• Omega-3 Oils -Omega-3s are known to support heart health and joints, improve kidneys and boost the immune system, but the dosage for each condition varies. One study found that some dogs receiving carprofen for osteoarthritis pain that were also fed a diet supplemented with fish oil omega-3 fatty acids (DHA/EPA) needed less carprofen to achieve pain relief status.
• Green Lipped Mussel – Green Lipped Mussel is one of nature’s best sources of eicosatetraenoic Acid (ETA) a widely studied ingredient that has been shown to provide equivalent pain relief to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Additional components of Perna canaliculus include building blocks needed to limit additional deterioration and possibly regenerate damaged joint cartilage and synovial fluid. Research has shown that green lipped mussel can be effective in reducing joint pain and inflammation in dogs.

The above list of dog joint supplements may take several weeks (average 70 days) to several months of administration before there’s a noticeable improvement in your dog’s mobility and attitude. Side effects with these ingredients are limited to stomach upset and digestive system problems as long as they are used in reasonable amounts. And while high-quality supplements are very safe, they tend to work best in combination with other forms of arthritis treatment.

Conversely, with traditional veterinary pain medications (Rimadyl/Carprofen), dogs typically demonstrate improved comfort after a shorter acclimation period–but these drugs tend to come with profound adverse side-effects.

When evaluating the efficacy of any joint supplement it’s necessary to take into account the extended time required (several weeks to several months) to finally see a pain-relieving results for your four-legged friend.

The Good News Is... There’s A Better Way to Treat Joint Pain in Dogs!

Cannabidiol – CBD from organic hemp is a safe and effective natural supplement alternative for dogs with painful joints and restricted mobility. Clinical evidence shows that this natural supplement derived from the hemp plant can produce a better, faster pain-relieving response for dogs with hip and joint pain.

Originating from the cannabis plant, CBD oil has anti-inflammatory properties. When administered orally or added to your dog’s food, CBD can decrease inflammation, reduce pain (including back and joint pain), slow premature aging caused by oxidative stress, and even fight cancer and control seizures, anxiety, and nausea. It can also improve your dog’s stomach issues.

Cannabidiol (CBD) and it’s lessor known minor cannabinoid Cannabidiolic Acid (CBDA)–both are present in Canine Support Formula–have been shown to give dogs immediate joint pain relief without long-term negative side effects associated with veterinary prescription medications.

Natural Supplements For Dogs Joints

Dog owners who have experienced the ineffective results and negative consequences of prescription NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) like Rimadyl, Metacam (Meloxicam) or Deramaxx are opting for a more natural means to bring much needed relief for their beloved pet with arthritis and joint pain.

One of the most serious adverse reactions to NSAIDs is that, as a class of compounds, they cause the breakdown of articular cartilage, thereby accelerating osteoarthritis–contributing to the very disease for which they are most commonly prescribed!

In many instances, the pathogenesis of canine osteoarthritis is accelerated by the use of NSAID’s.

Simply stated, that means the risks of using NSAIDs outweigh the benefits–especially when there are natural alternatives that are safer for your dog but are just as effective.

CBD Oil Is a Natural Supplement for Dogs Pain

Aging can take a toll on any dog’s joints. Joint supplements can be helpful to reduce inflammation, but CBD-rich oil derived from organic hemp has superior analgesic effects and anti-inflammatory properties that can provide effective pain relief without the negative side effects of gastrointestinal, renal or hepatic toxicity associated with traditional veterinary medicines.

Used as directed, CBD (plus CBDA) can be the fastest, most reliable, natural supplement for dogs with hip and joint disorders. Click To Tweet

Many dogs are prone to joint problems. If you have a dog who is beginning to exhibit signs of joint stiffness or pain, it might be a good idea to start them on a full spectrum CBD oil like Canine Support Formula to reduce their pain and provide comfort to swollen, stiff or damaged joints.

Dogs who have been diagnosed with joint problems like arthritis can also benefit from Canine Support Formula on top of their usual medication.

Dogs who have a genetic predisposition to develop joint problems, including Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds, or for dogs who’ve been diagnosed with joint problems like arthritis, can benefit from starting CBD to balance and support their Musculo-skeletal system from an early age.

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