Many people with aging dogs with joint pain are at a loss of what they can do to help their pets. Most over-the-counter pain medications are not at all safe for dogs, and prescription pain medications from the veterinarian are costly and frequently have moderate or severe side effects that affect your dog’s health.
As dogs age, their joints degrade, the cartilage in the joints losing its elasticity and even wearing away entirely. The cartilage in joints is the only cushioning between the bones that form joints; without it, the bones rub together, causing a lot of pain and inflammation. When enough of the cartilage is worn away, the condition can be so severe that arthritis develops. This makes it hard for your dog to run and play as she used to, but it can also make simple things like getting up to eat or go outside for even a low intensity walk too difficult.
Many dogs, and some breeds in particular, are susceptible to developing problems like hip dysplasia or herniated discs in their back or neck. Hip dysplasia occurs when the hip joints are too loose, and the bones erode the cartilage. Herniated discs are cartilage discs that slip out of place and cause a significant amount of pain to your dog. These conditions often require surgery, which can be costly and painful. Surgery can often only prevent future damage to the joints; it cannot often repair damage that has already been done. This can still leave your dog in pain.
Glucosamine supplements like P & B Hip & Joint Support for Large Dogs can often be a lifesaver for you and your dog. Glucosamine is a substance that is present in the cartilage. It is the main structural part of the proteins that make cartilage. Taking glucosamine supplements often helps stimulate cartilage to repair itself and even to grow and strengthen. It also eases joint pain.
The aging process usually takes a toll on your dog’s cartilage, even when the joints are healthy and non-arthritic. Cartilage becomes less resilient. The normal activities your dog engages in over the course of her life – playing and running especially – slowly erodes at the cartilage, often causing small injuries that are repaired but leave small weaknesses in the cartilage. As the amount of glucosamine in your dog’s body declines, these weaknesses and the combined effect of all the small injuries your dog sustains begin to effect your dog’s ability to heal. This is why things that did not bother your dog in her youth start to have more visible effects, like limping or being slow to get up in the morning.
Replacing your dog’s glucosamine levels with supplements such as P & B Hip & Joint Support for Large Dogs can help your dog heal more quickly after injuries and can actually start helping regenerate the cartilage in the joints. The product is also available on Amazon. This will help alleviate the pain your dog feels and can often reduce limping and help your dog return to low or moderate levels of activity. Aging dogs cannot do all the things they could when they were younger – this is just a part of getting older – but low intensity exercise can help ease your dog’s arthritis pain.
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