The Importance of Protecting Your Pet’s Joints

Many dogs suffer from joint pain at some point in their lives. This may be due to the propensity of some breeds to suffer from this type of injury or an inadequate supply of nutrients that promote joint formation. That’s why we tell you how important it is to protect your pet’s joints.

Joints are the backbone of mobility in animals, and their care is essential to ensure an active and pain-free life. Factors such as age, size, genetics and physical activity can influence your pet’s joint health. Prevention and proper support are the keys to ensuring longevity and quality of life for your faithful friends.

Causes of joint pain

The causes can be very varied, and depend on different factors, although the most common are:

• Trauma
• Inflammation of the joints. Find out more about arthritis in dogs here.
• Degenerative and/or hereditary diseases. You can read more about osteoarthritis here.

In order to prevent your dog’s joint pain from increasing or becoming chronic, it is vitally important to learn to recognise the signs of joint pain so that you can be alert and seek veterinary help as soon as possible.

Signs of joint pain

Although we often attribute signs of discomfort to various causes or simply to our dog’s age, it is crucial to pay attention to the following symptoms of joint pain, as they will provide important clues for diagnosis:

• Lameness and/or stiffness.
• Loss or lack of motivation to move, play or exercise.
• Fatigue.
• Excessive licking in specific areas.
• Hypersensitivity to touch in certain areas.
• Difficulty in getting up, jumping, going up or down stairs…

In some cases, these physical signs may be accompanied by behavioural changes, such as aggressiveness or irritability when trying to touch certain areas, loss of appetite or reluctance to go for walks. It is essential to recognise and address these signs to ensure the well-being and optimal health of our faithful companion.

Prevention of joint pain

Many of the diseases that cause joint pain are not reversible, so it is important to protect your pet’s joints. If we want to prevent, delay or minimise the appearance of joint problems, in addition to maintaining a good diet and controlling their physical activity, it is advisable to give our pets chondroprotectors. These are food supplements that promote hydration and nutrition of articular cartilage to protect joints from problems such as osteoarthritis and other joint pathologies, especially those resulting from cartilage degradation.

Why should I consider a chondroprotector for my dog or cat?

A chondroprotector is essential to maintain your dog’s joint health. Did you know that its benefits include improving mobility, preventing joint problems and promoting the regeneration of cartilage tissue?

What are the signs that my furry friend could benefit from a chondroprotector?

Observe your furry friend’s daily activity. If you have difficulty getting up, limp after exercise or have mobility problems, a chondroprotector may be the solution. Don’t wait for symptoms to appear!

How to choose the right chondroprotector according to the breed and size of my dog or cat?

The choice of chondroprotector should be tailored to the specific needs of your dog or cat. Some components, such as hydrolysed collagen and glucosamine, are beneficial for large breeds, while others are ideal for smaller dogs. Consult your veterinarian for personalised guidance.

Treatment and improvement of joint pain

If you have identified any of the above symptoms, your main goal should be to relieve your dog’s pain to prevent suffering. In addition to consulting your veterinarian immediately to find the most appropriate treatment, modifying or incorporating certain habits into your pet’s routine will help to alleviate joint pain:

• Weight control through an adequate and controlled diet, in order to avoid overweight.
• Controlled exercise, such as short walks or water exercises, will help you stay active and strengthen your joints without damaging them.
• Supplement your diet with chondroprotectors. Once these pathologies manifest themselves, chondroprotectors do not cure them, but they do help to slow their progression and alleviate some symptoms, such as pain, inflammation and stiffness. Although they are harmless, it is advisable to visit your vet first so that he/she can recommend the most suitable chondroprotector.

 

If you want to know more about chondroprotectors, we tell you everything you need to know about chondroprotectors and anti-inflammatories for dogs and cats, and how to introduce chondroprotectors into your dog’s daily routine.