90% of dogs get arthritis, and there’s no cure
September is Arthritis Awareness Month so now is the perfect time to talk about your dog’s joints (that and the fact that my dog just got diagnosed with severe arthritis in her knee so it’s top of mind. Just the diagnosis put me back about $800).
You may be thinking, my dog is fine, I don’t need to read this article but 20% of middle-aged dogs and 90% of senior dogs get arthritis. And because there’s no cure other than surgery, it has to be managed by medication that has side-effects.
How much better would it be if we could stop that pain and inflammation before it starts?
Well, we can! With nutritional joint supplements.
There are four main advantages to using nutritional supplements to look after your dog’s joints:
1. THEY WORK A recent study in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics showed that collagen definitely improved the mobility and comfort level of dogs with arthritis.
2. SLOW IT DOWN Using a nutritional product to support your dog’s joints is proactive. If you give him the right supplement, you can help to slow the deterioration of his cartilage and improve the consistency and cushioning effect of the fluid in his joints. This can prevent joint degeneration before it occurs, rather than treating the damage after the event.
3. SAFETY FIRST! Nutritional supplements are safe. There is virtually no risk that your treatment will do more harm than good. If you can manage your dog’s joint health using supplements, it’s a better long term option for him.
4. THE PRICE IS RIGHT! Nutritional supplements are MUCH less expensive. If only I had been proactive with my dog RiQui I would have an extra $800 in my bank account and wouldn’t be looking at the possibility of spending another $4000 more on surgery.
Choosing a Nutritional Supplement for Your Dog’s Joints
Whether you shop online or at the pet store, you’ll find quite a range of nutritional joint supplements to choose from. How do you know which one to buy? You need to read the label to check the ingredient list, and make sure it includes ingredients that have been shown to be effective.
Some of the more common ingredients you’ll see are glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate. These have both been proven safe and effective. However, these days there are so many other, even more effective all natural ingredients available. One that I like is Collagen Type II. It encourages the development of new cartilage in your dog’s joints and helps to reduce any further damage. Check out Collagen. It not only has the collagen but also contains two other extremely effective ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid and chondroitin which both promote tissue healing and improve the lubricant effect of his joint fluid as well as herbs like boswellia serrata and devils claw to help with inflammation.
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