Pet Nutritionist
rewardingpetnutrition.com
info@rewardingpetnutrition.com
Pain in dogs
Animals are very good at hiding pain and discomfort. It is an evolutionary mechanism which has stayed with them from when injured animals were likely to become an opportunistic prey item for another species or left behind from the group. This means that dogs can be good at masking signs of their discomfort. Some are especially skilled at this, whilst others are more willing to show their pain.
Several changes in behaviour can indicate joint stiffness and pain. When these changes happen gradually over an extended period of time however, they can be more difficult for pet parents to spot.
Examples of these changes in behaviour include:
– Not wanting to jump into the car or onto a chair.
– Reluctance to run around and play
– Less enthusiastic to go for walks
– Avoidance of shiny or slippery floor surfaces
– Stiff movements, especially when getting up in a morning or after resting for extended periods
– Less patience or more snappy behaviour
– Changes in their gait or walking movement
As discomfort could go undetected, providing joint support before signs of pain are seen is recommended. As pet parents we don’t want our dogs to be struggling with their joint health unnecessarily when a long-term joint support solution means that this can be avoided.
There are benefits to providing joint support through each lifestage, as discussed below:
Joint development
Puppy’s joints are developing and growing quickly. Supporting the joints at this stage aids the healthy joint development and sets up your dog well for their lifelong joint health.
Areas which are particularly useful at this stage are:
– Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, help to avoid activity related joint damage.
– Components of joints, such as glucosamine and methylsulphonylmethane, are included to provide the nutrients required for joint development and long term maintenance.
Joint maintenance
Through adulthood the skeleton and joints are fully developed. At this stage we need to support them against elements of lifestyle which could be a challenge to joint health. Active or working dogs, such as those enjoying agility or flyball, or herding dogs, may require additional support to neutralise activity related free radicals which could lead to joint damage.
Areas which are particularly useful at this stage are:
– Antioxidants, such as Vitamin C and Vitamin E, help to avoid activity related joint damage.
– Components of joints, such as glucosamine and methylsulphonylmethane, are included to provide the nutrients required for joint development and long term maintenance.
– Relieving ingredients, such as Hyaluronic Acid which has been shown to reduce knee pain in humans.
Joint support
Senior years is the lifestage which we most associate with delivering joint support, as we notice the signs of joint degradation, reducing mobility and stiffness of movement. Joint support for older dogs is beneficial to boost joint health, help to slow joint degeneration and provide soothing and relieving properties.
Joint support components which are particularly useful at this stage are:
– Soothing ingredients, such as Boswellia serrata which helps to prevent the breakdown of collagen.
– Relieving ingredients, such as Avocado Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU). These oily substances are rich in phytosterols which help to encourage collagen building, as well as providing antioxidant effects.
Summary
Providing joint support nutrition to your dog at every stage of their life can be beneficial to joint health generally, helping to delay the onset of joint discomfort and keeping dogs mobile for longer.
References
1. McCarthy G, O’Donovan J, Jones B, et al. Randomised double-blind, positive-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis. Vet J 2007 174(1):54-61 • Oe, M., Tashiro, T., Yoshida, H. et al. Oral hyaluronan relieves knee pain: a review. Nutr J 15, 11 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12937-016-0128-2
2. Green, J., Hirst-Jones, K., Davidson, R., Jupp, O., Bao, Y., MacGregor, A., . . . Clark, I. (2014). The potential for dietary factors to prevent or treat osteoarthritis. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 73(2), 278-288. doi:10.1017/S0029665113003935
3. Perea, S., 2012. Nutritional management of osteoarthritis. Compend Contin Educ Vet, 34(5), p.E4.
4. Henrotin, Y.E., Sanchez, C., Deberg, M.A., Piccardi, N., Guillou, G.B., Msika, P. & Reginster, J.Y. (2003) Avocado/soybean unsaponifiables increase aggrecan synthesis and reduce catabolic and proinflammatory mediator production by human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Journal of Rheumatology, 30, 1825–1834.
