Natural Ways to Ease Arthritis and Dysplasia Pain in Dogs

A lot of dogs, regardless of breed, end up with elbow or hip dysplasia pain as they age. Even dogs from reputable breeders where tests are done can sometimes end up suffering. Dysplasia in the elbow or hip is caused by abnormal formation of the joints. As they age, the abnormality causes arthritis, cartilage damage, and/or lameness. While heredity and not curable, there are definitely things dog owners can do to ease pain caused by hip or elbow dysplasia in dogs. Here are some natural ways to ease dysplasia pain in dogs.

Heated Beds

Just as heat helps our own arthritic joints feel better, heat can really help with dysplasia pain in dogs. Heated beds are a great, natural way to give your dog some comfort, and they can choose whether they want it or not. There are plug-in heated beds, which are fine if you are around to make sure your dog does not chew the cord. However, self-heating beds, that uses your dog’s own heat to create warmth, are much safer and can be left out even when you are not around.

Magnet Dog Bed

Research has shown that magnets can reduce inflammation and increase circulation, and there are magnet dog beds on the market for dogs with arthritis. However, there are some medical conditions were magnets are not advisable, so check with your veterinarian before use in case one of your dog’s other health issues is a concern.

Herbal Pain Management

There are a lot of herbal pain management supplements that you can try to see if they help your dog. Every dog is different, so if one doesn’t work, try another one.

Yucca is a powerful anti-inflammatory and can now be found in a supplement for dogs. In fact, it is one of the world’s most powerful natural anti-inflammatories! It also helps with pain and does not have the side effects that pain medications can have. 4 Paws Pure has a Yucca Root Powder, but there are many other supplements containing yucca as well.

Glucosamine and Chondroitin

Many people take glucosamine and chondroitin for joint health, and it works on dogs as well. Glucosamine research has shown it helps to slow joint cartilage degeneration and chondroitin helps relieve symptoms of arthritis. Both help with pain.

Anxiety Wraps

For some dogs, the pain of dysplasia causes anxiety, which may cause them to pace, which in turns causes more pain! It’s a vicious cycle. Some vets recommend using anxiety wraps when your dog is having a bad flare-up and can’t seem to settle. It can help soothe them into relaxing, which will be better for their joints.

Fasting

Fasting has been found to help reduce arthritis in canines! Usually done once a week, it has a lot of health benefits, aside from helping with osteoarthritis, including lengthening lifespan. For more information, read our entire blog on fasting your dog.

Weight loss

Aside from trying one or all of these on your dog to see what works best for her, remember that any extra weight causes more stress on the joints, which exacerbates dysplasia. So, its best if you have a dog suffering from hip or elbow dysplasia to keep them on the leaner side of healthy, to reduce the amount of stress on the joints. Also look for low-impact ways to exercise, like swimming and walks instead of runs on hard pavement and no jumping.

Following some of these simple practices can make your dog much more comfortable and help them enjoy life to the fullest.