All Natural Dog Joint & Hip Pain relief!                                                                               

Does your beloved, four-legged, furry friend have a "hitch" in their "giddy-up"?  Maybe you have a dog recovering from TPLO surgery?  Have you seen your dog hesitate at the bottom of stairsbecause they know it's going to hurt going up, and even more so coming down?  Is getting up and moving in the morning a sincere challenge for your pooch?

Dog joint and hip pain is agonizing, not only for them, but for us to watch as well.  It's a serious concern and can affect any dog regardless of breed, age or size.  We see it most commonly in large and older dogs however there are over 30 breeds, including Chihuahuas and Labrodors, that are genetically prone to having dog joint pain and or hip dysplasia. 

What Causes Joint and Hip Pain in Dogs?

There are several factors, but the simplest explanation is that the cartilage wears down.  When cartilage wears down, there is no more cushion between the bones therefore causing hip and joint pain in dogs.  Every time your life-long friend moves, it can be unbearable. In some breeds of dog, the canine body actually produces enzymes that eat away at the cartilage making them genetically prone to the joint and hip problems.  Other, more basic factors are involved as well such as aging, injury,dog's surgery recovery, dog arthritis and obesity.  Dog joint and hip pain may cause your dog to become withdrawn, not wanting to move and just spending it’s time curled up in one spot all day.  It's hard not to feel sorry for them; our dogs are, after all, part of the family.  

Can Dog Joint and Hip Pain be Treated?

It wasn’t too long ago when dog owners would face the horribly tough question of whether or not to put their life-long friend down due to extreme dog joint and hip pain with the rationale that they don’t want to see them suffer.   As science and research advance, those tough questions diminish as more options become available to help aid the common problem of dog joint and hip pain.  

Pain pills are an option. and one could certainly speak with their vet, as it's always a pertinent reccomendation, but most vets will tell you that drugs are a short term fix that have long term consequences such as damage to the kidney and liver and may cause unwanted side effects such as vomiting and diarrhea. 

What About dog Glucosamine and Chondroitin?

Although dog glucosamine is accepted as having success in reducing dog joint and hip pain, it’s certainly not 100% effective. For the dogs that do find relief from dog glucosamine, often their bodies will build immunity to it because glucosamine for dogs merely coats the joints and over time the positive effects begin to diminish. It is also stated that it can take several weeks for it to begin to work.   Arguably, the most effective way to ease dog hip and joint pain is to penetrate the joint first to get to the source and then add a mobility enhancer such as dog glucosamine on top of that.  You may also want to check out an alternative to dog glucosamine.