Joint Injury Prevention

Joint injuries in dogs can not only cause problems initially but they can also be detrimental to your dog’s future health by contributing to chronic problems such as arthritis. Although common, there are some things you can do to help prevent the chance of joint injury in your dog and to help improve the rehabilitation process if an injury does occur. These include;

• Feeding the right food for your dog. This means feeding a good quality feed that has been developed for the requirements of your dog, taking into account their age, breed, size and weight. This will ensure they are getting all the right nutrients in the correct ratios to optimise growth and development.
• Keep your dog within the ideal weight range. Do not allow them to become overweight as this puts extra stress on joints.
• Exercise your dog regularly. Exercise and movement provides natural lubrication of joints and promotes muscle and ligament strength.
• Avoid too much high impact activity like jumping off high places such as back of cars, beds or couches, particularly during times of growth and as pets get older. This can put a lot of strain on joints.
• Treat injuries promptly by visiting your veterinarian and following their advice.
• Speak with your veterinarian about the addition of a joint health supplement to your dog’s diet to help promote good joint health and prevent and/or treat the symptoms of arthritis.

Originally published in My Pet Magazine Issue 12. 
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