What Every Pet Owner Needs to Know About Preventing Osteoarthritis

Easy hacks for at-home arthritis prevention

Osteoarthritis, arthritis, degenerative joint disease, whatever you want to call it — if you’re lucky enough to have a dog or cat that lives well into their senior years, this is something you’re likely going to be dealing with.

Just like people, arthritis is extremely common in older pets, and if not managed well and early, generates significant pain for your pet and compromises their quality of life. Fortunately, there are precautions you can take at home from a very young age that will delay the onset of this debilitating disease and significantly reduce its severity (and increase your pet’s lifespan, too)! And as a bonus, these are all passive tips that will cost you no additional, thought, time, or effort.

Sound good to you?

How to prevent and reduce arthritis in your pet

1. Check their lifestyle

• Weight loss

  • Maintaining a lean bodyweight is the cornerstone of arthritis prevention and management. This is the MOST IMPORTANT thing you can do at home, and coincidentally, the thing that everyone seems to struggle with the most. We empathize with our chubby pets and think, “oh, I’ve got a few extra pounds to lose too, it’s no big deal, right?” WRONG!

  • Lifetime studies following dogs who are free-fed (however much they wanted) vs. dogs that are fed 25% less food, show that dogs who are feed-restricted have less arthritis. Beyond having less arthritis (and thereby living better, more comfortable lives) dogs who are feed-restricted and kept in lean body condition live an average of 15% (two years) LONGER than their chubby counterparts. And it’s critical for cats, too!

  • Our pets aren’t able to control their diet and intake, so it’s up to us. If you’re paying attention to what you’re feeding your pet and they don’t have a disease like hypothyroidism that prevents them from losing weight, there’s really no reason for them to be overweight at all.

• Diet

  • I get it, though — keeping your pet slim can sometimes be a challenge. If you’re struggling to keep your pet in good condition and want to offer them additional joint support, there are prescription and specialty diets specifically formulated for this.

  • For example, Royal Canin Satiety or Hill’s Metabolic are two diets that aid in weight loss (for dogs and cats). Each of these companies (and others) also have mobility diets which are specially formulated with nutritional supplements that support joint health. These diets are also now available as a combination weight loss/ joint support diet (i.e. metabolic+mobility) so you’re killing two birds with one stone.

• Regular, low-impact exercise

  • Important for you, and important for your pet. Regular exercise will help your pet achieve and maintain a lean body weight, build muscle, and maintain mobility, which are all extremely important to maintain into their senior years. This can be a bit trickier to achieve in adult cats, but in dogs, getting in enough exercise is easier than you think.

  • Frequent, low-impact activities are best, especially if your pet is already experiencing some joint degeneration and discomfort. If you haven’t read it already, check out my article on sneaking exercise into your pet’s routine.

2. Offer supplements & Neutraceuticals

• Omega 3 Fatty Acids (EPA & DHA)

  • An important supplement for all pets (and people!). Among the supplements for joint health, this one has the most scientific backing.

  • In addition to supporting the joints and reducing inflammation, Omega 3 FA’s have wide-ranging systemic benefits. If you haven’t checked it out already, I go into the benefits of Omega 3 FA’s in detail in a recent article I wrote about the supplements I give my own dog each day.

• Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM

  • Many different formulations available on the market today, with Dasuquin, Cosequin, and Glyoflex III being the most popular. The evidence to support their efficacy in preventing arthritis is variable, but I still recommend them for any pet at risk of developing arthritis. It may not help, but it definitely won’t hurt. Read more here.

The importance of maintaining joint health and mobility cannot be overstated.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve had to put an otherwise healthy animal to sleep because they were in so much pain from their arthritis that they just couldn’t get up anymore. 😢 This is especially important for large dogs, who are particularly difficult to manage in an immobile state — but they aren’t the only ones at risk.

Because of their small size and ability to get around easier, small breed dogs tend to receive less attention and support in this area. Many small breed dogs suffer from joint problems (such as patellar luxations) that go undetected and untreated, resulting in pain and arthritis down the line. Just because you can scoop them up and put them in a bag doesn’t mean they’re not in pain!

But above all, the pets whose joints are most neglected are our kitties. These little guys live long lives and are regularly partaking in high-impact activities at home (i.e. jumping down from high counters), and frequently develop arthritis in their senior years (which, sadly, is often left undiagnosed).

It’s up to us to keep our pets slim, active, and mobile into their senior years. And while we may not always be able to prevent arthritis altogether, we can certainly slow it down and reduce the severity of our pets’ symptoms as they age.

I’ll be back next week with additional information on how to manage pet arthritis when it does show up.

Until then,

Dr. Sami

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