What TO AVOID

It is common for owners to express their love to their pet in food, snacks, treats and titbits. This tends to increase when owners are worried about their dog. Do not fall into this trap as your dog may pile on the pounds, which will only worsen their condition.

Learn more about weight gain and how to avoid it here.

Slippery flooring and other environmental hazards such as steps/ stairs, thresholds, slippery decking are a massive hazard for arthritic dogs and a common contributory factor to deterioration. Bear this in mind when at home and wherever you take your dog.

There are lots of other house modifications you can make very easily to help your arthritic dog check out our #ItsMyHomeToo tool.

Accepting that your dog has reduced capabilities is not easy. For some people it signals the beginning of the end and is something they simply do not want to accept. Fear of losing their dog, being unable to see physical capability deterioration and the phrase “use it lose it” often leads people to over exercising their dogs which will contribute to disease progression and deterioration in clinical signs.

Another area to avoid is irregular bouts of increased exercise. People tend to walk their dogs further at the weekends because they have more time. This sudden increase in exercise such as at the weekends when more time is available and new destinations can be explored. Sudden increases in physical expectations are likely to leave your dog sore later in the day and through the following days. Tailoring your exercise quotient to your dog’s physical capabilities and not to how much time you have available is hard but essential. Physiotherapists and rehabilitation practitioners are great for offering you further advice.

Learn more about exercising an arthritic dog here.

Uneven surfaces, and unpredictable and changing surfaces like a shingle beach, will be very hard for a progressed arthritic dog to navigate. Along with painful joints they will suffer muscle strength and function loss as well as proprioceptive deficits, which means they will lose their ability to accurately place their feet and balance their weight when standing and moving. A tough and unpredictable landscape can be very challenging, leaving them sore the next day, and may even lead to injury.

Learn more about exercising your arthritic dog and what environments to be cautious of here.

As with humans, temperature and the weather can have a significant effect on the degree of pain arthritis sufferers feel. Keeping your dog’s muscles warm with a good quality coat ideally with neck and belly coverage may be of benefit. Not all dogs need coats as they already have a very thick coat and it will leave them more uncomfortable forcing them to wear one.

Avoid leaving them out in the cold especially at the end of the walk. Avoid leaving their bed in a draft and encourage them to use their bed rather than lying on the hard cold ground. Avoid leaving them damp.

If you think your dog would benefit from a coat during colder months check out our dog coats and clothing at CAM Online Shop.

These check-up appointments are essential to ensure your dog’s pain is controlled, that they are on the right medication for them and are having no adverse reactions; that they haven’t gained weight, and that another disease process hasn’t started to develop. Building a rapport with your veterinary team will make these visits more beneficial and enjoyable.

Read more on building your dream multi-disciplinary team here!

Don’t fall into the trap of feeling you must buy everything on offer. There are a lot of supplements, foods and merchandise out there. Not all is proven to be useful, so do your research into what to buy. Read more here.