It is not uncommon for dogs to develop arthritis as they age. In fact, many dog breeds are prone to arthritis and other joint-related problems. Fortunately, there are many things you can give your dog that can help ease the discomfort he is experiencing from his arthritis symptoms. Like humans who have arthritis, arthritic dogs respond well to certain vitamin and mineral supplements.
Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM
If you give your dog a nutritional supplement that contains glucosamine, chondroitin or methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), it can help in a number of ways. First and foremost, it helps alleviate some of the inflammation that the arthritis is causing and reduces the level of pain your dog is experiencing. However, nutritional supplements with these elements also help build or repair cartilage in the arthritic joints. It does this by stimulating the production of essential cartilage components and blocking enzymes from damaging the cartilage any further.
Vitamin C
Many people think of vitamin C as the vitamin that you take to prevent or cure colds. The fact is, vitamin C has many more functions above its ability to boost immune function. Dogs with arthritis can benefit greatly from a vitamin C supplement, because it helps boost the production of collagen in the body. Collagen is essential to the support of the soft tissue in joints. Vitamin C also is an antioxidant, and antioxidants fight the free radicals from internal and external sources that cause damage.
Fish Oil and Vitamin E
Fish oil is another supplement that can greatly benefit a dog with arthritis. Fish oil helps control inflammation in dogs that have arthritis because it has omega-3 fatty acids. You can give up to 1,000mg of fish oil per 10 lbs. of body weight. However, fish oil can reduce vitamin E levels in the body, so it is important to dog extra vitamin E when they are taking fish oil. You can give a small- to average-sized dog about 100 IU of vitamin E daily. Vitamin E also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory, and it is a powerful antioxidant.
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium is very important to bone health in dogs. Generally, the food that you feed your dog will have enough calcium in it. However, if your dog is not eating an adequate amount of food daily or if you make your own dog food at home, you may need to add a calcium supplement. It's good to use vitamin D in conjunction with extra calcium. Vitamin D helps the body metabolize the calcium. Plus, vitamin D can help repair and protect the joints.
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B deficiency can lead to a host of problems in dogs and humans. Vitamin B may also be depleted more quickly when the tissues of the body are inflamed. When you give an arthritic dog a vitamin B complex, it can help him manufacture protein more efficiently, which in turn helps build tissues in the body such as cartilage.
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