Every dog owner wants to extend the lifespan of their dogs as long as possible. However, aging can lead to many health issues for your furry friends; and joint stiffness or loss of mobility is undoubtedly one of the most common challenges.
Fortunately, there are many things you can do to maintain and improve the joint health of your dogs before they are diagnosed with a joint issue. Here are three simple ways to consider:
1. Create An Ideal Home Environment
Just like the elderly people, it is essential to make life easier for your dogs when they get aged. Sometimes, you might find it difficult to know which daily activities they are struggling. Here are a few tips to make your home more comfortable for an elderly pet:
- Bedding: One of the most important things to ensure the joint health of your pets is to upgrade with a soft orthopedic dog bed which is low to the floor. This will enhance the support and make their joints much more comfortable when resting.
- Flooring: Hardwood or slippery floors would be difficult for pets with mobility or joint problems. Consider installing traction strips or rugs, particularly along the route that your dog often goes in the house.
- Ramps or steps: Ramps or steps would make it simpler for your dogs to get in or out of a car. If your dog often sleeps on your bed, it’s a good idea to place steps near the bed.
2. Do The Right Exercises
Regular exercises play an essential role in the happiness, physical adeptness, and normal functions of your dog. However, when they reach a certain age, most muscles and joints will decline.
Thus, it is important to give them proper exercises to combat these issues. Here are a few simple yet effective ideas for you:
- Walks: Walking is a simple but very effective exercise to keep the joints of your dogs healthy. Make sure to keep them walking for at least 40 minutes to strengthen the muscles and joints.
- Play with other pets: Sometimes, playing around with other pets can be a good option to help your dogs work out. This way, they can spend some energy in a self-regulated and natural manner, then rest whenever they want.
- Avoid shaky movements. Hard pivots during playing or exercising could easily burden the joints of your dogs. The same is also true for a long walk. Thus, make sure to let them rest whenever they want.
3. Adopt A Healthy Diet
Diet is also a great preventative measure for the joint health in your dogs. Basically, you should try to prevent your elderly pets from being overweight because those who have issues with mobility might fight it harder to move around with extra pounds.
This means the daily diet should reduce the amount of fat and protein. Instead, introduce some types of vitamin supplement to help them combat joint problems. For the best results, it is advisable to consult an experienced vet to design a suitable diet for your dogs to keep their joints healthy.