Joint pain is a very common affliction that most pets will likely suffer from as they get older in age, especially cats and dogs. When it comes to dogs, breeds of a larger size typically end up in having pain around the joints at one point in their lives, whereas cats such as Himalayan, Persian or Siamese breeds are most likely to suffer from it.
Joint pain is a condition that most likely indicates a much bigger problem that is happening behind the scenes, such as arthritis, that’s why you should take your pet to the veterinarian right after you figured out that your pet is in pain, in order to have a proper examination.
But how do you determine if your pet suffers from pain? Well, a telltale sign of joint pain happens when your furry friend hesitates to jump or climb the stairs. You should also see if your pet is excessively licking the area around its joints. If it does, you should do a thorough check.
Get to feel its joints. If they’re slightly warm to the touch and swollen, it will most likely mean that your pet is suffering from joint pain and you should get it to the vet.
Upon examination, the veterinarian will determine if your pet suffers from arthritis or not. If it does, there’s sadly no cure that will permanently eliminate your pet’s pain. However, there are many ways in which you can relieve it, improving its quality of life. And that’s what we are going to talk about today.
- Make Your Pet Feel More Comfortable
As your pet will have difficulty in movement, making it feel more comfortable is very important. Do some work around the house that will make the movement of your pet much less straining. When it comes to your cat, make sure that she’s got easy access to everything she needs, such as its litter box, and the bowls with food and water.
Also, provide her with a more comfortable bed, and make sure to give her a muscle massage from time to time. The same thing goes for dogs as well.
- Supplements
Supplements are one of the most effective ways to treat pets suffering from joint pain. They are also available pretty much anywhere, at local stores and even online.
Happy Again Pet, for example, is a US-produced pet supplement that aims to remove joint pain from old dogs and prevent any future issues for young pets. Their products contain collagen, glucosamine, vitamins, and hyaluronic acid. And that’s exactly what you need. Those substances are well-known for relieving pain, improving mobility, and rebuilding your pet’s cartilage.
- Exercise
Although we mentioned that you should make your pet’s movement more relaxed, it doesn’t mean you should lessen the amount of exercise. This could lead to making the joints even stiffer, therefore increasing the pain while on the move.
So make sure to regularly exercise with your pet. Do something easy, such as playing with it in slow and gentle sessions. Nothing that involves jumping around or running.
