Did you know that one in five dogs will develop joint problems by the time they reach middle age? That's a pretty hefty number, and it's something that we should all be aware of as puppy parents. Thankfully, there are things we can do to help support our puppies' joints from an early age, which will help reduce the likelihood of them developing joint problems later on in life. In this blog post, we'll hear from Dr. Wooten with some tips for keeping your puppy healthy and his joints supported.
"When it comes to ensuring the health of your puppy's joints, there's four things that you can do", says Dr. Wooten
Minimizing the Risk for Inherited Joint Disease
"Make sure that you're buying a puppy from a breeder that certifies all their breeding stock is free of joint disorders, hip dysplasia, elbow, dysplasia, things like that."
Choosing a healthy dog from the beginning can lower the chances that your adult dog will develop joint diseases like hip dysplasia.
Nutrition and Joint Health
"Prioritize nutrition. Large breed puppies need to be fed large breed puppy food because it's especially formulated with different calcium and phosphorous levels to support healthy long bone growth."
Also, speak with your veterinarian about foods or supplements that have things like glucosamine, chondroitin, and omega-three fatty acids in them. These ingredients can help support the joints and keep them healthy.
Choosing the Right Exercises
"The third thing is exercise. You wanna make sure to avoid all high impact exercise until these dogs are done growing."
Some low impact exercises that are healthy for puppies joints include swimming, short walks, and taking short but frequent walks on areas that are healthy for their joints, like sand, dirt or grass.
Provide an Orthopedic Bed
"And lastly, the fourth thing is make sure that they have an orthopedic sleeping surface because it reduces wear and tear and pressure on their joints and allows them to sleep in a very comfortable, comfortable way. We know that sleep is also really important for good growth and metabolism in these large breed puppies."
Sleep is one of the most important things for large, growing puppies.
And an orthopedic bed can help reduce pressure on their joints and allow them to sleep comfortably.
We hope these tips from Dr. Wooten help you in supporting your puppy's joints from puppyhood! For more information, you can always consult with your veterinarian. Thanks for reading!
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Dr. Wooten is a small animal veterinarian with more than 15 years of clinical experience. She is an expert contributor to sites such as vetstreet.com, DVM360.com, and The Bark Magazine. |
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