You may not think that it’s possible, but dogs can, and do get arthritis. Usually you will notice that maybe they aren’t as active as before or just don’t seem to be themselves. As responsible, loving dog owners we will of course try our best to help out our furry friends, but most often you will need the help of a vet to relieve their pain and prevent the disease from spreading further.

Arthritis can strike dogs of any age, size, and physical condition. It’s still a mystery as to what causes arthritis, but many researchers suggest it is an autoimmune disease — a disease that causes the body to turn against its own immune system.

This disease affects the cartilage of the joints and causes it to degenerate. Since cartilage connects and projects the joints between bones, when cartilage breaks down it can lead to the bones rubbing against each other which is very painful. In dogs, most owners will first notice arthritis in the major joints such as the hips and knees, although arthritis can affect any joint in the body.

Here is how arthritis may present itself in your dog:

v Difficulty sitting, standing, or getting up from the floor or bed
v Favoring a limb
v Decreased activity, sleeping more, lack of interest in play
v Weight gain
v Attitude or behavior changes
v Appearing to have stiffness or sore joints
v Swelling around the joints

In humans there are many different ways to treat arthritis, and many of these methods involve multiple forms of treatment and many doctors visits. This may not be an option with your dog, but don’t despair as there are methods of treating your canine’s arthritis without shelling out tons of money to your vet. Glucosamine is considered one of the best ways to help with arthritis, as it provides a compound that is often lacking in older dogs or dogs with arthritis and can help their bodies regenerate cartilage tissue.

Chondroitin is another great arthritis compound which is found in cartilage and can given as a supplement can help slow down the breakdown of the cartilage by preventing the enzymes that consume cartilage from working. Glucosamine plus chondroitin is considered one of the best ways to help dogs with arthritis.

Glucosamine plus chondroitin has been clinically proven to prevent arthritis symptoms in rats with arthritis in up to 54% of cases, as opposed to 96.5% of the group that received no treatment. What this means is that by giving your dog this compound you have an over 50% chance of helping them get rid of some, if not all of their arthritis symptoms.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements show promise in treating symptoms of secondary arthritis in dogs. This type of arthritis typically occurs after an injury or surgery. A study suggests this combination can significantly reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs.

There hasn’t been any studies so far that show any negative effects of giving your dog these supplements, however you still may want to consult your veterinarian before proceeding.

It’s an unfortunate fact that dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages can get arthritis. Some owners will notice that their dog is less interested in day to day activities or is appearing stiff and sore. Luckily there are some ways for owners to help their dogs stop the progression of the disease, allowing them to live full and productive lives with arthritis.

Arthritis is considered by many to be an auto-immune disease which causes the body to attack its own healthy tissue in the joints, causing pain and inflammation. In dogs, arthritis can appear in many forms and can’t affect canines of all ages.

Arthritis causes the breakdown of cartilage around the joints, which leads to less protection around the bones within the joint. Areas affected by arthritis can become swollen, painful and difficult to move.Arthritis is most common in the major, weight bearing joints of the body such as the hips and knees.

Symptoms of arthritis in dogs include:

- Problems getting up, sitting or standing
- Keeping weight off a leg
- Tiredness, less active and not interested in playing
- Weight gain
- Behaviour changes
- Appearance of stiffness
- Swelling or warmth around the joints

In humans there are many different ways to treat arthritis, and many of these methods involve multiple forms of treatment and many doctors visits. This may not be an option with your dog, but don’t despair as there are methods of treating your canine’s arthritis without shelling out tons of money to your vet. Glucosamine is considered one of the best ways to help with arthritis, as it provides a compound that is often lacking in older dogs or dogs with arthritis and can help their bodies regenerate cartilage tissue.

Chondroitin is another great arthritis compound which is found in cartilage and can given as a supplement can help slow down the breakdown of the cartilage by preventing the enzymes that consume cartilage from working. Glucosamine plus chondroitin is considered one of the best ways to help dogs with arthritis.

In a clinical trial conducted in 1998, rats were given injections to induce arthritis. They were then divided into two groups. One group received glucosamine and chondroitin, while the other group received no treatment. Only 54 percent of the glucosamine/chondroitin group developed arthritis symptoms, as opposed to 96.5 percent of the untreated group.

Secondary arthritis usually occurs as a result of surgery or injury. This conditions as well as osteoarthritis show promising results when treated with glucosamine and chondroitin supplements.

There hasn’t been any studies so far that show any negative effects of giving your dog these supplements, however you still may want to consult your veterinarian before proceeding.

The ideas on this subject vary greatly. Some think doggies are doggies and being so should be free to express themselves. If this means they need to dig, so be it. Other believe a dog must be taught there are appropriate places for him to be and digging in their garden is not one of them.

I fall right in between – it is a normal part of who a dog is that wants to dig and is therefore okay to allow this occasionally. However, there is not a good explanation why dogs and plants cannot live harmoniously in a yard. They will require some time and teaching by you.

So for now, you are here for a reason – you have a dog that digs and want to know what to do about it. You are probably too far down the dog ownership road to tell you that some dogs are known for digging, like Huskies, Malamutes and Terriers. However, if you are in the research stage, this is good information to put in your file as you continue your search for your one and only dog.

First off, some explanations on why dogs dig.

1. Not enough exercise. Digging gives them a way to burn off all their energy.

2. Being bored. For dogs who don’t have enough to do, they find digging is just the ticket.

3. The grass is always greener! There are dogs who are roamers and do not want any fence to stand in their way. Activity and attention do little to deter these guys.

So how do you stop this dog digging behavior?

Obviously, you can get busy with dogs, getting them out and about. Or give him something constructive to do if he’s bored, like a toy to play with. Better still combine the two, and play fetch.

Use a natural deterrent. Dogs hate to dig where there is their own poop – even if they occasionally eat it! (For more information on dog poop-eating, visit the website below) If it can be arranged for there to be dog poop where he likes to dig, that might help.

You’ve tried everything and he just won’t stop digging – now what? It probably makes sense that he needs to dig. Your job is to find a spot that you can live with and start training him to use that place only. The size of your place doesn’t limit this from working.