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.