See my article on mobility issues for more info.
If you notice your dog is having trouble getting up, or seems stiff while moving, he may have arthritis. First, get him to a vet for a diagnosis. If he does have arthritis, there are some things you can give him that can help him feel better. One of them is glucosamine / chondroitin, natural components of cartilage and connective tissue. Giving this to arthritic dogs can help them rebuild their bodily stores and relieve pain.
There are different ways to get glucosamine.
Glucosamine Chondroitin Pills
This is probably the easiest, most potent way to give your dog glucosamine / chondroitin. Look for a version that is pure, with no fillers, artificial ingredients or questionable origins. Look for a shellfish-derived version, not a corn-based version – the label should tell you the source.
Shrimp Shells and Tails
Shrimp shells and tails are one of the very few dietary sources. If you make a meal with shrimp, save the shells for your dog. Depending on your dog’s size and eating habits, you may want to grind them up in a blender or food processor. As with all new foods, make sure you only give a little at a time if your dog is not used to eating shrimp.
Bones and Bone Broth
Your dog can choke if you give him hard cooked bones, like from a roasted chicken, steak or other piece of meat where the bone is hard. However, there are other ways you can incorporate bones into his diet. The cartilage on bones offer natural glucosamine, and bones themselves contain a plethora of nutrients.
Try slow-cooking some bones in a crockpot, allowing the cartilage and nutrients to cook down into the broth. This takes many hours, but with a crockpot you can simply assemble the products, turn on the crockpot and let the heat do the rest. Contact me for cooking times if you like. You can use a whole chicken, for example, or a batch of soup bones or other bones with a lot of cartilage. If you are not sure what to get, tell your butcher you are looking for bones with lots of cartilage on them, and see what he suggests. For added nutrition that will help support your dog’s health, add vegetables to the mix.
Please research your own dog’s condition and talk with you vet about any contraindications to using glucosamine and chondroitin, especially in pill form.
If you need further assistance with your dog’s health, please contact me. And see my article on mobility issues for more info.