What are stiff joints and how can I manage them?

What are stiff joints?

Stiff joints are a common and progressive condition that is thought to affect up to  80% of older dogs. The older your dog gets, the more likely it is to be affected, though it can unfortunately affect younger dogs too. They are caused by degeneration of the normal joint structure, which causes aches and pains that become worse as they get older.

This is something that we have all seen or experienced as humans, as it is also the most common form of chronic pain for us. Those of us with creaky knees in the morning, or the day after a long walk, will truly understand! Stiff joints in your dog will usually decrease the amount of movement they want to do, which means their muscles weaken, so they move less, and a negative cycle can begin.  It is important to understand that there is no cure for this. However, it is a condition that we can help manage, if we know what we are looking out for.

The Signs of Stiff Joints

Dogs are all different, and you know your dog the best. Which means you are best placed to look out for the signs. Initially, dogs can cope with the onset of stiff joints very well and you will often only see subtle and occasional signs that are easily missed. As the condition progresses, the signs of long-term discomfort will become more obvious, and more frequent. Different dogs will show these signs in different ways. Changes can include how they move and behave, and range from the subtle to more obvious.

Movement changes. Your dog may:

·       be ‘slowing down’

·       start limping

·       not run as often, or as far, or as quickly

·       tire more quickly

·       not want to get into or out of cars, even for a walk

·       be quite slow and stiff the day after a long walk

·       trip up or slip more often

·       not want to use steps or stairs

Behavioural changes. Your dog may:

·       seem quieter than usual

·       become snappy or anxious with you or other dogs

·       not come and greet you as quickly or as often

If you see any of the above changes and you have an older dog, your dog is quite likely to suffer from stiff joints. Remember, it is thought that roughly 80% of older dogs have this condition to some degree. The most important point is recognising there is a problem to deal with, as then we can make a plan to help our four legged friends continue to live an active life.

How do I manage my dog with stiff joints?

As we mentioned above, this is a condition that gets worse as your dog gets older, and there is no ‘cure’. Fortunately though, there are some simple things we can do to help manage it and improve their quality of life.

Feeding: most dogs love feeding time! But it is important that we feed our dogs the right amount, so that they don’t become overweight. If your dog is in discomfort and moves less, their muscles become weaker, and it becomes harder to haul themselves around – so they move less, and the cycle continues. Feed the right food, at the right amount, so your dog is not overweight.

Tip: weigh your dog so you can monitor how it changes, and ask your local pet shop or vets for advice on weight management.

Changing Exercise Routines: walking your dog is good for them and for you, both physically and mentally. However, as this progresses, we must learn to change our routines to help manage their condition - overdoing exercise can cause problems. As such, it is usually better to walk your dog for less time, but more often, than go for those really long walks that your dog may struggle with either towards the end, or the next day. Learn to moderate your dogs exercise so they don’t become too tired or stiff the next day. This will help them to keep enjoying walks for longer.

Tip: if your dog is struggling at the end of a walk, cut the walk time in half, but do twice as many if you can. You can then increase the length of those walks slowly till you find the right exercise level (which will change as the condition progresses).

Joint Supplements: natural joint supplements are an important way of helping you manage stiff joints in your dog, but are not as effective in the long-term if you don’t manage weight and exercise at the same time.

Jointly 365 has been developed using the latest science to provide your dog with a natural way to support their joints and wellbeing, so they can continue to have an active and comfortable life. The ingredients provide a double action approach to the joints: they work by soothing stiff joints directly (working with your dogs natural anti-inflammatory process) and supporting the joints structurally, providing the essential building blocks for a healthy joint.

Our recent Quality of Life study using Jointly 365 Advanced, our highest strength and fastest acting formula, statistically proves it works in just 4 weeks – 2 weeks quicker than any other published study has shown. The results specifically show a change in the scores for dogs being Active and Comfortable, as well as Energetic and Enthusiastic, only 4 weeks after taking the supplement.

We have two tasty options for different stages of your dog’s aging process. Both strengths contain natural and sustainably sourced green lipped mussel powder, high levels of Omega 3 oils that have been shown to benefit joints, and also come in plastic free and fully compostable packaging – because we want to help your dog stay active, without putting more plastic pots and blister packs into landfill.

If you would like to get any further information on stiff joints, please contact us at hello@jointly365.com and we will do our best to help your dog live an active and comfortable life.

The Jointly365 Team.