Certain dog breeds, particularly larger ones, are susceptible to arthritis and other types of joint problems once they reach old age.
One of the most obvious signs of arthritis is a dog’s unwillingness to run, play and even move for extended periods of time.
Luckily, there are things owners can do to “feed” their pets’ joints and extend their life. The most paramount of those is certainly diet.
Proper diet will ensure a healthy life even when the dog is older and more prone to disease and breed-related issues.
Despite the fact that dogs have few pleasures is life, one of them being food, feeding a dog a low calorie diet will not deprive it of that pleasure but it will prevent health problems in the future and ensure a long life.
Exercise is another very important aspect of arthritis prevention. Excessive amount of exercise is a sure way to the early onset of arthritis so the key is to engage the dog in a moderate amount of physical activity.
Regular grooming, particularly nail and foot care, also plays an important role in arthritis prevention. Overgrown nails or poorly clipped nails can disrupt normal walking and running and lead to problems that could have been avoided.