How to Treat Arthritis in Dogs
Understand why weight management is important., Control your dog’s calorie intake., Figure out how much food your dog should be getting., Feed your dog a metabolic diet.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand why weight management is important.
It is an unfortunate consequence of arthritis that dogs find it difficult to exercise, and are prone to gaining weight.
However, obesity places an extra burden on joints, causes further damage to the joint surface, and overweight dogs are far more likely to be less mobile.
In the early stages of arthritis, losing weight can postpone the need for painkilling medication, and weight control should be a priority for any owner of a stiff dog. -
Step 2: Control your dog’s calorie intake.
Weight loss is achieved either by restricting calories, or by following diets that have been specifically developed for weight loss in animals, such as the Hills Metabolic diet.
Most people are familiar with the idea of dieting, so let's consider this first.
For a dog to lose weight he must consume fewer calories than he burns in a day.
One way to do this is to reduce his current food to the point that he starts to lose weight. , First weigh the dog to establish a baseline.
Now feed him 10% less than his current ration.
Do this consistently for 2 weeks and then reweigh the dog.
If he has not lost weight, cut the ration by a further 10%, and repeat the process until weight reduction is achieved.
However, this can result in small portions that leave the dog feeling unsatisfied.
Putting the dog on a prescription calorie controlled diet such as Hills RD or Purina OM can help.
These foods are calorie restricted but high fiber.
The fiber stays in the stomach longer and helps keep the dog feeling full. , Another option is to switch your dog to the Hills Metabolic diet.
This diet involves feeding your dog specially-developed food which claims to increase the dog's metabolic rate.
Thus the dog burns his calories more quickly, and the need for strict weighing out of food is removed. -
Step 3: Figure out how much food your dog should be getting.
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Step 4: Feed your dog a metabolic diet.
Detailed Guide
It is an unfortunate consequence of arthritis that dogs find it difficult to exercise, and are prone to gaining weight.
However, obesity places an extra burden on joints, causes further damage to the joint surface, and overweight dogs are far more likely to be less mobile.
In the early stages of arthritis, losing weight can postpone the need for painkilling medication, and weight control should be a priority for any owner of a stiff dog.
Weight loss is achieved either by restricting calories, or by following diets that have been specifically developed for weight loss in animals, such as the Hills Metabolic diet.
Most people are familiar with the idea of dieting, so let's consider this first.
For a dog to lose weight he must consume fewer calories than he burns in a day.
One way to do this is to reduce his current food to the point that he starts to lose weight. , First weigh the dog to establish a baseline.
Now feed him 10% less than his current ration.
Do this consistently for 2 weeks and then reweigh the dog.
If he has not lost weight, cut the ration by a further 10%, and repeat the process until weight reduction is achieved.
However, this can result in small portions that leave the dog feeling unsatisfied.
Putting the dog on a prescription calorie controlled diet such as Hills RD or Purina OM can help.
These foods are calorie restricted but high fiber.
The fiber stays in the stomach longer and helps keep the dog feeling full. , Another option is to switch your dog to the Hills Metabolic diet.
This diet involves feeding your dog specially-developed food which claims to increase the dog's metabolic rate.
Thus the dog burns his calories more quickly, and the need for strict weighing out of food is removed.
About the Author
Louis Lewis
Louis Lewis has dedicated 4 years to mastering arts and creative design. As a content creator, Louis focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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