How to help your dog with Arthritis, By Tiffany Tupler, DVM, CBCC-KA. Reviewed by Veronica Higgs, DVM on Mar. 10, 2024

Arthritis in dogs is a common condition that causes joint pain, affecting most pups as they age. Arthritis is inflammation, swelling, or tenderness in one or more joints that can occur due to genetics, age, infection, disease, injury, or overuse.  Let's look at how you can help your furry friend if they are suffering from arthritis. 

Dog Arthritis Treatment
There are several things you can do around your home and in collaboration with your veterinarian to help dogs with arthritis manage their pain and improve their joint health. Using a multimodal approach—combinations of different types of medications and joint supplements—to treat arthritis in dogs is the best way to ensure quality of life and successful treatment. Making changes to your pup’s daily life and surroundings can help, too. Always speak with your vet before implementing a treatment plan for your pup. Here are some tips on how to help a dog with arthritis.

Dog Weight Management
Weight management is an important part of relieving dog joint pain. Obesity contributes to increased pressure on the joints, which leads to pain and discomfort. Controlling your dog’s weight can help ease their pain as they age. Speak with your veterinarian about the ideal weight for your pet and long-term weight management.

Physical therapy, massage, and daily exercise can be helpful for dog joint pain relief. Consider daily exercise in moderation. Nonies has a great exercise program for dogs! Start with short walks, up to 10 or 15 minutes, three to four times per day. Following the same routine every day without high-impact activities (such as ball chasing, running, or jumping) is key to giving your dog some exercise without increasing stress or pain. Speak with your veterinarian about consulting a certified small animal physical rehabilitation practitioner. They can lead your dog through therapeutic exercises like passive stretching, range of motion exercises, controlled walking with obstacles, and using underwater treadmills.

Physical Therapy
Physical therapy in dogs can be used to help restore or improve mobility, function, and quality of life.  The goals of physical therapy may include weight loss, reduced pain, reduced inflammation, increased range of motion, improved balance, and increased muscle strength.  Some common physical therapy techniques include: Passive range of motion Treadmill Underwater treadmill Massage Therapeutic exercises Arthritis Medicine for Dogs  While there isn’t a cure for arthritis in dogs, there are a few medications that can help relieve joint pain and inflammation. These include:
NSAIDS--Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) play a major role in controlling dog joint pain and inflammation.
Prescription medications such Galliprant®, carprofen, and meloxicam are the safest options for controlling pain and inflammation compared to over-the-counter, non-veterinary products. You may see the full results after three months of daily use. Always speak with your veterinarian about which product and dosage is right for your pet!