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Dog Supplements And Joint Health ?What You Need To Know

26 10:42:52

Joints in dogs just like humans are prone to suffering from severe conditions such as arthritis, and certain dogs are more at risk, such as the bigger breeds and overweight dogs.

It has been estimated that at any one time around 12 million dogs in the US will be suffering from arthritis which adds up to about 20% of the US canine population.

Because of this there are a large number of medications and supplements that you can give your dog, and in this article I will be explaining the dog supplements that have been clinically proven to stop and reverse arthritis.

Arthritis in dog joints is caused by the breakdown of the cartilage at the ends of the bones that meet together to make a joint. The purpose of this cartilage is to protect the delicate ends of the bones and also aid the lubrication of the joint to make movement within your dogs joint easy.

So when this cartilage wears down in many cases the ends of the bones become exposed meaning that bone is rubbing on bare bone in a joint, which can often result in great pain and inflammation of the joint. So below we have summarised the substances within supplements that have been proven to treat and reverse the main causes of arthritis in dogs.

CM8 ?CM8 or Cetyl Myristoleate as it also known was discovered in the 1960's at the National Institute of Health. It was discovered while testing mice for their immunity to arthritis. This substance appears to have a number of functions which include acting as an immune system regulator, stopping inflammation, and acting as a natural pain reliever within joints.

Glucosamine ?Glucosamine is one of the major building blocks that are bought together to make cartilage in the body. If there is a lack of it available this can lead to thinning of cartilage and also a slow down in the regeneration of damaged cartilage in your dogs joints.

Chondroitin ?Chondroitin can be thought of as the foundations of the structure of cartilage. The substance provides a structure around which all of the substances within the cartilage are made. Because of this Chondroitin provides rigidity within the cartilage stopping it from being squashed and compressed. So if there is a lack of it, the cartilage can be broken down a lot easier and is much easier to compress within your dogs joints.

The substances above are the 3 major substances that can be found in supplements that contribute to healthy joint function and help to regenerate damaged joints in dogs. It is advisable to look for a supplement that contains all or a number of these substances as it has been clinically proven that they more effectively treat and prevent joint conditions when used together as a pose to an individual supplement like glucosamine. It makes sense as they all have different functions within the cartilage and around the joint.

I would also advise you to only use a supplement that is currently being used by veterinary professionals and has been clinically proven to work because dog joint supplements are not regulated as strictly as dog prescriptions drugs, so the manufacturer is often as important as the supplement itself.