Are Work Dogs More Susceptible to Joint Injury and Arthritis?
Canine arthritis is a painful condition. It makes every move difficult for dogs. It can also be hard to diagnose, especially in work dogs, because their obedience makes them stoic and more likely to hide any pain they feel. Unfortunately, by the time working dogs finally give in and start to show symptoms it likely means they're in a lot of pain. This is when you might notice your dog slowing down in general, being slower to get up after resting or being noticeably resistant to jump into the car.
Furthermore, certain breeds of dogs are more prone to joint injuries in general - whether working dogs or not. Larger breeds of dogs also tend to be workers. And it's these breeds that tend to be more likely to develop arthritis and joint issues. The top five dog breeds that are at high risk for developing joint issues include German Sheppards, Retrievers, Boxers, Rottweilers, and Saint Bernards.
Working and hunting dogs are prone to osteoarthritis (OA). This is a painful condition that could affect your dog's joints. The joint pain is usually located in the legs, hips, elbows, spine, and toes. Worst of all, this condition does not have a cure. You can help your dog by keeping them at its best weight and not overfeeding them. Also, trimming your pet's toenails routinely can help. Trimming your dog's claws is essential so that they don't struggle to walk. It's best to not let your dog's nails grow out too long, or else they may strain their muscles and joints and develop a wobbly walk.
Specialized veterinary exams that provide job-relevant evaluation are essential for reaching and maintaining optimal performance and facilitating a long, healthy life for work dogs.
How You Can Help Your Work Dog
The goal of managing canine arthritis is always to lessen inflammation and discomfort, build muscle, and ultimately support the joints. One priority is to support a healthy inflammatory response. Many factors of daily life can affect inflammation (think food, impure or chlorinated water, pesticides, parasites, polluted air, and stress), so you will want to focus on the factors you can manage.
While we recommend consulting your veterinarian for options for your animal. Your veterinarian may be able to help with the condition or recommend an animal physiotherapist, acupuncturist, or chiropractor that can offer alternative/complementary approaches to help get your companion back to working at their very best.
Joint Supplements – A quality joint care supplement is designed to support the cartilage in your dog's joints. Ingredients like glucosamine help support the cartilage-forming cells in your pet's body. Supplements take some time to begin making an obvious effect. They need to be given regularly and routinely. Another supplement ingredient that supports joint health in pets is MSM (methylsulfonylmethane). MSM is a sulfur compound that occurs naturally in plants and animals. It is needed by the body to form connective tissue, and it supports healthy connective tissue and joint comfort.
How FlexPet Helps
FlexPet contains the ingredients listed above - glucosamine and MSM. FlexPet is the only pet supplement that contains cetyl myristoleate (CM8). This is a naturally-occurring compound that has been studied for joint health. Research found that mammals like mice that naturally produce cetyl myristoleate are resistant to arthritis. CM8 is the key ingredient in FlexPet. It is what sets FlexPet apart from other pet supplements.
FlexPet is an all-natural way to help support your dog's joint function and quality of life. FlexPet has been on the market for 15 years and is recommended by veterinarians. FlexPet has over 100 reviews on Amazon from verified purchasers. And furthermore, FlexPet is made from all-natural human-grade ingredients in the USA.
FlexPet is available in two forms – as a delicious maximum-strength soft chew treat and as a chewable tablet. Both forms are tasty treats to our pets so they won't even know they're taking a supplement.
We strive to make it as easy as possible for new users to try FlexPet. If you don't feel like you saw results from FlexPet, you can return the empty bottles/pouches and we'll refund your full purchase price (minus shipping and handling). We also have a fantastic and knowledgeable customer care team available to answer all of your questions at 1-800-505-0575.
FlexPet comes in a maximum strength soft chew product for large dogs, as well as a regular strength chewable tablet (our standard formula). If your dog could use extra joint support, we encourage you to give FlexPet a try.
About FlexPet: FlexPet is a joint supplement for dogs built around CM8® (cetyl myristoleate) — made in the USA and trusted since 1999. See what makes CM8® different →