Dog Arthritis Treatment

The first rule of an anti-arthritis diet for dogs is to remove grains from the diet since they typically increase inflammation and aggravate arthritis. Some people have found that eliminating grains from the diet improves their dogs’ symptoms, sometimes to the point that no other treatment is needed. In addition, plants from the nightshade family, including potatoes (not sweet potatoes), tomatoes, peppers (all kinds) and eggplant may aggravate arthritis.

The vast majority of dry foods contain grains, and those that do not often contain potatoes instead. There are a few brands that use only sweet potatoes or tapioca that would be worth trying for a dog with arthritis, to see if your dog improves. Canned foods usually have fewer carbohydrates than dry foods, so that might be another option to try, especially for smaller dogs where the higher cost of canned food is not such an obstacle.

The problem with grains is not just an allergic reaction, but the fact that many animals already suffer from “leaky gut” syndrome. Some of the pharmaceutical drugs used to treat arthritis in animals can irritate the intestinal tract and as side effects, these medications can degrade the gastrointestinal (GI) system’s ability to keep food substances from leaking into the general circulation. A dog can thereby develop inflammation and allergic reactions (namely arthritis) to food particles floating around in the blood circulation because of a leaky gut.

Another factor about the diet is that pet owners often simply feed their dogs too much. Remember, research has shown that a dog can go without eating for a full five days before any health effects start to show! They don’t have to eat every day, and you can easily reduce the number of calories dogs consume by reducing the quantity of food you feed them by one-quarter to one-third. If you cannot easily make out by touch each of your dog’s ribs when you feel for them, there’s a good chance your pet is overweight and overfed (or not getting enough exercise).

Certain foods may help with arthritis: celery, ginger, alfalfa, tropical fruits such as mango and papaya, and cartilage are all good to add to the diet of a dog with arthritis. Remember that vegetables must be either cooked or pureed in a food processor, juicer or blender in order to be digestible by dogs, and fruits are more easily digestible when overripe.

A few people have reported that organic apple cider vinegar (with the “mother,” a stringy sediment comprised of enzymes) has provided some benefit when added to food or water. Be sure your dog is still willing to drink water with the vinegar added if you try it, or provide a separate, plain water source.