Osteoarthritis (OA) is the inflammation and degeneration of one or more joints. It is the most common cause of chronic pain in dogs, affecting 80% of dogs over 8 years old. Most dog owners are aware of medications to help their canine companions with OA, but did you know that what they eat and their diet can also support them? This article will discuss what’s special about a joint diet and why it is recommended. 

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There are a number of reasons why joint diets are recommended for your dog. Ultimately, our aim when managing a pet with OA is to improve their quality of life, delay disease progression, reduce joint inflammation and ensure that their pain is well controlled. These goals are often achieved using a multi-modal approach. In summary, this often means utilising medications, weight optimisation, joint supplements and controlled exercise to maximise the health of an OA dog.

There are many ‘prescription’ joint mobility diets now available on the market

These are diets that are specifically formulated for use in dogs with a specific disease. Some of these diets have been clinically proven to benefit arthritic dogs. The ingredients in prescription foods are tailored to help to reduce the impact of that specific disease process, as well as being a complete and balanced diet for your dog. Dietary interventions have been proven to improve radiographic signs of OA and gait (Hansen et al, 2004). Different to other OA intervention techniques, noticeable changes and responses from diets can take months to achieve.

There are many benefits to feeding a diet that is specifically designed to support dogs with reduced mobility:

The most important factor of joint diets is the weight management benefit

Joint diets tend to have a high protein to calorie ratio and moderate fat levels. This helps your dog to maintain a leaner body condition, which is recommended in OA patients. Weight loss should always be an important (if not the most important) treatment consideration to owners of obese dogs with OA. A noticeable improvement in their mobility may be seen after modest weight loss in the region of 6-9% body weight (Marshall et al, 2010). Therefore, weight management should always be taken seriously as the mainstay of OA management.

There are many types of dog food currently fed in the UK, like anything some are definitely better quality than others! Please speak to your Vet who will provide guidance on the most suitable diet for your dog, there is not a one size fits all approach to feeding! It is always recommended to ensure that your dog is fed a nutritionally complete balanced diet that is appropriate for your dog’s age and life stage. 

I often hear owners saying that they regularly supplement their dog’ diet with fish or salmon oils to increase their omega 3 intake. However, feeding a joint diet specifically formulated ensures a more consistent level of omega 3 for your dog. Annoyingly, many omega 3 fatty oils and supplements can also contribute to weight gain, which is something we absolutely do not want for a dog who may already be struggling with their weight control. I advise always speaking to your Vet before starting your dog on an oral supplement to ensure they are beneficial.

Most joint diets also contain glucosamine and chondroitin

These are reported to have a role in improving joint health (Jaswal et al, 2003). Joint diets also have an increased number of antioxidants including Vitamins E and C to help to reduce oxidative stress. However, the clinical impact of these supplements in the diet is poorly understood and probably less significant than we would expect.

Conclusion

In summary, most dog Owners would never have even considered that diet can also support their joints and OA but I hope that this article has persuaded you otherwise. Whilst dietary consideration is important in managing dogs with OA, it is often used alongside other management factors to reduce chronic joint pain in dogs. Medications, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy, joint supplements and controlled exercise are equally as important.  

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