As we age our joints become a little less flexible and sometimes painful and aching. This is also very true for our dogs and can affect over 50% of dogs aged 7 or more.
Joints and Cartilage
Articulated (or movable) joints are enclosed capsules where two bones meet. To prevent the bones from touching, the ends of each bone are covered in cartilage. The space between the two bones is also filled with fluid and held in by a membrane.
In a healthy dog, the cartilage is pearly white, smooth, soft and flexible, and provides shock absorption during impacts.
Cartilage is a bit like a wall, with “bricks” called collagen and proteoglycan “cemented” together by sulphur-containing substances. As we move through life, this wall is constantly broken down and rebuilt by the body. The problem is that as we age, the rebuilding process becomes much less efficient.
Poor nutrition, ill health, disease, injury and especially old age can all cause the cartilage to become brittle, rough and pitted. This would result in pain and inflammation each time the two come into contact.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Help With Cartilage Synthesis
Good nutrition can help with alleviating joint pain.
Foods such as fish are rich in both glucosamine and chondroitin, which can help the rebuilding process by stimulating the production of the “bricks” and inhibit breakdown of the “cement”.
Also, fish contains a high level of sulphur, which further promotes the “cement” production.
Amino Acids Minimise Joint Pain
To minimise the occurrence of joint discomfort further, it is also important for your dog to have a diet containing balanced amino acids. Fish is particularly suitable for this.
An imbalance in amino acids means that the dog has to modify and then excrete any excess. This process generates the compound ammonia which circulates in the blood until removed by the kidney, after conversion to urea.
If the concentration of blood ammonia is particularly high, or the efficiency of its excretion is reduced due to kidney problems (e.g. in older age), this ammonia can crystalise in and around joints, causing pressure and inflammation.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Alleviate Joint Inflammation and Arthritis
Inflammation is another very important aspect of joint pain in older animals. Apart from friction caused by cartilage damage, infection can also increase inflammation and pressure around the joint.
Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids (DHA, EPA) which are particularly effective at reducing this inflammation.
Additionally, although they are not a cure, they have also been found to be extremely effective at reducing the painful symptoms of conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Hydration to Prevent Mobility Issues
Dehydration can also reduce mobility, as it can cause crystal formation in the joint fluid, which irritates the sensitive membranes that encapsulate the fluids.
Thus, it is important to ensure that your dog is hydrated at all times.
Maintaining Good Nutrition for Better Joint Health
In summary, to ensure our dogs are active and happy well into later life, it is important to provide a diet rich in glucosamine and chondroitin, with a good level of omega-3 oils from fish, and digestible protein with balanced amino acids.
This article was contributed by Fish4Dogs.
