| Does your Dog Show Some or All of These Signs of | | | | for your pet. |
| Joint Pain? | | | | Consult with your veterinarian and get your pet on a |
| 1.Constant licking of joints | | | | balanced diet that will keep him at a proper weight. It |
| 2.Walking much more slowly | | | | might be hard and you might feel you are depriving |
| 3.Reduced muscle tone, or seems thinner | | | | him, but his reduced pain will be your thanks. Exercise |
| 4.Mild swelling or heat in the joints | | | | is Very Important: Your dog's joints are lubricated by |
| 5.Whining or yelping after exertion | | | | fluid. This fluid is held in the joint and squeezed out |
| 6.Reluctance to climb | | | | during movement. This keeps the joint lubricated, and |
| 7.Lethargy | | | | reduces friction. In order to keep the joint moving |
| 8.Decreased appetite | | | | freely, it's necessary for your dog to get plenty of |
| 9.Limping | | | | physical activity. |
| 10.Difficulty or stiffness when getting up or down | | | | Healthy dogs without painful joint problems love to go |
| 11.Rough coat or reduced shininess of coat | | | | for walks with you, but when they are in pain they no |
| You Know When Your Pet is Hurting. Your dog is | | | | longer feel like jumping around. The less they move |
| showing general signs of slowing down, and you don't | | | | around, the stiffer and more painful their joints become. |
| think it's age-related. You're worried, because he can't | | | | It's a vicious cycle that must be broken, as it's very |
| get up and down like he used to, doesn't want to play | | | | important to get your dog moving before their pain |
| anymore, and seems generally lethargic. He gets tired | | | | becomes worse. |
| more easily and has slowed way down, and | | | | Exercise is important for joint health, but it's hard to get |
| sometimes he limps. | | | | your dog to exercise when they are in pain. It's |
| All of these things are signs of arthritis or joint pain. | | | | essential to keep your pet moving because it makes |
| Joint pain can affect dogs of any age, although older | | | | the joints more supple, which in turn reduces pain. |
| dogs, like people, often get arthritis. Your dog is in pain, | | | | Don't Let your Pet Suffer: When your dog has joint |
| and he doesn't feel like doing much of anything | | | | pain or arthritis, incorporating changes into their daily life |
| anymore. What can you do to help your pet? One of | | | | are extremely important. Weight control and plenty of |
| the most important things you can do for the dog with | | | | exercise are important. Though it's often difficult to get |
| joint pain or arthritis is to make sure he is not | | | | your dog exercising and moving more when he has |
| overweight. Being too heavy stresses already | | | | joint pain, it is the best thing that you can do for your |
| weakened joints, causing more deterioration and pain | | | | pet's health. |