Hip and Joint Supplement for Dogs: Will Your Dog Benefit From Taking It?

Dogs tend to be playful, which can be one indication that they are healthy and living good quality of life. However, this playfulness may be cut short because of some conditions that they may develop at some point in their lives. Some of the conditions that commonly affect them are those that involve their hips and joints such as hip dysplasia and dog arthritis, although there are some breeds that are more likely to develop these conditions. Dog owners like you may resort to using a hip and joint supplement for dogs to help protect their pets from developing these conditions. But, will your dog really benefit from taking it?

Your dog may greatly benefit from taking a hip and joint supplement for dogs if he belongs to one of the large dog breeds such as Saint Bernard, Labrador Retriever, Great Dane, and German Shepherd. These breeds are known to be more likely to develop hip dysplasia, a condition characterized by the abnormal growth of the hip-joint. This may cause intense pain in your pet, negatively affecting his quality of life. Giving a hip and joint supplement may reduce the severity or the symptoms of the condition because the supplement is generally made of compounds that help protect their joints and connective tissues from damage. These compounds include glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.

Furthermore, the supplement may be very beneficial for your dog if he is suffering from dog arthritis. Although it is not a cure for the debilitating disease, it may provide pain relief for the disease. Glucosamine, one of the compounds it usually contains, provides lubrication for the joints and has shock absorption properties, helping ease the pain your arthritic dog may be suffering from.

When choosing a hip and joint supplement for your dog, make sure that it is something that your dog will easily take, though. Generally, dogs tend to have an aversion to anything that looks like a medicine. As such, giving them a supplement that comes in chicken-flavored chewable tablets may make them enjoy taking it. As a result, you will not have to employ different tricks just to get them to take it.

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