What Should Dogs with Arthritis Eat?
A dog’s diet is sort of like a human diet. They need specific ingredients and nutrients to work hard at keeping them as healthy as possible. For a dog with arthritis, they need specific support to keep them and most importantly, their joints feeling good.
It can be difficult to figure it all out, but don’t sweat it – we’ve got you. We’re running through the best diet for dogs with arthritis. Just scroll to learn all about it...
How Diet Affects Arthritis in Dogs
As dog owners, it’s important to know that one of the biggest factors you have control of when it comes to your arthritic dog’s health, is their diet. But, how can a diet for dogs with arthritis make such a difference? Let’s get into it…
The link between inflammation and dog arthritis
Arthritis as a condition is triggered by something, whether it be natural ‘wear and tear’ from aging, a genetic predisposition, like hip dysplasia or a secondary factor, like obesity. When cartilage in the joint breaks down, the overall state of the joint tends to get worse and feel painful.
So, how does the inflammation start? Well, it all starts when cartilage (the connective tissue on bones that act as ‘shock absorbers’ from impact) breaks down. Once it’s broken down enough, the dog's body recognises this as an issue that’s causing damage. The inflammatory response starts by releasing pro-inflammatory chemicals, called cytokines.
Although they’re sent to help with inflammation, they actually tend to do the opposite, attacking the healthy cartilage. The more cartilage is destroyed, the more the body tries to combat this by releasing more cytokines – and the cycle continues.
This is essentially how inflammation is caused and continues in dogs with arthritis.
Can diet really reduce arthritis pain in dogs?
If you’re looking for a short answer, yes. In general, diet can contribute to a much lower level of pain. How? If their diet and therefore, their weight, is properly maintained, it puts less pressure on their joints, which leads to less inflammation.
But, it’s important to remember that this doesn’t mean it helps re-build lost cartilage. Cartilage that has broken down can’t be re-built.
Why weight management matters for arthritic dogs
Managing a dog’s weight can make a huge difference for dogs with arthritis. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, weight loss of 6–9% can significantly reduce lameness and chronic pain in dogs with arthritis. That’s huge.
When dogs move, they don’t just carry the physical weight, but thanks to gravity, they carry an additional force, too. That’s a lot of pressure on their joints. So, it’s usually recommended to keep your dog at a lean weight that’s right for their age and breed, to try and avoid any further pressure and pain.
Sometimes, when a dog has arthritis, they’re less likely to move, because it’s so painful. Usually, when they move less, they’re more likely to lose muscle mass. To compensate for this, the joint then takes on more pressure. So, it’s important to keep the composition of the muscles right, which the best diet for dogs with arthritis helps out with.
Key Nutrients for Dogs with Arthritis
There are a few essential foods that really help create a great diet for dogs with arthritis. When looking at what the best diet for dogs with arthritis should look like, try to incorporate these into their daily feeding.
Omega-3 fatty acids
These are an all-rounder nutrient, known for their anti-inflammatory properties. Often sourced from fish oil, algae oil or green lipped mussels, they usually contain two important key molecules that target different things.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) is known for blocking the enzyme that causes joint inflammation and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is known for supporting brain and eye health.
Remember, a good quality Omega-3 tends to smell like the sea, but not too ‘fishy’ or rotten.
High quality protein for muscle support
Dogs need strong muscles, just like we do. A great quality protein, like whole eggs, wild-caught fish, lean chicken, lean turkey or beef liver, helps to support muscle protein synthesis for the muscle itself, as well as the ligaments and tendons. So, overall, a dog’s joints are much more stable when their muscles are properly maintained.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Get to know these two nutrients – they’re two of the most effective ingredients for supporting a dog’s joints. They make solid additions to a diet for dogs with arthritis.
Glucosamine is an ingredient that is naturally occurring in the body, but can also be found in chicken feet, green lipped mussels, shellfish shells and bone broth. Glucosamine helps support cartilage health and maintains the integrity of synovial fluid. This all tends to result in better mobility and reduced stiffness.
Chondroitin is commonly found in red meat, but it’s also made naturally in the body. This tends to help stimulate collagen and hyaluronic acid production, which helps maintain overall joint health.
Antioxidants and vitamins
In a joint, antioxidants, like Selenium, are known to keep striking a balance between cell damage and cell repair. At a cellular level, antioxidants donate an electron to the harmful free radicals that can cause damage to the lining and liquid in the joint.
There are a lot of vitamins that a dog’s joint benefits from, including vitamin E, C and D. They all provide different benefits and help the joint in different ways, but all contribute to overall joint health.
For example, vitamin C helps with collagen synthesis and vitamin D helps support overall bone health. Together, foods that contain antioxidants and vitamins contribute to a great diet for dogs with arthritis.
Fiber for healthy digestion and weight control
The best diet for dogs with arthritis includes fiber. Adding fiber in a dog’s diet is incredibly helpful in a few key ways. First of all, it gives them a sense of fullness, which means they’re ultimately not over-eating and carrying any extra weight as a result.
Fiber also helps support the gut and its digestive processes. And, as we know, a dog’s gut is super important, because such a big part of their immunity is located here. So, when you add fiber, this creates a diet for dogs with arthritis that really makes an impact.
A common trick that dog owners can sometimes use is replacing a portion of their kibble with steamed or canned, unsalted green beans – which are high in fiber.
Ingredients to Look for in a Diet for Dogs with Arthritis
When it comes to a great dog diet, there are a few ingredients that you really want to try and include. Let’s get into it…
Anti-inflammatory ingredients in a diet for dogs with arthritis
These are super important, because the less inflammation a dog has, the better their overall health. Great examples of anti-inflammtory ingredients are:
Marine-based Omega-3s
These are the gold standard in anti-inflammatory ingredients.
Sources include: Wild-caught sardines, anchovies, salmon oil and green lipped mussels.
Curcumin (a compound found in Turmeric)
Known for its natural anti-inflammatory properties.
Sources include: Fresh or powdered turmeric.
Ginger
Great for supporting good circulation.
Sources include: Fresh ginger.
Berries
Known for their antioxidant properties.
Sources include: Blueberries, raspberries and blackberries.
Bone Broth
Known to help with repair.
Sources include: Freshly made, salt-free and simmered for 24 hours bone broth.
Joint-supporting additives in a diet for dogs with arthritis
These ingredients tend to be experts in joint repair. Great examples are:
MSM (Methylsulfonylmethane)
A naturally-occurring sulfur compound.
Sources include: plants, chemically-synthesized versions or in foods, like tomatoes.
Green-Lipped Mussels
Tends to contain a concentrated amount of helpful joint ingredients; Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Eicosatetraenoic Acid (ETA).
Sources include: Fresh green-lipped mussels.
Hyaluronic Acid
Helps support healthy synovial fluid in the joint.
Sources include: Bone broth, some animal tissues and vegetables.
Boswellia Serrata (Indian Frankincense)
A plant resin used that’s known for its antioxidant properties.
Sources include: The plant, Boswellia Serrata.
Healthy fats and oils in a diet for dogs with arthritis
A healthy fat helps to support inflammation, energy and muscle mass – key areas in joint health. Great examples are:
Marine Oils
Packed with Omega-3 Fatty Acids, these are a common healthy fat and oil to consider adding to their diet.
Sources include: Wild-caught salmon, anchovy oil, sardine oil and algae oil.
Coconut Oil or Medium-Chain Triglyceride (MCT)
Great for contributing to overall energy levels.
Sources include: Virgin coconut oil.
Hemp Seed Oil
Contains a compound called Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) that’s great for joint health.
Sources include: Cold-pressed hemp seed oil.
Supplements That Compliment a Diet for Dogs with Arthritis
There are some ways to support your dog’s diet that are easier to implement than others. One of these ways are supplements for dogs. Let’s take a closer look at what to include…
Fish oil and Omega-3 supplements to support a diet for dogs with arthritis
When it comes to Omega-3 supplements, you’ll want to try and aim for supplements that contain both Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EHA) and Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA).
The type of fish oil you’ll tend to find in the supplement aisles are small oily fish, including sardines, anchovies and mackerel, green-lipped mussels, algae oil and krill oil.
Joint supplements to support a diet for dogs with arthritis
These supplements are specialists in joint care, helping with overall care, vitality and maintaining the integrity of the joint. Try to look for supplements that include the ingredients glucosamine, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and green-lipped mussels.
Anti-inflammatory natural additions to support a diet for dogs with arthritis
There are some more natural ways that you can look to lower your dog’s inflammation. Look into turmeric (which contains the compound Curcumin), ginger, blueberries, fresh parsley and celery.
When to add supplements vs change food
Knowing when to just add a supplement or change their diet is tricky, because it depends on a few factors, like your dog’s weight, what they’re struggling with and what they’re currently consuming.
If a dog is at an early stage in arthritis or tends to need a little more support with their joints due to a past injury or due to their genetics, just adding a supplement to an already good diet works.
If your dog is overweight and maybe struggling with a condition like arthritis, then it may be best to re-evaluate what their food intake is, how much they’re consuming and look to amend or adjust their food. It may be too calorie-dense and they may not be moving as much as they need to.
In any case, it’s best to consult your vet for the best approach for your dog.
FAQs
What foods are good for dogs with arthritis?
In general, you’ll want to look into foods that are anti-inflammatory and contain all of the beneficial ingredients for them that cover all the basics of dog health; gut, brain, skin, coat, energy and overall support. This can be found in both food and some dog supplements. Of course, dog food comes in different formats – dry, wet, semi-moist, canned, cooked and raw. There's no one correct option here. It's more important to maintain a balance between the different types.
Key foods include; sardines, anchovies, green-lipped mussels, wild-caught salmon, blueberries, broccoli and cauliflower, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, celery, turmeric, ginger and bone broth.
What foods should dogs with arthritis avoid?
While it’s super important to be thinking about what to include in their diet, it’s also important to know which food to avoid in a diet for dogs with arthritis.
Try to avoid refined grains, because they’re considered high-glycemic carbohydrates and aren’t the wisest of options. Examples of these grains include; corn, white rice, wheat and soy.
Omega-6 heavy oils are also a good food to avoid, because they can affect the good work Omega-3s do when it comes to helping inflammation. Examples include; Corn oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil and vegetable oils.
Some dogs are super sensitive, so it can be beneficial to avoid foods that are considered ‘nightshade’ foods. These include; white potatoes, eggplants, tomatoes and peppers.
Highly processed sugars, like high-fructose corn syrup, molasses and cane sugar are good to avoid, due to their inflammatory nature.
Anything with excess salt or preservatives, are also good to avoid. A key example is canned food with high sodium content and chemical preservatives.
What is the best anti-inflammatory food for dogs?
Small, oily fish tend to rank as number in this category for the best anti-inflammatory food for dogs. Foods like sardines and anchovies are up there are the first choices. They contain the two compounds that are super important for helping with inflammation; EPA and DHA.
The second best example of this food is Green-Lipped Mussels. These New Zealand-based shellfish naturally contain Glucosamine and Chondroitin – the two ingredients that are great at supporting overall joint health.
Next up? Turmeric (mainly thanks to the compound, Curcumin), blueberries, ginger and bone broth. All of these provide great anti-inflammatory support.
What is the best thing to give my dog for arthritis?
Nowadays, most vets tend to take a broader approach. This means that there may usually be more than one way that they look to help your dog with arthritis. We’ll run through the basics, but make sure to reach out to your vet for a confirmed solution.
First up, it’s important to make sure your dog’s weight is lean. Not overweight, not underweight. This can be maintained through a great diet, including the right antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, lean protein and vegetables. But, it's also great to have a balance of exercise, movement and support from other methods, like joint supplements.
It all depends on the severity of your dog’s arthritis, but some dogs have the option to take stronger pain medication and even surgeries or injections of a specific substance that helps their pain.
What are the best nutrients for dogs with arthritis?
- Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation – the best diet for dogs with arthritis contain these as a bare minimum
- High quality protein helps to support muscle and joint health
- Glucosamine and Chondroitin help to protect and maintain joint cartilage
- Antioxidants help to reduce joint damage
- Fiber helps to support a healthy weight
To Sum Up
Knowing what to actually feed your dog and the supporting options, like supplements available for your dog, are super important for any dog – but especially dogs struggling with conditions like arthritis.
From the specific ingredients to research and look out for in supermarket aisles to the supplements that you’ll want to try and add into their daily routine, we’ve run through the best diet for dogs with arthritis. Healthier diet, healthier dog.
