When it comes to your pet longevity, maintaining joint health in pets is going to make life much easier down the road as your pet ages.

Signs of Joint Issues in Pets

Have you noticed your pets are doing less, or having difficulty with everyday activities? Examples are: problems getting on a couch, going up the stairs, or jumping easily into your car. With more athletic breeds, maybe they aren’t running as long, or don’t want to participate in play. Beyond the aforementioned early signs of joint problems, there are more overt signs such as holding a limb up or holding the limb funny. Rarely do pets show obvious signs of joint pain, it’s a slower process to obvious pain issues. This is why many pet owners opt for preventative care when it comes to their beloved pet’s joints.

Dog Breeds Prone to Poor Joint Health

In general, larger size and weight predisposes joint strain – making larger and overweight dogs prone to both developmental and degenerative joint issues. That’s another great reason to keep your pet at a healthy weight for their particular breed.

There are, indeed, specific breeds that tend to have more joint related problems:

• Newfoundlands have the highest prevalence of cruciate ligament disease of all dog breeds.
• Rottweilers have more knee and ankle issues than other breeds.
• Bernese Mountain dogs are prone to elbow dysplasia.
• Dachshunds are quick to develop joint problems in their back due to their long, low torsos.
• German Shepherds are predisposed to hip dysplasia, as well as other joint issues such as arthritis.
• Labradors are prone to obesity, which will intensity the stress on joints.
• Great Danes have prone to hip and/or elbow dysplasia and arthritis due to their huge frames and fast growth.
• Saint Bernards also have hip and elbow dysplasia issues due to their huge, fast growing bodies.
• Old English Sheepdogs are prone to hip dysplasia.
• The Mastiff is another breed that is prone to hip and/or elbow dysplasia.

How to Prevent Poor Joint Health in Pets

If your dog is on the above list or showing signs of poor joint health, there are preventative steps you can take.

Many veterinarians recommend supplementing with glucosamine, MSM, and chondroitin when a dog is as young as one year old (or at the time when they stop growing). Another holistic option is supplementing with fish oils and/or green-lipped mussels, which are anti-inflammatory and generally have fewer side effects than medications. A 2013 study found increased concentrations of plasma omega-3 fatty acids and improvement of peak vertical force in dogs fed a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel.

If you’re looking for a good supplement, check out our CannaNatural which contains joint supporting ingredients such as green-lipped mussels, as does our CannaCrush and CannaCrush Immune Supporter. All Healthy Hemp Pet Company products contain organic hemp, which helps with pain and inflammation, making our products perfect for current joint pain or preventative joint care.

**Article Cited: Rialland P, Bichot S, Lussier B, et al. Effect of a diet enriched with green-lipped mussel on pain behavior and functioning in dogs with clinical osteoarthritis. Can J Vet Res 2013;77(1):66-74. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3525174/

Does your pet have allergies? This is a topic we get asked about a lot. Yes, just like people, pets can suffer from allergies. There are three main types of allergies that can affect cats and dogs: food allergies, allergies to flea bites, and environmental allergies.

If your pet seems especially itchy, you may wonder whether (s)he’s suffering from allergies. There are additional signs to watch for, but scratching is the most common. The other signs of allergies in pets include:

• Compulsive paw licking is a common sign of allergies in dogs.
• Scratching and biting themselves to relieve itching can indicate allergies in pets.
• Rear scooting or licking the anal region is a symptom of histamine reaction in dogs.
• Skin infections are a serious sign and side effect of allergies, related to chronic scratching.
• Hair loss and increased shedding is a common sign of allergies in both cats and dogs.
• Pet dandruff is a common sign, since allergies severely dry the skin out in pets.
• Respiratory issues in cats are a sign of allergies. Cats are far more sensitive than dogs to environmental pollutants and poor air quality.
• Ear infections, particularly in dog breeds who have floppy ears such as hounds and cocker spaniels. The common sign is excessive head shaking and red, waxy ears.

Environmental allergies can be provoked by outdoor allergens such as grass or pollen or indoor ones like mold, dust mites or fabrics. Environmental allergies can be genetically inherited, and some dog breeds are more prone to allergies such as germen shepherds, cocker spaniels, bichon fries, golden retrievers, and labradors.

Limiting (and if possible preventing) exposure to pet allergens is key to managing allergies. Prescribed antihistamines and/or corticosteroids often help control symptoms, while specialty shampoos or other topical therapies minimize your pet’s itchiness and may reduce excessive scratching.

An at home allergy treatment that’s getting more attention recently is PCR hemp oil for treatment of allergies in pets. PCR hemp oil may reduce allergic reactions throughout the entire body, calms anxiety and reduces your pet’s need to chew and lick. As an anti-inflammatory, PCR hemp oil may also relieve systemic inflammation that causes hives, blisters, and whole-body itching in pets. Our CannaBalm is an all-natural salve that may soothe skin from rashes and ease allergy related discomfort. We’ve had customers report great success treating pet allergies with our CannaNatural and CannaDrops, which are a biscuit and liquid formulation. All our Healthy Hemp Pet Company products contain PCR hemp oil and other natural ingredients.

While allergies cannot be cured, there are many ways to help manage them to keep your pet more comfortable. If symptoms persist, consider a trip to your veterinarian for testing and a more serious treatment plan.