Arthritis Diet for Dogs

Arthritis is common in large breed dogs and elderly dogs. You can relieve some of your dog's discomfort by making sure he gets some daily activity and by feeding him a diet designed for arthritis relief.

  1. General Diet Guides

    • You need to keep your dog from becoming overweight or reduce his weight if he is carrying extra pounds that are adding to his arthritis pain. You can buy adult dog foods with reduced calories. You can also buy adult dog foods with added supplements which relieve arthritis pain such as glucosamine chondroitin, omega-3 fish oils, and creatine. Another aspect to consider when buying dog food is the amount of protein versus the amount of carbohydrates. Many dog foods use a lot of fillers to make up the bulk of the food. Check the ingredients on your dog's food to ensure you are buying him a food with more protein and less fillers to help keep his weight healthy.

    Raw diet information

    • To keep your dog at her healthiest, you may consider taking her off of commercial dog foods and feeding her a more natural raw diet of meats, vegetables and bones. These diets are based around the foods dogs would eat in the wild and are meant to combat the fillers and additives commonly found in commercial dog foods, thereby ensuring your dog does not become overweight or develop further food-related health problems. For additional arthritis relief, include glucosamine chondroitin, omega-3 fish oil and cartilage--all of which can be found in supplement form.