Keeping Comfortable with Arthritis- a Whippets Tale

Our 13 year old whippet was diagnosed with arthritis in his hips recently. It has gradually become more noticeable, particularly in cooler and damper weather. Of course we want to help him as much as we can so started to look for ways to help him with his arthritis. Here are the things that we have found keep him comfortable with arthritis so far.

Looking for the signs

As senior dogs cannot verbalise aches and pains it can be hard to really know what is what. The signs of pain we noticed in our whippet was a reluctance to jump or walk, he was slower to get up and lay down, increased barking and whining, and he wanted to be close to us much more than usual. On days when he is feeling very creaky, he will move around the house to where we are constantly to be close for comfort. He also finds it hard to lay in one position for a length of time so will get up and move sleeping positions often. Any change in behaviour is worthy of check up with the vet and we are pleased that we did so we could start to find ways to help him.

What is arthritis?

As in humans, arthritis in dogs refers to a degenerative joint disease where joints are inflamed and therefore stiff, immobile and/ or painful. Arthritis can be caused or worsened by age, being obese, joint trauma or issues- with heavier/ larger dogs having more problems generally.

Nutrition

What a dog eats will directly impact their health so giving them the best possible food is crucial in these senior years- for us this has been a raw diet. There are many excellent supplements available to support the joints of senior dogs. We had to research this extra thoroughly as our boy is pancreatic so we needed a low fat version. Many owners use food types, including turmeric, blueberries and salmon to reduce inflammation too. Our vet was really helpful in recommending supplements. We regularly monitor his weight as carrying extra weight causes a dog many issues in their senior years and definitely make arthritis worse for them.

Adapt walking habits

We were sticklers for two 45 minutes walks daily. We now have to be much more flexible and decide day to day what our whippy can comfortably cope with. Dogs are quite good at telling us! If the brakes go on, we know it needs to be a rest day and just take smaller sniffy walks. Some days he is more lively, but as owners we know that we need to protect him from over doing it so it is about 40 minutes maximum on those occasions. After a more active day, we try and build in a rest day. We have recently invested in a buggy so he can still enjoy being nosey but cover less distance.

Keeping cosy

Whippets love to be warm anyway but being cosy really does help aching limbs so we have invested in some pyjamas and also a heated blanket. This really helps him.

Its all about the bed!

Senior dogs with arthritis need a really good quality bed where they are supported and can get comfy for some good quality sleep. They need to stretch out too. We love the Ralph & Co beds which are great for many reasons;

• Fur lined for super-duper cosiness -whippet heaven!
• High sides on which to rest the long necks
• Eco-friendly filling made from recycled ocean plastics so kind to your dog and the environment
• Most importantly the beds are orthopaedic and really support those long limbs!
• Owner happiness- they are also very good looking beds and look nice in your home

Our whippy sleeps soundly all night in his bed meaning that we also sleep soundly. I can’t recommend these beds highly enough and will just leave an example that any whippet owner will understand- he often chooses his own bed over ours or the sofa! I know that is shocking isn’t it?

Go alternative

Many owners support supplements or medication through alternative health treatments for their dog. This could be hydrotherapy, acupuncture or massage. We have opted for massage and it is really helping our boy. Massage promotes blood flow, soothes aches, and promotes healing. Our boy really loves it and has the most peaceful nights sleep after his treatment.

Be guided by your dog

As their needs change so must our ways of caring for them so I try hard to listen to the subtle signs our dogs give us and adapt as he ages. Recently I have started lifting our arthritic boy upstairs to prevent him climbing and he is letting me do this (he would not before) so I think he finds it helpful. For the future, I have plenty of rugs ready for smooth floors to prevent slipping, and we will invest in ramps for entrance steps etc.