There can be numerous factors contributing to joint issues:
• Cartilage degeneration: A genetic predisposition to malformation of the joints, such as hip dysplasia
• Poor nutrition: High calorie carbohydrate-based diets can cause the body to grow faster than the cartilage does, inducing cartilage deficits
• Obesity: Being overweight can cause stress on joints
• Autoimmune diseases: The pet’s body attacks its own joints
• Infectious diseases: Bacterial infections in the joints can trigger degeneration, as well as tick borne infections that spread to the joints
• Trauma (known or unknown)
Warning signs in animals
• Difficulty standing from a sitting or lying position. Moving slowly or stiffly
• Shying away, whimpering or crying out when touched
• Sleeping more than usual or seeming less “with it”
• Weight gain from a decrease in daily physical activity such as grooming in the case of cats
• Favoring a limb
• Reluctance to jump, run or climb stairs
• Eliminating outside the litter box or no longer covering his urine or feces
• Muscle wasting in the legs
Adding supplements to your pet’s diet can provide the raw materials for joint support and maintenance