The joint is a marvel of engineering. Each one handles running, jumping, twisting, and turning for a lifetime if not over-stressed or improperly nourished and maintained. The cartilage surface of the joint is super-smooth and the cartilage that covers each end of the bones is spongy to absorb shock. With stress the cartilage may compress and get rough and lose the ability to do its job…absorb shock and provide a gliding surface. Joints help our pets bend and move about quickly and efficiently.
Picture the cartilage cushions of the joint as a waterbed with baffles. Pressure is absorbed and the water filled mattress changes shape and expands, then recoils as the pressure is removed. The cartilage pads act in the same way, until they become compromised by wear and tear and undernourishment.
Obesity in dogs gives the joint a double whammy. Obese dogs are not as active and the joint does not enjoy the bathing of nutrients and the constant expelling of waste products with each step and jump. The water filled cartilage becomes stagnant and leaky; losing its cushioning effect. Without a space and slick surface; friction ruins perfection and degenerative arthritis sets in.
Common commercial diets may not contain the necessary ingredients for optimum joint health. Funny that both dogs and their owners often take supplements for ailing joints. Is it possible that commercial diets don’t supply all that is needed to keep our joints in good repair?
Cartilage and bones are not as much a part of the diet as in the past and the joints may be letting us know that. I crock pot the whole chicken, bones and all for my dogs and cats, until the cooked bones are soft. I also now eat the ends of the chicken bones to help my joints out. I think that decades of prepared diets are wearing on both animals and humans. How do you reverse the damage? Proper nutrition and Dog Dish Diet! If your dog is inactive and is gaining weight or too heavy, it may be headed for surgery or daily pain medication!
