5 Steps to Managing Chronic Dog Conditions

3 mins to read

Having a dog with a chronic condition can be stressful for pet parents. Make sure you get the right diagnosis to help manage your dog's needs with these 5 handy tips!

Joint carePet Health

Having a dog with a chronic condition can be stressful for pet parents.

Common complaints that require long-term management include dog hip dysplasia, dog arthritis, pancreatitis in dogs, dog skin conditions, dog heart conditions and dog anxiety.

Whilst this can be stressful for you and your pet, it is possible to successfully manage these conditions by working closely with your vet to tailor a health care program best suited for your pet.

1. Get the right medical diagnosis

Whilst dogs can suffer from some of the same conditions as humans, for example arthritis or diabetes, it can be difficult to recognise the symptoms unless they are acute. For example, dog arthritis could show up simply as a disinterest in play or walks, while pet parents often assume pancreatitis in dogs is just dog gastro.Atopic dermatitis that leads to skin infection and inflammation may simply present as continual itching.

For any symptom that is acute – which comes on suddenly and is severe; or if a symptom just doesn’t seem to go away, it is important to take your dog to the vet.

A trained animal health professional will be able to perform a physical examination, conduct blood tests or x-rays, and listen to a history of signs the dog is showing to arrive at the right diagnosis.

2. Make any dietary adjustments

A high fat diet or consuming a fatty food once off like a marrow bone, are common causes of pancreatitis in dogs. To prevent future episodes of pancreatitis, your dog will need to follow a low-fat, high quality canine diet.

Dog skin conditions that are linked to food intolerances also require dietary adjustments. This usually involves a feeding trial involving novel protein and carbs that your dog has never had before, and re-challenging them with commonly eaten foods after several weeks.The most common allergens in Australia are beef, chicken and wheat.

However, it is also possible that dog skin conditions are caused by other allergies, not just food. In the case of dog arthritis, working with your vet to develop an anti-inflammatory diet for your dog, that may include natural supplements, is key.

3. Add in helpful supplementation

Some vets recommend digestive enzyme supplements that help reduce the work of the pancreas and inhibit pancreatic secretion to help reduce pancreatitis in dogs.

For dog arthritis, including dog hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis, PAW OsteoAdvanced Chews and other forms of natural pain relief can help your dog get back to some of the things they enjoy like walks in the park or playing with a toy.

Supplements including glucosamine and chondroitin such as PAW Osteocare Joint Protect Chews can help support and protect your canine’s joints by slowing cartilage breakdown and providing building blocks for cartilage repair.

4. Tailor a routine to your pet and their needs

For your peace of mind, and to make it easier to care for a dog with a chronic condition, you may like to write out a care schedule and put it on the fridge. It could include meals, medications, supplements and exercise and you could assign tasks at the same time every day.

Caring for an old dog, or one with a chronic condition, can be stressful for your canine companion and for you so it’s important to find a routine that works.

5. Add in some doggie extras

If you have a canine with dog skin condition, regular shampooing with mild medicated or soothing shampoos such as PAW Mediderm Medicated Shampoo or PAW NutriDerm® Replenishing Shampoo, can help to treat any discomfort such as itching.

If your dog has arthritis, your vet may suggest acupuncture treatment to help keep muscles and joints mobile and reduce pain, while swimming in a heated pool – ‘aquatherapy’ – is available to some dogs and can be a great form of gentle exercise for old joints.

Learning a simple massage technique for your dog can be an effective way to relieve the pain and discomfort of arthritis in dogs and can also be comforting to your canine companion.

Plan for treating your dog to some healing hands-one therapy in the evening when you are both winding down. As dogs get older, it is true that they generally need even more special care and attention. Learn how to keep your dog healthy and identify potential medical issues with this 4 step action plan.