Like usdog owners, our dogs can experience pain for a variety of reasons. Trauma, illness, infection, allergies, and chronic conditions can all cause discomfort in adog's body. A dog can also experience headaches, ear aches, stomach aches, and all the other pains you might feel. When our pets feel these aches and pains, there are two ways we pet parents can help: prescriptionpain relief and natural pain relief for dogs.
Typically, prescriptionpain relievers work better to treat severe pain andshort-term trauma. Naturalpain relievers tend to work better for lower levels of pain or long-termpain management. The two often work best when used simultaneously — especially for serious chronic conditions likeosteoarthritis.
Here's a look at the best practices for managing pain in dogs, plusnatural remedies you can try at home.
Pain Management for Dogs
To treat pain in dogs, we first need to diagnose its underlying cause. For example, if your dog is in pain because of a tooth infection, you'll need to take your dog to the vet so yourDVM can take X-rays and remove the infected teeth.
If, on the other hand, your pet is experiencingjoint pain caused bydog arthritis, you'll need to come up with a long-term plan to protect your pet's joints from further damage. In either case, both the condition and the treatment can be painful. So, your vet will work with you to manage your dog's pain.
Veterinarians often provide prescriptionnon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat pain.NSAIDs are the same kind of drug as our over-the-counter pain medications, likeibuprofen andacetaminophen.
However, you should never share humanNSAIDs with your dog. Some human medications are toxic to dogs, and because dogs metabolize medicine differently, their dosing needs will be very different from ours. Giving your dog the wrong dose ofpain medication can lead to toxicity and even death.
Only give your dogpain medication prescribed by your vet, and always follow your veterinarian's instructions. Common prescriptionpain medications for dogs include:
- Carprofen (brand name Rimadyl)
- Firocoxib (brand name PREVICOX)
- Meloxicam (brand name METACAM)
- Deracoxib (brand name Deramaxx)
While these medications are well-tested and generally considered safe, they come with a variety ofpotential side effects, including seriousside effects like gastrointestinal ulcers, liver toxicity, and kidneytoxicity. If you're giving your pet prescriptionNSAIDs, work closely with yourDVM. If your dog develops diarrhea, vomiting, or bloody or tarry stool, notify your vet immediately.
If you would prefer to useNSAIDs as a last resort or want to trynatural remedies alongside your dog's prescriptionNSAIDs, talk to your veterinarian about how one of the following holistic therapies could work with your dog'streatment plan.
Natural Pain Relief for Dogs
Your family vet or aqualifiedholistic veterinarian can help you determine the bestnatural pain relief for your dog's specific situation. ADVM can also make sure that thenatural remedy you choose won't interact with any of your dog's current medications.
As you start usingnatural pain relief for dogs, we recommend introducing each remedy one-by-one. If you add multiple holistic therapies at the same time, you won't know which one is providing benefits or causingside effects.
Try one remedy for a month and watch for improvements to your dog's energy level, activity level, and mood. Also watch forside effects like upset stomach or skin allergies. If a remedy is causingside-effects, you can remove it, wait a few days for theside effects to subside, then try the next therapy. If a remedy is providing benefits after one month, you can continue with that therapy and add on a second one to see if it offers even more benefits.
Continue to test each remedy in this way until you've determined the best mix of therapies for your dog. Check with your vet about the best combination of natural pain relief methods.
Hot and Cold Therapy
If your dog has an injury or suffers fromjoint pain in a specific joint, you can apply a heat pack or ice pack to helpease the pain. Apply a heat pack for up to 20 minutes at a time to relieve pain caused by chronic conditions likehip dysplasia orarthritis pain. Apply an ice pack for up to 10 minutes at a time to alleviate pain fromshort-term injuries like if your dog gets hurt playing or is recovering from surgery.
This is one of our favorite remedies because it has virtually noside effects and effectively relieves inflammation.
Ginger
This spice is a holistic powerhouse. Ginger is often used to treat upset stomachs in both humans and animals, butscientific research shows it can also help alleviate pain, including the pain caused byosteoarthritis.Ginger is rich inantioxidants, which help reduce inflammation — the culprit behind acute andchronic pain.
Try grating a little freshginger over yourdog's food so they can reap the benefits. Start with a small amount to help your dog's taste buds and GI tract acclimate to this spice.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a close relative ofginger. It's rich in a biochemical calledcurcumin, which offersnatural anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, in two separate studies,turmeric relieved pain more effectively than eitheribuprofen oracetaminophen.
To prepareturmeric for dogs, mix it with a healthy fat — like olive oil orfish oil — and a tiny pinch of black pepper. This will make it easier for yourdog's body to absorb all the benefits ofturmeric. Feed your dog 1/4 to one teaspoon of the mixture with each meal (1/4 teaspoon for small dogs, 1/2 teaspoon for medium, and 1 teaspoon for large dogs).
You can also add turmeric to your dog's diet by giving them Native Pet's Relief Chews daily.
Boswellia
Boswellia extract comes from the IndianBoswellia serrata tree. You're likely familiar with this extract — it's often sold under the name frankincense and is a common ingredient in lotions, perfumes, and candles.
In astudy on 29 dogs with joint disease,Boswellia extract significantly improved pain markers like activity level. To try this remedy for your dog, look forBoswellia in all-natural pet supplements. Follow the product’s directions when giving the supplement to your dog.
Devil's Claw
Native to South Africa,devil's claw is a flowering plant that's been used for centuries as a traditional herbal pain remedy. Instudies ondevil's claw, it appears to reduce pain more than a placebo, but all the studies done on the supplement have been low-quality. So, right now, there's not enough evidence to say for sure that it's effective.
It is safe for dogs, but it's much easier to find this supplement for horses than for our canine companions. If you want to try devil's claw for dogs, ask your veterinarian for dosing guidance.
CBD Oil
CBD oil comes from the hemp plant — the same plant that produces marijuana. However,CBD oil doesn't contain THC, the chemical that causes marijuana's psychological effects or the feeling of being high.THC is toxic to pets. It can cause seizures and lead to a coma. Never give your dog marijuana or human hemp products. Stick to CBD products that are specifically formulated for dogs.
In astudy onCBD oil in dogs withosteoarthritis, dogs showed significant pain reduction with no reportedside effects.
Acupuncture
This practice comes from traditional Chinese medicine and involves inserting long, thin needles into the skin and leaving them for a set amount of time. In recent decades, western studies have proven the efficacy ofacupuncture.
The process reduces pain by stimulating the nervous system — and it's a pain-free process itself. The needles used are so thin your dog won't feel them as they enter the skin. Someholistic veterinarians have begun offeringacupuncture for dogs. If your current vet doesn't offer the therapy, they may be able to refer you to a canine acupuncturist.
Natural Pain Prevention for Dogs
As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. While manyolder dogs will experiencejoint pain and begin to slow down, there arenatural ways to protect yourdog's joints. This can help dogs stay active for as long as possible.
Fish Oil
Fish oil made from wild-caught cold-water fish like pollock and salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
Many of the common ingredients in dogjoint supplements — likeglucosamine,chondroitin, andMSM — still don't have enough scientific evidence to prove they effectively protect the joints and prevent joint pain. But, in areview of studies onnatural remedies forosteoarthritis, significant evidence showedomega-3 fatty acid helps protect the joints and prevent pain.
You can add omega-3s to yourdog's food with anomega oil supplement.
Green-Lipped Mussels
This all-natural ingredient contains three different nutrients that could protect the joints — it's rich in those well-researched Omega-3s, and it containsglucosamine andchondroitin, which are still being researched as a potential form of joint support.
In ameta-analysis of clinical trials on canineosteoarthritis, green-lipped mussels showed promise for easing arthritis symptoms. You can add this powerful protein to your dog's diet with Native Pet's Relief Chewsthat features green-lipped mussels as the first ingredient.
Diet
While there's still debate about the healthiest food to feed our dogs, there's one thing all veterinarians agree on: Overfeeding is extremely bad for pet health.Obesity in dogs can lead tojoint pain and a variety of other chronic conditions including heart disease, diabetes, and chronic inflammation — all of which cause pain.
Ensure that your dog maintains ahealthybody weight — follow the feeding guidelines on your pet's food and keep treats to less than 10% of their total calorie consumption. If your dog is currently overweight, work with your vet to develop a weight loss plan.
Exercise
Low-impact exercise like walking and swimming will help maintain your pet'sjoint health and overallwellness — preventing many of the chronic conditions that cause pain.
Even if your dog is already experiencing health issues, try to incorporate a small amount of low-impact activity each day, and talk to your vet about physical therapy exercises that can help restore some of your pet's mobility.
Natural Pain Relief to Nurture Your Dog
Natural pain relief for dogs can be an important part of theirwellness plan. If your dog is experiencing pain, talk to your vet about the bestnatural remedies for relief. From herbal remedies, likeginger,turmeric,boswellia, anddevil's claw, to holistic therapies like hot and cold therapy andacupuncture, there are more options for your pet than justNSAIDs. And many of these therapies can be used alongsidepain medication to provide additional relief.
Of course, one of the best ways to manage pain is to prevent it. Ensure your dog maintains a healthybody weight with diet and exercise. Support their well-being with proven supplements likeomega-3 fatty acids fromfish oil and green-lipped mussels from anall-natural Hip + Joint supplement.
To learn more about your dog's health and wellness, visit theNative Pet blog.
