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By Judyvein Cheng, CPCN, BRNC
Certified pet nutritionist in Singapore
QUICK ANSWER
Arthritis isn't only about the joints. Strong, healthy muscles carry much of the body's weight and protect the joints from wear and tear. Supporting your pet's muscles with the right nutrients, movement and rest is one of the best ways to help prevent, and even improve, arthritis.
When our pets struggle with stiff joints, inflammation or pain, we want to help. The good news is there's a lot we can do naturally, and it starts with looking beyond the joints.
The bird's eye view
Your pet's body is a network of muscles, connective tissue, joints and bones, all working together for movement. Muscles create movement by contracting. When muscles are weak or unhealthy, the joints take more of the load, which leads to earlier wear, inflammation and arthritis.
How the body supports joints, spine and bones
Connective tissue wraps around and binds muscle fibres together. It's made of collagen, which resists pulling forces but has limited stretch. Without it, muscles would lose their strength and the body would lose its support.
Skeletal muscles move the bones by contracting, using two proteins, actin and myosin, that slide past each other. Muscles work in opposing pairs to raise, lower and bend the limbs, and they hold your pet's posture. Most importantly, muscles share the body's weight, so the joints and bones don't carry it alone. Weak muscles mean more stress on the joints, and that can lead to arthritis. The good news: muscle can be built and toned with regular exercise.
What else muscles do
Eating and swallowing
Muscles help with swallowing and moving food through the body.
Body temperature
Muscle contraction produces heat. Shivering is rapid muscle contraction that warms the body up.
Sphincters
Rings of muscle at the openings of the digestive and urinary tracts let your pet control when they poop and pee. Weaker urethral sphincter tone is linked to spay incontinence and leaking with age. Read more in UTIs in dogs and cats.
Keeping a stable internal environment, especially body temperature, is called homeostasis, and muscles play a big part in it. The heart is a muscle too, though a different type from skeletal muscle. And it's the brain that sends the nerve signals that tell the limb muscles when to move.
Nutrients that support muscles and joints
Vitamin C
Dogs and cats make their own, but they can run short when the immune system is under strain from vaccines, stress, injury or poor gut flora. Sources include raw meat, Swiss chard and spinach. A complete raw meat diet gives cats enough.
Vitamin B
Eggs, lean meats, legumes, nuts and leafy greens.
Vitamin D
Beef liver, wild salmon, raw milk and egg yolks. Unlike us, dogs and cats can't make vitamin D from sunlight, so it has to come from food.
Vitamin E
Sunflower seeds, spinach, avocado flesh only (no skin, pit or leaves), squash, trout, shrimp, olive oil, hemp seed oil and broccoli. A few raw soaked almonds make a treat, but they're high in fat and hard to digest, so skip them for pets with pancreas issues or sensitive tummies.
Omega-3s and amino acids
Whole fish, or phytoplankton, the tiny ocean plants at the base of the food chain, rich in essential amino acids. Try Phyto Synergy.
Calcium
Raw milk, digestible bone, and chicken or turkey necks. Read more in raw bones for dogs and cats. Or try Animal Essentials Seaweed Calcium or Four Leaf Rover Better Bones.
Magnesium
Swiss chard, spinach and almonds.
Quality protein
Muscle meat, heart and similar tissues. In Chinese medicine, you "feed what you're trying to support".
Collagen
Bone broth is easy and inexpensive to make, and phytoplankton contains a plant-based collagen too. Cats love it. Or try Four Leaf Rover Collagen.
DMG (N-dimethylglycine)
Supports muscle health and can help dogs with arthritis, including joint pain, muscle fatigue, stiffness and lactic acid build-up.
Choose organic produce whenever possible, and gently cook and purée vegetables so your pet can absorb the nutrients.
Calcium and magnesium work together. Each helps the other absorb, and too much or too little of either can cause symptoms that look just like arthritis. Often the real issue is a deficiency of one or both.
The best way to know is to test. A Dr Ava Frick HTMA (hair tissue mineral analysis) shows your pet's mineral balance, so you can adjust their diet and supplements based on real results.
FROM MY EXPERIENCE
When BeanBean came home, her joints were so weak she couldn't stand for long. Her HTMA later showed she was lacking minerals that weren't supporting her joints well, and adjusting her diet and supplements made a real difference. I shared her full story in coconut oil for arthritis.
Rest and recovery
Movement is essential, but so is rest. Muscles need time to recover after exercise. Massage, chiropractic care and acupuncture can all help. Julie Anne Lee, homeopath and founder of Adored Beast Apothecary, also recommends homeopathic arnica after heavy exercise, and Bio 12 tissue salts to support electrolyte balance.
Joint support we carry
Homeopathic
Adored Beast Jump for Joynts offers "four-way" support for joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles. Also Dr Goodpet Arthritis Relief.
Herbal and TCM
Gold Standard Herbs Lumbrex and Voltrex, Glacier Peak Inflapotion and HerbAprin (dogs only), and Animal Essentials Joint Support.
Joint and cartilage
Dr Judy Morgan LIFE Deer Antler Velvet, Senior Formula and PEA, Four Leaf Rover Hip & Joint, and CocoTherapy Coco-Gold Turmeric Paste.
See the full range in our joint and mobility collection.
Healthy muscles and joints are vital for your pet's overall health. So get out there and play with your pet!
Frequently asked questions
Can arthritis be prevented?
Not always, but keeping your pet at a healthy weight, building muscle with regular exercise and feeding a nutrient-rich diet all help. Read more in helping your dog reach a healthy weight.
Is arthritis only in older pets?
No. Weak muscles, injury, excess weight or mineral imbalances can lead to joint problems at any age.
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This article is for educational purposes and isn't a substitute for veterinary care. If you're concerned about your pet's health, please seek professional advice.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Judyvein Cheng, CPCN, BRNC
Judyvein is a Certified Professional Canine Nutritionist and Certified Raw Nutrition Coach for Cats & Dogs, and the founder of JOOF Holistic Pet. Her journey began with her Frenchie, Wangcai, and today she helps pet parents in Singapore take a root-cause approach to their pets' health.
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