Arthritis: What wet food is best for cats and dogs?
By Corinne Wigfall BVM(Hons) BVS(Hons) MRCVS
Osteoarthritis (or arthritis) affects approximately 80% of dogs over the age of eight, and for cats over twelve, around 90% show signs of arthritis. This means it's a common condition that we need to be aware of as pet parents.
But what is arthritis? Well, it is a painful inflammatory condition of the joints. All breeds and sizes of dogs and cats can be affected, and the signs are not always as clear as you would hope. Therefore it's really important to know the signs of arthritis so you can start treatment as early on as possible to keep your pet pain free.
Signs of arthritis in dogs and cats are:
- Stiffness when moving, especially first thing in the morning
- Not wanting to jump up on the bed or sofa
- Licking at joints
- Restless when sleeping, changing positions often
- Loss of muscle condition
- Sitting down on walks, not wanting to run or play
There are many ways to support a pet diagnosed with arthritis and one of the easiest ways is through diet. Feeding a diet rich in certain types of compounds can help support aching joints and can make your pets senior years so much more comfortable.
So, what are we looking for when considering a diet for the treatment of arthritis?
There are certain compounds that can be hugely helpful in promoting joint health. Having a look at the ingredients list on your pets diet is a key step when considering if your pets diet is adequate in supporting their inflammatory joint disease. We will look at the top five things to look out for when choosing a wet food to support your cat or dog's arthritic condition.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine is a molecule that helps form glycosaminoglycans. These add the cushioning factor to your dogs joints, and aid in cartilage repair. Glucosamine is best supplemented early on in the arthritis diagnosis, as over time, the disease can progress to the point where there is no cartilage left to replace or repair.
There are many ways to supplement glucosamine, for example through supplements or ingredients added to diets. You need to be careful with supplements, as not all supplements can be digested by your dog's system and utilized, for example human glucosamine supplements. Ask your vet for more advice on glucosamine supplements if you are wanting to use these in addition to dietary supplementation.
Dietary ingredients rich in glucosamine include green lipped muscle and shellfish.
Chondroitin
As cats and dogs age, the amount of chondroitin they are naturally able to produce is reduced. So we have to help boost this important molecule through supplementation. Chondroitin is a compound that is used in the maintenance of healthy cartilage, and the earlier you start supplementing, the better results you will see.
Natural food sources that contain high amounts of chondroitin are seafoods such as green lipped muscle and other shellfish.
Weight modulating
Being overweight is one of the worst things for a dog or cat with osteoarthritis. It's been shown that weight loss is one of the best things we can do to help a pet feel less impacted by their symptoms of osteoarthritis.
To help with weight loss look for a pet food that is low in fat and carbohydrates to avoid weight gain.
You should feed a diet type that is high in fibre, water and protein. Fibre and protein will help give your dog or cat that feeling of fullness, so they do not go looking for extra snacks or someone else's dinner. This helps reduce the overall calorie intake during the day, therefore aiding weight loss.
Your cat or dog will need to be fed for their ‘ideal’ weight rather than their current weight to help them lose weight. Your veterinarian will be able to help you work out what your pet's ideal weight is.
Weight loss is a journey which involves commitment and an appreciation of the long term goal, which is improving your pets, mobility, cardiovascular and overall health. It's not uncommon for dogs and cats to only lose a small amount of weight each month, so stick with the diet and you will see the rewards long term in your pets health.
Water
A wet food diet will naturally have a higher water volume present, which is a health benefit when we consider how important water actually is to the functioning of the body systems.
Water is used in the many thousands of chemical reactions occurring daily within the body, and it's known that older or sick pets will have a reduced water intake. By feeding a wet food you naturally boost the volume of water they are consuming, helping to keep these internal chemical processes ticking along as they should be.
Water promotes gut health and prevents constipation, a painful condition that often goes hand in hand with arthritis, as animals do not want to crouch or strain to pass a firm or hard stool. By making sure your pet is properly hydrated and fed a fibre rich diet, you can help avoid constipation and the associated pain.
Omega Oils
Omega oils 3 and 6 are a key ingredient to look out for if you are wanting to help your arthritic pet.
Omega oils have anti-inflammatory properties, and have been shown in studies to help improve pain scores and mobility in pets when fed over a prolonged period of time. They can even help reduce the amount of medication your pet needs to take, which is a huge benefit if they already have other health concerns such as kidney or liver disease.
Not all omega oils are made equal, look for marine or animal sources of Omega Oils, as cats and dogs are more able to utilize these types of omega oils over plant sources.
Examples of food sources rich in omega oils include Green Lipped Mussel and cold water fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel.
Summary
Arthritis affects around 80% of the cat and dog senior population and is a progressive disease that gets worse with time, especially if left untreated.
We know that treating osteoarthritis takes a multimodal approach, from feeding specific diets, supplements, using medications and adapting the home to suit your pets needs better. This can take a lot of dedication from you as a pet owner to make these lifestyle changes for your pet.
Dogs and cats with osteoarthritis can live happy lives if their condition is well managed, with many affected pets reaching old age comfortably with the right support.
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Notes from the team at Zealandia:
Our canned food products contain 95% meat & organs (excluding water sufficient for processing). This is a typical summary of ingredients:
Deboned Meat: ~61.5%
Lamb Organs: ~30% (Liver, Lung, Green Tripe, Heart, Kidney, Plasma)
NZ Green Mussels: ~3%
Dried Yeast: ~3%
Vegetable Gums: ~1% (Guar Gum, Agar Agar)
Salmon Oil: ~0.5%
Vitamins & Minerals: ~1% (Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Choline Chloride, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Glycine Complex, Niacin Supplement, Alpha-Tocopherol Acetate, Sodium Selenite, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Glycine Complex, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin A Acetate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, Cholecalciferol)
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The Zealandia variants most suitable for pets with a history of arthritis is: Salmon (Adult) and Salmon (Kitten/Puppy)
- High Omega3 Content
- Low phosphorus
- Lower protein
- Moderate to high energy
- Low sodium
- High fat
