askHELTIE HELTIEdog® Five tips to support your ageing dog’s mobility

Five tips to support your ageing dog’s mobility

All dogs need exercise, even as they grow older. A daily walk is essential for every dog. But what can you do if your dog has difficulty getting started and feels a bit stiff? We share five tips to help keep your senior dog moving in a healthy way.

Joints

Welfare

13 January '26 • 4 min reading time

Exercise is essential for your dog. It contributes to relaxation, mental well-being, good stamina, flexibility and healthy digestion.

Tip 1: Use it or lose it

Many older dogs develop joint wear and tear and/or osteoarthritis. This often comes with age. Exercise is important to keep the joints active and to prevent further deterioration. Take your senior dog for regular walks, but don’t overdo it. Several shorter walks a day are better than one long one. You may also need to slightly reduce heavy strain such as excessive jumping and running. Calm, controlled movement is best.

Tip 2: Relieve pain

Osteoarthritis and arthritis can cause pain during movement, especially when getting started. If you notice that your dog struggles more to get going, you can support him with supplements or medication. An effective plant-based product against pain and inflammation in the joints comes from the clove plant. It contains many medicinal compounds that support the natural ECS system, relieve pain and reduce inflammation. An extract from the clove plant has been proven effective for joint problems and also helps support mental balance.

Tip 3: Devil’s claw

Another plant that is highly effective in combating painful joints is devil’s claw. The secondary roots of devil’s claw work best, especially when they are over twelve years old. These roots contain a high concentration of active compounds. Devil’s claw works very well in combination with other herbs for chronic mobility issues. Although not all mechanisms of action have been fully researched, there is clear evidence of its positive effects in combined supplements. Scientific studies show that devil’s claw combines well with herbs such as boswellia, willow and horsetail. It not only reduces pain and inflammation, but also helps eliminate waste products produced during movement. These can accumulate in the joints as uric acid crystals, which also cause pain. Thanks to devil’s claw, these crystals are broken down and removed more quickly.

Tip 4: Maintain joint fluid levels

The mineral silicon is important for maintaining healthy bones, tendons, cartilage and joint fluid. It not only helps with the formation of cartilage, tendons, connective tissue and even bones, but is also essential for the synovium. This is the fluid that acts as a lubricant between the joints. In older dogs, the production of this lubricant decreases, which can lead to pain and stiffness during movement. That’s why it’s beneficial to stimulate joint fluid production by adding liquid silicon to your dog’s food.

Tip 5: Omega-3 from salmon oil

High-quality omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, are important for many bodily functions, including a healthy coat. But did you know these fatty acids also support a flexible musculoskeletal system? Research has shown that supplementing standard dog food with, for example, salmon oil leads to positive results. Dogs receiving extra omega-3 fatty acids played more, got up more easily, walked longer distances and experienced less pain.

Conclusion: What works for your dog?

The most suitable supplement or combination of supplements to keep your dog moving differs per individual dog. Herbs and minerals can enhance each other’s effects. It can therefore be effective to use several supplements at the same time, at least temporarily. Feel free to contact us to discuss the ideal combination for your dog.

Bronnen

Amato, R.; Pacifico, E.; Lotito, D.; Iervolino, V.; Pierantoni, L.; Cortese, L.; Musco, N.; Lombardi, P.; Mastellone, V.; Pero, M.E. Effects of a Cannabinoid-Based Phytocomplex (Pain ReliefTM) on Chronic Pain in Osteoarthritic Dogs. Animals 2025, 15, 101. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15010101 https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/15/1/101 A. Viljoen, Mncwangi, N., Vermaak, I. 2012. Anti-Inflammatory Iridoids of Botanical Origin. Current Medicinal Chemistry, Volume 19, Number 14. https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cmc/2012/00000019/00000014/art00004 Nadia Musco, Giuseppe Vassalotti, Vincenzo Mastellone, Laura Cortese, Giorgia della Rocca, Maria Luce Molinari, Serena Calabrò, Raffaella Tudisco, Monica Isabella Cutrignelli, Pietro Lombardi. 2019. Effects of a nutritional supplement in dogs affected by osteoarthritis. Veterinary Medicine and Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/vms3.182 Brendler, T. From Bush Medicine to Modern Phytopharmaceutical: A Bibliographic Review of Devil’s Claw (Harpagophytum spp.). Pharmaceuticals 2021, 14, 726. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph14080726
Martin, Keith. (2007). The chemistry of silica and its potential health benefits. The journal of nutrition, health & aging. 11. 94-7. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/6392416_The_chemistry_of_silica_and_its_potential_health_benefits/citation/download Roush, James K., et al. "Multicenter veterinary practice assessment of the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on osteoarthritis in dogs." Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 236.1 (2010): 59-66. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/236/1/javma.236.1.59.xml Carlisle, Carolina, et al. "The effects of omega-3 supplementation on the omega-3 Index and quality of life and pain scores in dogs." Animals 14.21 (2024): 3108. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/21/3108

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