How To Care For Your Animal With Arthritis Naturally

Holistic Care for Animals by Taranet

Animal With Osteoarthritis? How To Use Natural Therapies



Pair of ponies in the wild

What is osteoarthritis and how can my animal be affected?



Also referred to as "degenerative joint disease", it can affect many species of animals. Whether it's your cat, dog, horse or other animal.

Osteoarthritis can occur as a result of wear and tear of the joints through part of the ageing process. But, it also affects animals who've suffered a trauma. For example an accident or blow. Or if an animal's conformation is poor, it can lead to increased forces on a joint. An example is horses working on hard ground, who may in the long term develop osteoarthritis. This is particularly if the horse has a conformational issue. Dogs who have hip dysplasia are also more prone to developing osteoarthritis too. So arthritis despite being associated with old age, can actually affect animals of any age.

In an arthritic joint the normally super-smooth cartilage lining the bones of the joint becomes damaged. This in turn leads to inflammation. Also the joint movement becomes limited due to thickening of the fibrous capsule surrounding the joint. This leads to the formation of rough new bone (osteophytes) around the edge of this capsule. Nerves in the capsule and bone become inflamed and sensitive leading to pain for the animal.

As animals cannot obviously tell us that their joints maybe aching, you may notice various signs that your animal is in discomfort, such as:

  • Horses refusing at jumps that they previously were capable of and happy jumping;
  • Dogs not finding it as easy as they used to get in/out of cars;
  • Behaviourial change in your animal - e.g. more "snappy" or unhappy;
  • Horse, dog or other animal may appear to have reduced mobility - e.g. taking time to get up and down, or generally with a poor gait.

There are many other symptoms that your animal could show. Like people all animals are different. So whilst one may show more obvious symptoms another might not. Also by the nature of arthritis, it develops over time and symptoms generally do not show as a sudden event.

If you suspect your animal may have osteoarthritis, it's important that you seek professional veterinary advice, so that your Veterinary Surgeon can make a proper diagnosis and advise on the most appropriate treatment.

What natural therapies can help your animal with osteoarthritis?



Once osteoarthritis has started development, there's no cure. But its progression can be limited and its symptoms (eg pain) managed. Your Vet has a range of conventional medicines to help. Other treatments are available from other professionals. (e.g. for horses, Farriers can help through corrective shoeing). There's also several complementary therapies available which may also be of benefit. These natural therapies include the following, (click on each therapy name for more information on that therapy):


Acupuncture has been found to be useful in helping to treat a variety of animals suffering from arthritis. There are several Veterinary Surgeons who have completed specialist training to help animals through the use of acupuncture, and are members of the Association of British Veterinary Acupuncture.


Bowen can be useful to help manage the pain that your animal maybe experiencing from the arthritis and promote his/her mobility too.


Chiropractic and other forms of animal manipulation (e.g. McTimoney Corley) have been found to be useful with some animals suffering from arthritis.

  • Feed Supplements

There's a wide range of feed supplements available specifically for horses, dogs and other animals, which are specifically formulated to help with mobility and also reducing the symptoms of arthritis. Some of the common ingredients found within these supplements are:

  • Chondroitin Sulphate
  • Hyaloronic Acid
  • Glycosaminoglycan (Adequan)
  • Fish Oils
  • Seaweed (Kelp)

As there are so many available, we aren't listing them here. However, to help you choose between them we suggest you ask your Veterinary Surgeon for advice first. S/he maybe to advise on which would be the most suitable for your animal, taking into account the severity of your animal's arthritis.

Whilst recommendation of a product's abilities is a useful way to choose a supplement. It's important to note that whilst one feed supplement may work for one animal, it may not work for the next. Each animal is different. It can also take varying amounts of time for your animal (& you!) to notice a difference - some animals may respond to a feed supplement within 1 week - other animals may take up to 2 months to show any improvement.


There are several herbal remedies that are reputed to help with animals suffering from arthritis, including:



Bryonia is a homeopathic remedy which can be useful particularly where the animal appears worse for movement. Rhus Tox conversely can help where the arthritis appears improved with movement. Choosing the correct homeopathic preparation is important and so seeking the advice of a veterinary surgeon who's qualified in homeopathy is always advised. (More info at the British Association of Homeopathic Veterinary Surgeons.)


This uses water, in various forms to help your animal get exercise. Or to soothe strains and aches. Your horse or dog could use a swimming pool, aqua treadmill or even the sea. It maybe water, but it can be very powerful! So use a properly qualified canine or equine hydrotherapist, and follow experienced veterinary surgeon supervision. It's proven to help arthritic animals. But don't try to do too much to avoid creating secondary problems! Get more information at my advice page here.


There are several types of magnotherapy products available for many animals (most commonly for horses, dogs and cats), and are thought to help provide relief to some arthritic animals. These often include fetlock bands, boots or rugs for your horse, or collars for your dog.

  • Massage (Equine or Canine Sports Massage)

Different massage techniques can help promote circulation to the affected joint(s), which can help to ease any discomfort and inflammation.


This can help promote the mobility of your animal, and reduce inflammatory processes.


A qualified Animal or Veterinary Physiotherapist will be able to use a variety of techniques, from manual therapy to electrotherapy to help reduce discomfort for your animal.

Helping Your Animal With Arthritis Naturally



The therapies listed are above are some of the most common ones used to help animals suffering from osteoarthritis. However, other therapies can sometimes also help in a non-direct way, e.g. Bach Flower Remedies may help with dealing with any emotional issues that the arthritis has caused.

Also remember that any complementary therapy (including feed supplements) can also vary in how quick they are to take effect.

As with all complementary therapies do seek the advice of your Vet first before using. A therapist will always need your Vet's permission before treating your animal, and regular liaison between the two professionals can often bring greater results to your animal's health anyway.

Other Holistic Help for Animals With Arthritis



A combination of approaches can help your dog, cat, horse or other animal with arthritis. So together with the complementary therapies listed above, you can also try reviewing:

  • Bedding. What does your animal sleep on? Is it providing comfort and is easy for your animal to get up and down? What worked for your animal before arthritis, may not work now. For example, your dog may've been happy with a small bed to curl up in when he or she was younger. But now may need to stretch out for comfort, so a larger bed maybe better.
  • Accessing the home (or stable). Are entrances slippy? Could you put a mat on hard flooring? If you have steps to your home, would a small ramp help your dog to get in?
  • Clothing. Are your horse's rugs comfortable and warm? Your horse may benefit from a warmer rug than he or she used to have, to keep the joints warm and mobile. Or your dog may benefit from starting to wear a comfortable coat when outside in the garden or on walks. (Fleece coats I think are the best for cosy canine comfort!)
  • Transport. Do you take your dog in a car? If he or she is too large to pick up comfortably, get a harness (I love the ones from Orvis) to help lift your dog safely. These are more portable than a ramp, although they can also be a good idea to consider. If you take your horse in a horse box or trailer, is the ramp too steep? What may've been ok before, may not be now. So consider changing the trailer/box.

For more ideas, then please email me at info at taranet co. uk for advice.

About The Author
This article has been extensively researched and written by Suzanne Harris. Who is also the designer and developer of this site. A lifelong animal lover with a passion for ensuring animals can access complementary therapies for their health and wellbeing.

Dogs & Aloe Vera

Get more information on how to help care for your animal holistically by having a look through our holistic care for animals advice pages: