What is arthritis?
In short - arthritis has no cure. It is a degenerative disease that waxes and wanes – your dog will have good and bad days. It is known as a disease of the joint, but it is much more than this. Arthritis causes pain, inflammation, stiffness, inflexibility, muscle wastage and loss of cartilage in the joint. It is primarily felt in weight bearing joints such as the toes, knees, hips elbows and spine. Arthritis causes compensatory tensions too - the joints and muscles that are not affected become overworked.
Why is choosing the right bed so important?
Dogs with arthritis need support in all the right places – they struggle to get comfortable, their pain and stiffness can worsen, and as a result can become sleep deprived. Dogs need between 12-14hours of sleep a day (depending on breed and age), senior dogs and puppies require more, up to 18hours daily. Thin, flimsy and unsupportive beds - cause pressure points that hurt tender joints making it a struggle for your dog to rest and a challenge for them to sleep soundly. Sleep deprivation can cause behaviour changes and your usual calm mannered dog may become angry and or aggressive.
As well as choosing the right bed – a choice of beds and where to sleep is also valuable for the arthritic dog. Arthritic dogs need a warm area in the cooler months and a cool area in the warmer months, away from drafts and unwanted noise. Give them options. Some dogs may benefit with a bed that is off the floor and others would struggle to get up on to their bed. In this instance it is a good idea to provide a set of steps or a small ramp. Remember the importance of non-slip flooring too! Keep a look out for my future blog post.
What to look out for when purchasing a new bed?
It needs to be supportive (orthopaedic); it needs to be large enough – so that your dog can turn 360° and fully stretch out his limbs. Perhaps with a foam bolster on one side or pillow so that your dog can rest his head (some dogs prefer to sleep with their head slightly raised (my boy Shilo does). You could also provide a soft blanket - a lot of dogs like to move it around themselves to cushion their painful areas. The bed needs to be durable – you don’t want to be paying money out time and time again. Also consider a waterproof cover for dogs that may have accidents.
Look for a memory foam bed that is dense enough to take the weight of your dog and one that doesn’t sag after your dog has been in there for some time. It is a good idea to purchase one with a soft hypoallergenic, waterproof cover and one that is washable. You may want to purchase a spare cover. When purchasing a bed with bolster cushion – it is best if the bolster doesn’t go all the way around – as some arthritic dogs have difficulty climbing over and into the bed.
“Most people think their dog is just slowing down as they age, but in most cases, the dog is only slowing down because movement causes pain or discomfort.”
Dr. Kim Bowers
Big Barker Beds did a clinical pilot study with the University of Pennsylvania to evaluate the Big Barker therapeutic mattresses in dogs with arthritis. Over 28 days, 40 dogs aged 3 yrs. plus and weighing over 31kgs trialled the beds and the results were as follows: -
17.6% improved joint function
21.6% reduction in pain sensitivity
12.5% reduction in joint stiffness
9.6% improvement in gait
15.1% improvement in quality of life
Go to UPenn Clinical Study Results: Do Big Barker Beds Work? For further information.
As a side note Canine Arthritis Management (CAM Founder Hannah Capon MA Vet MB MRCVS,) supports the use of these beds.
Some reputable dogs bed companies include: -
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