5 Tips for Healthy Joints in Giant Breed Puppies with NuVet

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5 Tips for Healthy Joints in Giant Breed Puppies with NuVet

Caring for a Great Pyrenees, or any other giant breed, can be tough if you’re not adequately prepared. These gentle giants have special needs to ensure their bones grow properly and they have healthy joints. Here are my 5 tips for healthy joints in giant breed puppies.

Feed a slow growth diet

I recommend never free feeding a giant breed puppy until they are finished growing (around two years). Puppies can easily over eat, getting excess calories and promoting rapid growth. Skip the grains and other energy-dense foods in favor of whole protein sources.

Exercise with caution

Avoid jumping activities until the growth plates have closed. This pertains to sports like agility and to everyday activities such as jumping off the couch, overuse of stairs, etc.

Related: How to Train Loose Leash Walking

Prevent trauma

Puppies are clumsy. They flop around, which can be humorous, but also very dangerous. Puppies who suffer a lot of damage early on are more likely to develop bone growth problems. Consider a floor runner on slick floors for the time being.

Watch the calcium

While calcium is necessary for strong bones, a puppy can’t regulate how much calcium they absorb from the intestinal tract. Excess can easily lead to skeletal malformation. When looking at foods, pay special attention to the calcium to phosphorous ratio. In giant breed puppies, calcium:phosphorous should range from 1:1 to 1:3.

Related: Nutrition Variation With a Rotation Diet

Add a joint supplement

As soon as a dog comes into my house (foster or forever), we start with a joint supplement. It’s important to look for one without added minerals which could potentially throw off your calculations. Currently, Mauja, Atka, and Kiska are taking a joint supplement from NuVet.

NuJoint DS® K-9 Wafers

NuJoint DS K-9 Wafers from NuVet Labs® are a natural, nutrient-rich hip and joint supplement. Made from human grade ingredients, NuJoint DS is safe for all breeds and ages. The formula contains four powerful ingredients: glucosamine, chondroitin, methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and vitamin C. Why are these ingredients powerful?

Glucosamine: Glucosamine is a substance produced naturally by the body to provide the building blocks for cartilage growth. It has natural anti-inflammatory properties and can help improve joint pain and stiffness or help slow the aging process.

Chondroitin: Chondroitin is found in cartilage and works with glucosamine to aid in building cartilage. It helps to hold fluid and promotes elasticity within cartilage, keeping it “spongey” for shock absorption. Chondroitin may inhibit the enzymes that damage and destroy cartilage.

MSM: MSM is an organic sulfur-containing compound that aids in joint health. It allows fluid to pass through the cells, therefore, reducing rigidity in joints.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C supports the immune system, helps white blood cells function effectively, and promotes cartilage growth and tissue repair.

NuVet also has a lighter strength formula, NuJoint Plus® K-9 Wafers, that may be ideal for dogs who don’t need as much joint support.

To keep Mauja and Atka’s immune systems in tip-top shape, I also add NuVet Plus to their meals (Kiska does not receive it as to not interfere with the calcium to phosphorous ratio in her diet). There have been a lot of dog illnesses going around lately and since they are both around so many dogs, my goal is to prevent it.

NuVet has several other supplements to keep your pet happy and healthy, so head to their site to see more. You can also follow them on Twitter to learn more about pet health.

Enter the giveaway below for your chance to win one bottle of NuJoint DS and one bottle of NuVet Plus.

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