Optimal nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting bone and joint health throughout a dog's life, from skeletal development in large breed puppies to managing arthritis in senior dogs.
Nutritional decisions made in a dog's first year have lifelong joint welfare consequences. Inappropriate calcium supplementation or overfeeding large breed puppies causes developmental orthopaedic disease that causes lifelong pain. In senior dogs with arthritis, maintaining ideal body weight reduces joint load and anti-inflammatory omega-3 supplementation reduces pain mediator production. Feeding an appropriate life-stage diet is among the most impactful welfare decisions dog owners make.