If you've ever owned an old car, you know it requires different care than a newer car.
While that new car will run great for a few years with just a little care, you have to give that older car more frequent maintenance. You have to check the working parts more regularly, take it in for tune-ups and repairs, and change the oil more frequently.
In some ways, your cat or dog is like a car. When he is young, he requires less intense care because his body naturally produces everything he needs to be healthy.
But as he gets older, his body's production of certain hormones and protective substances begins to decline. That's when he may need extra care to maintain his health.
This is especially true with his joints, which naturally get a lot of use as he runs, plays, jumps and climbs.
But you don't have to wait until he gets older to provide that care. Just like with a car, you can do your pet a favor by starting more regular maintenance earlier – so you can avoid problems rather than fix them.
Keep ‘Em Moving – Why Pets Need Healthy Joints To Live a Full Life
Cats and dogs rely on healthy joints to fully enjoy life.
Your cat needs healthy joints for pouncing on bugs, climbing his cat tree and chasing laser dots.
Your dog needs healthy joints for bounding up the stairs, chasing the kids around the kitchen and jumping up to catch a Frisbee.
Strong bones cushioned by healthy cartilage and joint fluids make all of that possible.
But by the time your pet enters middle age – age 10 for cats and age seven for most dogs – he or she can begin experiencing some of the same age-related changes humans endure, including:
- Stiff, achy joints
- Reduced muscle mass
- Declining bone density
- Diminishing immune function
Depending on your pet's breed, certain physiological changes can appear even sooner than middle age.
As a pet parent, you want to do all you can to help your pet remain healthy, comfortable and active for as long as possible. The time we get to enjoy our pets is already far too short.
What's Going On Inside Your Pet's Joints
Joints serve a simple purpose – to allow movement at the point where two bones meet – but their structure is quite complex.
There are different kinds of joints in your pet's body, but the most common type is the "synovial joint."
In a synovial joint, the ends of the bones are covered with cartilage. Cartilage is smooth and slippery, allowing your pet's bones to move easily against each other.
There is also a special fluid called synovial fluid. This fluid is like oil, helping the joint move smoothly and without pain.
Around the joint, there is a tough bag-like structure called the joint capsule that holds everything together and keeps the synovial fluid inside.
When your pet moves, these joints work like well-oiled parts, allowing her to run, jump, climb and stretch. Some joints, like her knees, bend only one way to allow walking or running. Other joints, like hips and shoulders, can move in many directions – like when your dog wags her tail.
Healthy joints are both strong and flexible. But as your pet ages, her ability to maintain healthy cartilage and produce synovial fluid diminishes.
That's when she can use extra support to keep that strength and flexibility so she can enjoy her usual activities.
Signs Your Pet May Benefit From Extra Support For His Joints and Cartilage
Your pet can't tell you when he's not feeling his best, so it's important to watch for the silent cues that let you know he may need some extra help.
If you notice your cat or dog having trouble with these issues, he may benefit from extra support for his joints:
- Lameness in one or more of his legs.
- Lethargy and reluctance to jump or play.
- Difficulty getting up and down.
- Walking with stiffness.
- Hesitancy or difficulty with going up or down stairs.
- Reluctance to jump up or down (i.e., off or onto furniture).
- In cats, hiding more than usual and poor coat (because it's hard to groom).
- In dogs, loss of stamina is evident in slower, shorter walks.
It's never fun to see your pet struggling with any of these, but the good news is there are things you can do to help support his optimal joint function.
By adding special supplements to his diet, you can support his body's natural production of cartilage and synovial fluid to help him enjoy long walks and active play for years to come.
This Special Sugar Plays a Key Role in Building and Maintaining Your Pet's Cartilage
One of the main components of cartilage – which, as we just mentioned, plays an important role in cushioning your pet's joints – is collagen.
Collagen is a protein that provides structure, support and strength to your pet's bones and connective tissues, as well as to her skin and muscles. In fact, collagen makes up about 30% of the protein in your pet's body.
One of the main substances involved in collagen production and maintenance is a special sugar molecule called glucosamine.
Glucosamine is made from glucose and is found mostly in connective tissues and cartilage. Your pet's body uses glucosamine to:
- Make chondroitin sulfate and keratan sulfate, special substances that play a key role in healthy cartilage.
- Synthesize a variety of other building blocks of cartilage, including proteoglycans and other glycoaminoglacans (GAG).
- Support a healthy inflammatory response, which is especially important for dogs with joint stiffness.
As your pet gets older, her ability to produce glucosamine diminishes, leading to the potential for achy joints and stiffer movement.
You can help her maintain healthy cartilage and comfortable joints by adding glucosamine to her diet so she can continue to run, jump and play.
These Cheddar-Flavored Bites Make It Easy To Support Your Pet's Joint Health
![Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites]()
We're excited to offer our Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites. These tasty chews provide your pet with 300 mg of glucosamine per treat.
We use glucosamine hydrochloride (HCl) from shrimp and crab shells – a form that provides more glucosamine per gram compared to the sulfate salt form that is sometimes used.
We do this because the sulfate salt form is typically stabilized with substances that may not be good for older dogs, especially those with heart or kidney problems.
In addition to the preferred form of glucosamine, these tasty bites also include:
- Palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) – A lipid mediator with beneficial endocannabinoid-like properties that supports healthy inflammatory response.
- Indian Frankincense – A fragrant tree resin that fights free radicals and supports healthy immune and inflammatory responses.
- Hyaluronic Acid – A polysaccharide that helps support optimal lubrication of your pet's joints.
Your pet won't be able to resist the taste of these bites flavored with organic white cheddar cheese powder, making it easy to get these joint-supporting ingredients into his diet.
Help Your Pet Enjoy Comfortable Joints – Support Her Normal, Healthy Inflammatory Response With This
One of the keys to keeping your pet's joints healthy and comfortable is making sure she has what she may need for a normal, healthy inflammatory response.
An unhealthy inflammatory response can lead to increased pressure and discomfort in her joints.
That's why we've included PEA, or palmitoylethanolamide, in Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites.
PEA is a special kind of lipid mediator with endocannabinoid-like properties, naturally made by your pet's body in response to harm, swelling, or pain.
Not only does PEA support healthy joint function, but it also promotes your pet's healthy immune function and helps protect her nerves. It's found in every tissue in her body, including her brain. It mainly targets certain receptors that play key roles in how her body responds to things like pain and injury.
Your pet's body makes it when needed, but as she ages, her ability to produce it decreases. Stresses like long-term inflammation can also impact PEA, leading to a drop in levels because it gets used up.
Adding PEA to your pet's diet can help replenish healthy levels to support her healthy inflammatory response and promote comfortable joints.
Research has found PEA to be very safe, with no evidence of side effects. While this special signaling molecule is thought to have poor bioavailability, micronized forms improve its absorption potential.
We've included this micronized PEA in our Bone & Joint Bites so your pet can enjoy the maximum benefit.
Frankincense Helps Your Pet Maintain Flexibility and A Healthy Inflammatory Response*
The third ingredient in Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites is highly celebrated in the Ayurvedic tradition…
Indian Frankincense has been used for centuries in India and it's described in renowned ancient texts for a wide variety of uses. Sourced from the Boswellia serrata tree, which is native to the dry hills of India, the tree bark produces a gummy resin called salai guggal.
Today, this gum resin is harvested from medium-to-large-sized trees growing in the dry mountainous regions of India, Northern Africa and the Middle East.
Indian frankincense contains four major pentacyclic triterpenic acids, or what scientists refer to as boswellic acids, which help promote a healthy immune response.
Studies show that these boswellic acids promote a healthy inflammatory response in your pet's body, helping to control tissue damage from free radicals.
Working on the cellular and molecular levels, Indian frankincense has been shown to help support:
- Connective tissue health
- Healthy joint function
- Flexibility
- Comfortable range of motion
- Healthy normal blood flow to your pet's joints
With regular use, Indian frankincense can help maintain steady blood flow to your pet's joints and support her joint tissues' ability to optimize flexibility and strength.
Hyaluronic Acid Helps Cushion Your Pet's Joints for Improved Comfort
Last, but not least, Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites includes Hyaluronic Acid (HA), a polysaccharide, or long chain of sugar molecules, naturally found in many tissues and fluids – especially in your pet's cartilage and synovial fluid.
HA's main function is to reduce friction in your pet's joints to help them move smoothly. It does this by providing lubrication and nutrients and removing wastes.
Synovial fluid, which contains HA, acts as a lubricant, nutrient carrier and shock absorber to protect your pet's joints and bones during normal movement.
His cartilage is immersed in and fed by the synovial fluid. Without HA, nutrients can't move into these cells and waste can't be moved out.
As your pet grows older, his body's ability to produce HA declines. The hyaluronic acid in Bone & Joint Bites is a patented medium-chain hyaluronic acid that has a lower molecular weight than traditional HA.
Studies show this form of highly bioactive hyaluronic acid is more bioavailable to an animal's connective tissue and works well for joint health by:
- Supporting the production of synovial fluids to lubricate your joints.
- Helping to support your immune function.
- Aiding in the support of a normal, balanced inflammatory response.
In human studies by the manufacturer, this unique blend dramatically reduced knee joint discomfort and was shown to have a cumulative beneficial effect over time on optimizing joint comfort.
Help Your Pet Enjoy Years of Active Living with Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites
Just like with your favorite car, you want to keep your furry friend in top condition so she can do all the fun things she was designed to do.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your pet is extra care and attention for her joints as she moves into middle age – or even earlier.
Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites makes that easy to do.
Flavored with organic white cheddar cheese, these soft chews are formulated with one of the highest doses of glucosamine available to support your pet's joint comfort.
Frankincense and PEA give her extra support for maintaining a healthy inflammatory response, while hyaluronic acid cushions her joints for greater comfort.
We think you'll love the convenience of these easy-to-feed chews, and we know your pet will love the irresistible flavor.
Help your cat or dog enjoy long walks and active play, no matter her age, by supporting her joint comfort and mobility, and order Bark & Whiskers® Bone & Joint Bites today.