Having a senior dog with arthritis requires a lot of care and empathy from your side, because your dog won’t be able to communicate exactly what’s hurting, where it’s hurting, and when it’s hurting. 

For this reason, you’ll need to be extremely thoughtful of everything you do involving them, and try your best to not stress or strain them in any way. 

If you take some time to study your dog’s behavior, you’ll be able to figure out what he doesn’t mind doing, and what causes him pain. For instance, your dog may not have trouble standing up and walking around, but he may try to avoid jumping at all costs, because this will cause him much pain in the joints. 

Once you’ve understood his body better, you’ll be able to plan accordingly when you’re taking him with you on a road trip. In this article, we’ll be giving you 3 important tips that will help you create a safe and comfortable journey for your arthritic dog – let’s get started. 

1. Reduce the strain by limiting their movements

Most arthritic dogs find it very hard to move around. Once they lie down, standing up again becomes a strain on their joints, so they prefer to not move more than they need to. If you’re traveling by car, then they may not have to move around a lot, but there are still a few things you could do to make their trip more comfortable. 

For instance, if you own a big dog, it’s good to purchase a car ramp. This way, they can walk into the car and walk out of it, without having to jump in and jump out. However, if your dog is fairly small and can be carried by you, you don’t have to worry much about the ramp. 

2. Find ways to make their trip comfortable 

If you’re traveling by car, there’s a chance that your trip might take more than a few hours. To make their journey more comfortable, it’s good to bring as many cushions as you can, so they can stretch themselves and even take a nap if needed. 

If there’s enough space in the back of your car, it may even be a good idea to bring their bed, along with their favorite toys that they can chew on – this will keep them occupied and will prevent them from fatigue. 

Another way you can help your dog is by packing CBD for dog’s joint pain. Not only will it relieve the painful areas, but it will also heal any inflammation that may be present there. 

When traveling for many hours together, the journey might get a little tedious and stressful, so having some oil in hand to use for emergencies can be a good idea. 

Be sure to also consult your vet on the amount of oil that has to be administered to the area, because you don’t want to end up applying too much or too little. 

3. Plan your breaks according to their needs

Dogs won’t feel comfortable eating on a moving vehicle, and they certainly may not like taking their medicine then either. If your arthritic dog needs to take medicine after a specific meal or at a specific time, you should be sure not to delay this, because they may end up feeling worse without their medicine. 

It’s a good idea to plan ahead and take your breaks accordingly, so you don’t have to skim meals or medicine time. Be sure to also let them choose if they want to move around for a bit whenever you stop, because sometimes, they may feel too cramped up by sitting in the car for too long. 

Once you know they’ve stretched themselves, have eaten their meal and won’t be feeling sick anytime soon, you can get back in the car and begin your journey again – just be sure to let them walk around for a bit after they’ve eaten so they don’t get motion sickness, and try to feed them something light to avoid heaviness.

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