How Should I Care for a Senior Dog's Knees and Hips?
Lean body weight, steady low-impact exercise, and a slip-resistant home protect aging knees and hips more than any single supplement.
Small dogs carry kneecap problems into old age and larger dogs carry their hips, but the care principles converge. Every extra kilogram multiplies load on already-worn joints, and long weekend hikes after six sedentary days hurt more than they help. The goal is boring consistency: modest weight, daily movement, minimal impact.
A home routine that actually helps
Keep walks frequent and moderate rather than occasional and long, discourage jumps from sofas and beds with steps or ramps, and keep nails and paw fur trimmed for grip. What load a given joint tolerates varies by individual, so build up any exercise change gradually and watch the next morning's stiffness as feedback.
Supplements and joint diets can play a supporting role, but dosing and product quality vary — pick them in a veterinary consult rather than off a shelf ranking. If your dog skips, bunny-hops, or stiffens despite good habits, an orthopedic exam should come before more exercise.
MediIndex articles are for general information only and are not medical advice, diagnosis, or advertising. Outcomes vary by individual — consult a board-certified specialist for personal decisions.