The Importance of Joint Health for Dogs

Your dog’s joints are essential for every movement they make — whether it’s walking, stretching, standing up after a nap, or running in the park. Healthy joints mean freedom of movement, comfort, and a better quality of life.

Unfortunately, joint issues in dogs are more common than many realise — and they’re often brushed off as “just aging” or “part of being active.” But even subtle signs of discomfort can signal a developing issue that shouldn’t be ignored. If joint pain is left unaddressed, it can progress and begin to affect not just your dog’s physical ability but also their overall well-being.

The good news? Joint issues can be managed — and even better, they can often be prevented. Early physiotherapy intervention can reduce discomfort, correct movement patterns before they cause further strain.

Image by Yao, Q., Wu, X., Tao, C. et al. Osteoarthritis: pathogenic signaling pathways and therapeutic targets.

Signs of Joint Pain in Dogs

Dogs can be incredibly stoic, often hiding discomfort until it's quite advanced. Here are common signs that may suggest your dog is experiencing joint pain:

• Hesitation or reluctance to walk or play

• Difficulty climbing stairs or jumping into or off the car

• Limping or favouring one leg

• Stiffness, especially after resting

• Slower movements or loss of enthusiasm for usual activities

• Changes in behaviour, such as irritability or withdrawal

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, it’s worth booking a joint health assessment with a veterinary physiotherapist.

How Physiotherapy Helps with Joint Health

Physiotherapy is one of the most effective ways to support your dog’s joints, whether you're aiming to prevent problems or manage an existing condition.

Much like in humans recovering from knee or hip issues, physiotherapy for dogs focuses on:

• Strengthening the muscles that support the joints

• Improving or maintaining range of motion

• Managing pain and inflammation

• Correcting compensatory movement patterns caused by joint pain

For example, when humans experience knee pain, we tend to favour one leg — and that compensation can lead to hip or back discomfort. Dogs behave similarly. If they’re avoiding pressure on one leg, it often leads to overuse injuries and muscle tension elsewhere in the body.

At Second Stride, we use:

• Targeted therapeutic exercises to stabilise joints

• Laser therapy for inflammation and pain relief

• Joint mobilisation to restore healthy movement snd decrease pain

• Manual therapy and massage to release compensatory muscle tension

This whole-body approach doesn’t just treat the joint — it improves the way your dog moves, feels, and lives. Whether they’re a senior dog, a working dog, or just showing early signs of discomfort, physiotherapy can be a game-changer.

Preventing Long-Term Joint Issues

Many joint conditions — like hip or elbow dysplasia or luxating patella — have a genetic component. While physiotherapy won’t cure these issues, it can help slow their progression, manage symptoms, and improve your dog’s comfort and function.

By strengthening the muscles that support joints and correcting movement patterns, we can reduce stress on affected areas and help dogs stay active longer.

We also work proactively — meaning if your dog shows no obvious symptoms, but you want to prevent future joint problems, we can assess movement and muscle balance early to make small but meaningful changes.

Common conditions we help support include:

• Osteoarthritis

• Patella luxation

• Hip and elbow dysplasia

• Ligament injuries (e.g. cruciate disease)

• Post-surgical recovery (like TPLO or FHO)

The earlier we intervene, the more we can help.

Case Study: Lula’s Journey Back to Agility

Lula, a 2-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, is a driven and talented agility dog. But her owner noticed something wasn’t right — Lula was hesitating on jumps, missing weave poles, slowing down in class, and becoming unusually irritable at home, even towards her sibling…

Follow this link to read more: secondstride.co.za/articles/lula-journey-back-to-agility

Book Your Dog’s Joint Health Assessment Today

If your dog is slowing down, showing signs of discomfort, or you simply want to give them the best chance at long-term joint health — don’t wait. A joint health assessment is the first step toward identifying issues, easing pain, and keeping your dog happy, mobile, and active.

🐾 Get in touch with Second Stride today to book your dog's assessment and let’s help them move comfortably for life.