It's an unfortunate fact that dogs of all shapes, sizes and ages can get arthritis. Some owners will notice that their dog is less interested in day to day activities or is appearing stiff and sore. Luckily there are some ways for owners to help their dogs stop the progression of the disease, allowing them to live full and productive lives with arthritis.

Arthritis can strike dogs of any age, size, and physical condition. It's still a mystery as to what causes arthritis, but many researchers suggest it is an autoimmune disease -- a disease that causes the body to turn against its own immune system.

When arthritis strikes, it causes cartilage to break down. Cartilage is the dense connective tissue that protects the joint between bones. In dogs, these areas include the hip, knee, and ankle joints. However, arthritis can occur in other locations such as the feet or spine. As the cartilage wears away the bones rub together, leading to pain, inflammation and stiffness.

If you suspect arthritis in your dog, consider these major symptoms:

- Problems getting up, sitting or standing

- Keeping weight off a leg

- Tiredness, less active and not interested in playing

- Weight gain

- Behaviour changes

- Appearance of stiffness

- Swelling or warmth around the joints

In humans there are many different ways to treat arthritis, and many of these methods involve multiple forms of treatment and many doctors visits. This may not be an option with your dog, but don't despair as there are methods of treating your canine's arthritis without shelling out tons of money to your vet. Glucosamine is considered one of the best ways to help with arthritis, as it provides a compound that is often lacking in older dogs or dogs with arthritis and can help their bodies regenerate cartilage tissue.

Chondroitin is a cartilage element believed to restrain the enzymes that break down cartilage. Glucosamine and chondroitin are both essential to maintaining healthy joints. Together they protect and rejuvenate the cartilage tissues.

Glucosamine plus chondroitin has been clinically proven to prevent arthritis symptoms in rats with arthritis in up to 54% of cases, as opposed to 96.5% of the group that received no treatment. What this means is that by giving your dog this compound you have an over 50% chance of helping them get rid of some, if not all of their arthritis symptoms.

Glucosamine/Chondroitin supplements show promise in treating symptoms of secondary arthritis in dogs. This type of arthritis typically occurs after an injury or surgery. A study suggests this combination can significantly reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis in dogs.

There hasn't been any studies so far that show any negative effects of giving your dog these supplements, however you still may want to consult your veterinarian before proceeding.