Hardly anyone thinks about it, but it makes perfect sense – when a human comes to age and starts to develop some chronic pains in their back, neck, and joints, one of the first venues to explore usually is bedding.
Turns out, there are bedding solutions for your dog as well! In this article, you can learn more about how to ease your dog’s sleep with the use of special beds.
3 Bed Types for Your Arthritic Dog
It’s rather hard seeing your old best buddy coming of age, developing various health issues or even arthritis, but a quality bedding can bring loads of happiness and comfort to your dog whether he is young or senior.
Orthopedic dog bedding has various features to make your canine friend to nap more comfortable. Here are 3 bed types that you can find to bring your arthritic dog to a more comfortable life:
Memory Foam beds
Highly recommended for seniors. They better support your dog, distribute the load more effectively and aid in easing the pain in his joints. And the stiff and springy foam helps to get up after that quality nap time. Foam can perform wonders for a dog with aching and stiff joints.
Warming beds
Heated beds are a great choice, as the warmth works to relieve aches and pains. Heating can be done via various methods – some like heated blankets that need to be plugged in the wall, others can be pre-heated in a microwave and they keep that warmth for some time, while others reflect and retain dog’s own body heat. If your dog is struggling with the cold, heated bedding could be the way to go.
Liquid/Stain Resistance beds
Accidents become more frequent as control over bladder deteriorates with age. This feature can provide a viable solution to that. You have to look for one with orthopedic base, some spill-proof lining and a removable cover to that you could simply put in your washing machine.
Best Beds for Dog with Arthritis
We’re providing info on some of the top-rated dog beds – these beds are all fan favorites and come highly recommended. Read the pros, cons, and customer reviews to see which dog bed will be best for your pooch!
Removable Cover. Removable cover allows for easy machine washing when your dog gets it dirty.
Reversible Design. Reversible material, allowing you to choose between water-resistant microfiber or sherpa material.
Pros. Durable, providing plenty of support for your elderly dog. It’s also one of the most affordable orthopedic dog beds on the market, making it a great economical option.
Cons. While it’s a fairly decent dog bed, the Happy Hounds orthopedic bed isn’t the highest quality product. Some owners have also had issues with broken zippers and have been frustrated with the lack of warranty, which some other dog beds offer.
K&H Deluxe Round Ortho Bolster – perfect for dogs that like to curl up into balls. The nesting design with raised edges provides a sense of security for anxious canines. Main features:
Comfortable Material. Made from soft microsuede material.
Orthopedic Foam. Stuffed with 3 inches of medical grade orthopedic foam.
Easy to Clean. Removable covers and liners are easy to clean.
Medium Price Point. This bed is at a mid-range price point and available from Amazon for easy purchasing.
Pros. A senior dog bed that’s both durable and supportive, with curved bolster edging that’s great for dogs that like to curl up.
Cons. Some owners have found that the bottom egg crate cushion is too thin and choose to add more cushioning.
Big Barker – Medrego Editors Choice Award***** – Best in class (Large Breeds)
This dog bed has incredible customer ratings across many online sellers, and owners rave about the bed’s impressive support and design. Main features:
Extra Support for Large Dogs. This bed boasts unparalleled comfort and support for large canines.
Maximum Amount of Orthopedic Foam. 7 inches of high-quality comfort and support foam.
10 Year Guarantee. Comes with a guarantee that bed will retain 90% of its shape for 10 years, or you’ll get your money back.
Easy to Clean. 100% microfiber cover is machine washable.
Pros. The Big Barker is the best when it comes to providing extreme support for arthritic old dogs – it is one of the only dog beds with a “giant” size for XXL dogs, and the memory foam is guaranteed to retain 90% of its shape over 10 years!
Cons. Comes at a higher price point than most other dogs’ beds. However, as buyers have noted, you’ll never have to buy another dog bed again thanks to the great warranty and long-lasting quality.
Brindle Memory Foam Mattress– a top mid-priced dog bed that provides plenty of memory foam and support for arthritic older canines.
Features:
4 Inches of Foam. 2 inches of comfort memory foam and 2 inches of support foam.
Removable Cover. Soft velour fabric cover can be zipped on and off for easy, machine washable cleaning.
Hypoallergenic. Naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites.
Pros. This dog bed is made of high-quality foam and is designed to conveniently fit in regularly crates, making it a great bed for your dog’s kennel. This bed is also waterproof and easy to clean, which is always a plus!
Cons. Some owners complain of a strong, chemical odor coming from the bed. It’s also worth noting that some buyers have had trouble have the warranty honored.
While not a major brand name, this Extra Large Orthopedic Dog Bed comes highly recommended online, with two layers of fabric and a hefty batch of memory foam for canine comfort. Main features:
Double Sided Cover. Removable, reversible external cover made of stain resistant, machine washable microsuede fabric. 2nd layer cover is waterproof for easy cleaning.
4 Inches of Memory Foam. 4 inches of 3.2 lb density orthopedic memory foam.
Free Bonus Cover. Comes with a free extra bed cover.
Medium Price Point. This mid-priced dog bed is a fairly affordable option and is available for purchase from Amazon.
Pros. Owners note that this bed is made of quality support foam that keeps senior dogs comfy. It’s also great at retaining body heat to keep your dog warm, so likely a good choice for dogs that tend to be cold. As a bonus, this orthopedic dog bed also comes with a free bonus cover!
Cons. Some owners complain that the waterproof lining is not as waterproof as expected.
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Help Your Arthritic Dog with Stem Cell Therapy
Canine arthritis management usually includes not only comfortable dog bedding, but also a set of various treatments including supplements, anti-inflammatory drugs, surgery, or a combination of these. But more recently, Stem Cell Therapy, which is a type of regenerative medicine, has become more common.
Animal stem cell therapy uses stem cells from either your pet (known as autologous stem cell therapy) or another animal of the same species (known as allogeneic stem cell therapy). A veterinarian injects the stem cells into the affected area, such as a knee joint damaged by osteoarthritis.
The cells move to the inflamed or damaged tissue, suppress the inflammation, relieve pain, and cause new tissue to grow. This new tissue is more like the original tissue than the scar tissue that would typically grow in an untreated inflamed area.
Stem Cell Therapy for dogs can not only help to deal with your four-legged friend’s pain, but it might also stop the progression of the disease or condition, improving the quality of life of your fluffy friend and, thereby, improving yours as well.
Conclusion
Your dog will be thankful, and it will improve his quality of life, or even become happier and more active as the pain gets relieved. But – these are just bedding solutions, you can do so much more!
An additional way to greatly improve your canine’s quality of life and relieve his joint aches –
stem cell therapy which will effectively relieve even more pain, strengthen his joints and combined with such bedding –
provide the best care possible! For more information about stem cell therapy for dog arthritis treatment, contact our team.
