5 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Joint Health

Howdy, our pet lovers! 

Believe it or not, diet helps in maintaining overall health, but especially joint health. Although joint health depends on many factors like genetics, activity levels, and weight, diet can significantly improve the overall condition of the animal. 

Commercial food that we buy for our pets often lacks some important nutrients that would be beneficial for the animal, so you can include homemade food to ensure your dog receives the optimal nutrients. 

Almost 20% of dogs above the age of 1 year suffer from osteoarthritic issues, while almost 80% of senior dogs over the age of 8 can be affected. To timely detect any joint issues, you can use Maven Pet which is a smart tracking tool that monitors any movement patterns and helps you detect early signs of joint pain. 

But before that, we will give you some recipes that will be useful for managing your dog’s joint health issues!

5 Best Homemade Dog Food Recipes for Joint Health 

Finding ideas for something homemade can be a true challenge. Let’s start with the fact that sometimes we don’t know what to cook for ourselves, and now we have to think about our dogs too. So, here are some easy homemade dog food recipes for you to try at home: 

1. Joint-Supporting Chicken & Veggie Stew

• Why we love it: Packed with lean protein (chicken), anti-inflammatory veggies, and bone broth that improve the pet joint health
• Key ingredients: Chicken, carrots, turmeric, bone broth, and sweet potatoes
• Preparation tips: Simmer chicken, carrots, and sweet potatoes in bone broth until tender, and add the turmeric. Don’t add any other spices and let it cool before serving to your pet. 

2. Omega-Boosting Salmon & Sweet Potato Mash

• Why we love it: Rich in omega-3 fatty acids from the salmon, which help reduce inflammation in joints.
• Key ingredients: Salmon, sweet potatoes, flaxseed, green beans
• Preparation tips: Bake or steam the salmon and the sweet potatoes until fully cooked and let them cool down. Blend the flaxseeds and green beans and mix them all together. 

3. DIY Bone Broth for Joint Repair 

• Why we love it: Provides natural glucosamine & chondroitin for joint health.
• Key ingredients: Beef or chicken bones, apple cider vinegar, water
• Preparation tips: Place raw or cooked bones in a slow cooker with apple cider vinegar cover with water and let it simmer for 12-24 hours. Strain the broth, and remove the remainder. Store in the fridge and pour it over dry food. 

4. Anti-Inflammatory Turkey & Pumpkin Bowl

• Why it’s great: Lean protein with gut-friendly pumpkin and joint-supporting turmeric.
• Key ingredients: Ground turkey, pumpkin, turmeric, spinach
• Preparation tips: Boil the meat separately, and stir the pumpkin and turmeric in the meantime. Add steamed spinach, and mix everything. Serve the meal when cooled at room temperature. 

5. Green-Lipped Mussel & Rice Medley (A unique superfood for joints!)

• Why we love it: Green-lipped mussels are a powerhouse for reducing joint pain and stiffness.
• Key ingredients: Green-lipped mussels, brown rice, carrots, coconut oil
• Preparation tips: Cook brown rice and carrots until soft; lightly steam the green-lipped mussels, and mix everything together with coconut oil. Give it as a meal or mix it with kibble for added nutrition. 

Quick Tips: Foods to Avoid for Dogs with Joint Pain

It can be very difficult to find out which foods to avoid and to find what is the best dog food for joint health, especially if you are a first-time pet parent. So, here are our tips:

• Avoid processed grains, fillers, and nightshade veggies (tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant): can cause inflammation
• Avoid high-fat meats (beef, pork, lamb, or processed meat): can lead to weight gain and stress on joints
• Avoid food with too much calcium: can contribute to arthritis in large breeds
• Research what food is toxic for dogs and avoid it: grains, chocolate, onion, and garlic are some foods that can be even life-threatening 
• Avoid processed food and salt: can cause water retention and bloating which leads to increased joint stress
• Find good dog food for joint health: follow your vet’s advice.

How Maven Pet Helps Dogs with Joint Issues

There are many ways to track your pet’s health, and nowadays with all that exceptional technology based on AI, it is a shame not to use it. Maven Pet is such a tool that is a smart pet collar that monitors the activity, weight, and symptoms of the animal. So, you will notice any mobility issues before they even occur. 

By tracking your dog’s mobility, you will notice if there is any reduced mobility or stiffness in your dog. And prevention is the best cure. This tool can also monitor if there is increased appetite or weight changes which will give you directions to further adjust your dog’s diet. This way, you will prevent any excess strain on the joints. According to PetMD, exercise is crucial in maintaining joint health. 

But it is not all AI-based; you can even log the symptoms and any diet changes which will record stiffness and diet modifications if needed. 

You can try one of our recipe suggestions and track your dog’s mobility with Maven Pet. 

Disclaimer: Consult a veterinarian if your dog has had any digestive disturbances in the past before including new food!

To Sum Up

Finding and giving the proper foods for dog joint health is probably the hardest part of being a pet owner. When you think deeply, nutrition is the crucial thing for having healthy and happy pets, so never underestimate it. 

While doing all those usual things as a pet owner, you can get a helper like Maven and track your dog’s health while providing them with healthy homemade dog food recipes. This device will inform you about any changes related to motility and nutrition, and you will have one thing to worry about. 

Let us know if you try some of these recipes! We are curious if your dog liked this food!

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Maven Pet focuses on improving the quality of life of our pets with technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable proactive pet care. By accurately collecting and monitoring pet data 24/7 and flagging any irregularities, Maven Pet empowers pet parents and veterinarians to stay ahead of potential health issues, ensuring the well-being and longevity of our beloved companions.