Sometimes our dogs start having joints mobility issues or develop cognitive problems while aging. One of the most common problems with dogs is arthritis or inflammation in joints which eventually start limiting your dog moving around.

Fortunately, helping your dog to fight arthritis and improving their quality of life doesn’t mean you need to rely only on medications. There are lots of simple, affordable, and effective natural anti-inflammatory supplements you can get and do improve arthritic dog's mobility.

For this reason, I would like to introduce highly effective olive oil that has many known health benefits for dogs such as relief for skin itchiness or shedding. Also, the Arthritis Foundation confirmed olive oil to help decrease joint inflammation and pain caused by arthritis.

So let’s dig a little deeper and find out how olive oil helps your dog to fight arthritis.

How Does Olive Oil Help to Decrease Arthritic Symptoms?

Olive oil is among the best-studied fats, high in monounsaturated fats, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant compounds that can help your dog fight inflammation in joints and give a boost of healthy fats. Moreover, it holds omega‑3 which works as an anti-inflammatory and reduces swelling and pain in arthritic joints.

In fact, a 2005 research study led by Dr. Gary Beauchamp discovered olive oil also contains oleocanthal - a natural anti-inflammatory component. Oleocanthal works in a similar way to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used for arthritic pain treatment. This research states a good quality olive oil contains the same enzymes as NSAIDs like ibuprofen. However, their molecular structure is completely different. Further, if you feed your dog anti-inflammatory drugs regularly it causes significant side effects on its liver and kidneys. Hence, there are not known underlying effects of olive oil continuous use.

On a whole, olive oil is considered to be a special natural remedy helping to decrease arthritic symptoms for your dog. Besides, giving good quality olive oil to your dog as part of its diet has other health benefits indirectly linked to arthritis symptoms. For instance, olive oil helps with digestion and can have a positive effect on weight control or even weight loss which eases tension in arthritic joints.

Which Olive Oil Works Best to Reduce Joint Inflammation for Your Dog?

For the best results, always choose extra virgin olive oil which is the highest grade and quality among olive oils in the massive market. It is unrefined olive oil pressed mechanically rather than processed with heat or chemicals that change its properties.

Thus, it contains biologically active compounds – such as the polyphenols, oleocanthal, oleuropein, and others. These compounds have been proved to reduce inflammatory conditions in joints for your dog and helps with pain and stiffness relief, improves the ability to move. 

How Much Olive Oil Should You Give to Your Dog?

It’s enough to add only 1-3 tablespoons per day into your dog’s dry or wet food to reduce joint inflammation and improve its health. In case your dog is tiny, add only 1 tablespoon to the daily meal to see the positive effects.

Final Thoughts

And, if after reading this article you decide to use extra virgin olive oil as to improve your dog’s joint health, the most important thing is to ensure the premium quality product for the greatest results. For this reason, always check the origin of olive oil and select an unblended production from the local farm.

Of course, if any doubts about adding olive oil to your dog’s diet, please speak with your dog’s veterinarian first.

About Author

Vangelis Kleftogiannis, a founder of Oliviada and Kalamata olive oil producer in Greece. He is passionate about high-quality lifestyle, premium products, and wellness. As well, he is regularly attending food conferences to deepen his knowledge particularly in olive oil industry trends and its health benefits. As a dog-lover and olive oil fan, he seeks to educate people worldwide about the importance of high-grade food for their health and their pets’ too.