Addressing Muscle Atrophy in Dogs

Has Your Dog Lost His Spunk?

If you have an aging pet or one who has a medical condition, it’s important to become aware of an issue that many pet owners don’t think enough about: muscle atrophy in dogs. Maintaining muscle health throughout a pet’s life is incredibly important to their longevity and quality of life.

 

Worried that your dog is starting to lose muscle? Maybe they’re not as spunky as they used to be and you’re not sure why.

 

Let’s take a look at some symptoms of muscle atrophy in dogs and what pet owners can do about it.

 

Whether in humans or animals, muscle atrophy is degeneration of muscle cells that results in the decrease of muscle mass which leads to reduced mobility and frailty.

 

Muscle atrophy in dogs can be confined to one muscle group or be generalized. It usually comes on slowly due to age but can also occur quickly due to illnesses. Muscle atrophy can occur for a number of reasons including age, disuse of the muscles, obesity, lack of nourishment, illnesses such as diabetes and cancer and also may occur following fractures or surgery.

 

What does muscle atrophy look like in dogs?

Any time you notice a difference in your dog’s appearance, whether they look thinner or sunken, you need to contact your veterinarian to determine if there is an underlying condition that needs to be addressed.

 

• Other signs and symptoms of muscle atrophy in dogs include:

• Thinner than usual appearance typically in the hind legs, hips, face or neck

• Limb weakness or unable to support their weight

• Unsteady or abnormal gait

• Lack of energy or fatigue

• Changes in posture such as dragging paws or crossing legs

 

But, thankfully, with the right nutrition and exercise plan, pet owners can help their canine friends reduce their risk of muscle atrophy in addition to other health conditions such as joint problems and arthritis.

 

Read more: My Dog is Losing Muscle…What Now?

 

After your veterinarian has determined the root cause of the muscle atrophy, you can review specific treatment options. Generally, dogs that suffer from atrophy due to aging or disuse will have a good prognosis. If your pet is not suffering from a serious disease, an exercise and nutrition regimen will most likely be prescribed.

 

How can you best meet your dog’s nutritional needs?

The concept of a healthy diet is not new, but it’s only over the past decade or so that we have really begun to understand just how food affects us (and our dogs) at the deepest level. To best meet your dog’s nutritional needs, feed him a variety of whole, natural foods, including nutrient-dense carbohydrates, fats and quality protein.

 

Muscle health is just as important for dogs as it is for people. Keeping dogs healthy and fit can help to increase their lifespan, improve their quality of life and reduce vet visits as they age. And, thankfully, pet owners can provide protein support from MYOS Canine’s patented Fortetropin®, a unique bioactive composition derived from fertilized chicken egg yolks. Scientific research has shown that Fortetropin® up regulates the muscle building pathway and down regulates the muscle destruction pathway which result in more lean muscle.

 

What does all of this mean for Fido?

Simply put, dogs who supplement with Fortetropin® can increase lean muscle mass and decrease markers of protein breakdown (muscle atrophy). In fact, research at Kansas State University has shown impressive results on how Fortetropin® improves recovery in dogs after surgery and how it can help minimize muscle loss while improving their recovery. This is really exciting news for pet owners!

 

Read Our Full Feature in American Veterinarian >>

 

We hope you’re just as excited as we are about becoming a driving force aimed at addressing muscle atrophy in your dog. If you’re ready to get in on the cutting-edge of canine nutrition and keep your pet healthy and happy well into old age, trust in MYOS Canine Muscle Formula.

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” ~Hippocrates