Hi friends,

If you’ve been following along, you may remember that our Sami has been dealing with a few health issues—some herniated back disks that we discovered two years ago, and more recently, a paw injury and arthritis. Watching him go through all of this has been a rollercoaster of worry, love, and learning.

What’s been especially eye-opening is realizing just how quietly dogs live with pain. Sami, like many Westies, is incredibly stoic. He doesn’t whine or limp dramatically—instead, he just… adapts.

What are some signs that he has pain?

I only noticed the severity when I started paying closer attention to how Sami moves on walks, how he shifts his weight from one leg to another, favoring his left leg, and what he avoids — like cobblestone, which he will avoid if he can.

He almost always curls up with his hips pressed snug against my side—seeking out warmth, which I’ve learned is a sign he’s feeling discomfort in that area. And the warmth provides relief, so I now sometimes cover his hips with a blanket or keep my hand on top of him, to keep him warm and comfy.

Weekly acupuncture sessions have helped, but they’ve also revealed where he holds more tension or discomfort — like in the neck and hips area, which I had no idea about until we started acupuncture.

And it got me thinking—how often are our dogs in pain, and we just don’t know? Because they don’t tell us in words, it’s on us to read the signs.

What I wish I knew sooner

So after 6 years with Sami, I wanted to share a few things I’ve changed in our daily routine to help manage and hopefully prevent more pain:

🐾 Installing dog stairs in every room – To avoid him jumping up and down furniture.

🐾 Carrying him up and down stairs – Less strain on his back and joints.

🐾 Avoiding letting him run on slippery surfaces – Rugs that slip or slick wooden floors are a no-go for running and zoomies, as they can lead to injuries like ACL or pulled muscles.

🐾 Keeping his nails short - Long nails put pressure on joints and in time can lead to arthritis.

🐾 Beach time: running on wet sand only – Wet sand near the water is firmer and kinder to his knees and hips than dry sand, which puts great pressure on the knees and hips.

🐾 Daily joint supplements – A small thing that can make a big difference.

🐾 Anti-inflammatory foods – I add turmeric and blueberries to his meals.

🐾 Cutting back on processed snacks and gluten – Less inflammation in the body = less pain.

🐾 Consistent daily movement – Longer walks and at least one good play session a day to keep joints mobile and spirits high!

It’s not about doing everything right—it’s about doing what we can. I wish I had paid closer attention earlier, but I’m grateful we can make Sami’s life more comfortable and full of joy from now on.

Here are 2 videos I made a while ago and you might find useful (the first one is about how we discovered Sami’s herniated disks and the second one is about how he “skips” on his back legs, alternatively):

If you’ve got a dog, especially a senior dog or one with joint issues, I hope some of this helps. And if you’ve got a puppy (or thinking about getting a puppy), keep an eye on some of these things to protect their joints as much as can be.

And if you have tips of your own, I’d love to hear them—seriously! Just hit reply.

Give your pups a cuddle from us ❤️

Until next time,

Miruna and Sami 💕 🐾

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