Dog arthritis……….?
Posted by Aden on March 2nd, 2010
I noticed my 8 year old Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix had been limping and walking funny on her back legs. I took her to the vet and she has arthritis. She is on pain meds right now. How common is it for a small dog to have arthritis? Have you had any experience with a dog that has arthritis? Any advice?
March 2nd, 2010 at 11:13 am
Arthritis is an inflammation in a joint. It gets worse over time, and may begin as simple morning stiffness and progress to lameness and swollen, painful joints. Although arthritis may be incurable, treatment can make your pet feel a lot better.
I’m suspecting that your dog has this kind of arthritis: osteoarthritis. Here’s a link to learn more about it.
http://elfurl.com/e95×2
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:01 pm
HylaSport Canine is a Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM/Hyaluronic Acid compound that is good for your dog. My working dog has arthritis and I have him on this stuff, recommended to me by one of our more experienced trainers.
Be careful about dog foods that claim to have Glucosamine/Chondroitin. A University of Tennessee study showed that actual levels of the stuff varied a lot from what was claimed on the bag. Don’t ask me why, but supplements that come from companies that started making the stuff for horses seem better.
I don’t know what your vet recommended as pain meds, but I’d start with aspirin — either Ecotrin or Ascriptin (which has a bit of Maalox around the aspirin to protect her tummy). Do your homework on Rimadyl, Deramax, etc., etc. If you can, find a pet that specializes in your breed and see what they say works best. Univ of Tennessee also says Metcam works better than Rimadyl without the liver damage. Your dog should live a long time yet and Rimadyl guarantees that you have to do blood work every year to make sure that her liver and kidneys are surviving the treatment.
Lastly, if you can find a local DVM that does it, chiropractic work and acupuncture work on dogs just like they do on people. Find someone who knows canine physiology well enough to use their hands, not an activator, i.e. avoid VOM. Here’s a website to being your search: http://www.avcadoctors.com/
That should get your research started!! Best of luck.
March 2nd, 2010 at 4:29 pm
Glucosamine and Chondroitin. You can Arthisooth Gold or Nupro. I have a Golden Retriever/Collie that was hit by a car years ago and was suffering from arthritis. He can get up without struggling, can fetch the ball over and over again, and feels great. You can try DogsWell Happy Hips treats. They are low fat, all natural, no grains, no meat by-products are great for the hips. They also have dog food as well. Dry and Wet. Give those a try. Hopefully she feels better. Good luck!!!
March 2nd, 2010 at 6:39 pm
Check into chondroitin/glucosamine mix. Vet told me that it helps to lube the joints to make the less and mobility better.