Helping joint stiffness in dog

tankgirl1

Its the Glucosamine sulphate that contains salt, which for older or ill animals can cause problems. Glucosamine HCL is OK as far as I know, even the human version, but I would check with your vet just to be sure.

tizerbelle

zaksmum wrote: »

I think I'll have to take her back to the vet though, she may have to go on medication if all else fails, poor girl.

Big dog has arthritis in her right hip and I tried supplements and the like but it wasn't helping her so she is now medicated and doing fantastically well - as any border collie in the area will attest to - big dog (not a border collie) has a bit of a thing for collies and whenever she sees one now, she's off - play bows, jumping, running with me yelling at her "for gawds sake you're an arthritic geriatric, will you pack it in!"

There is nothing wrong with your dog being medicated for the rest of her life if it makes that life pain free and liveable. To me it is all about quality of life not quantity. I am happier with big dog being on medication and having a happy enjoyable life on a medication that works for her (even if it does shorten her life a little bit although there's nothing to say it will) than living longer but being miserable because she can not walk without pain or flirt with the collies!

Sooz00

zaksmum wrote: »

Swimming does help Lucy. She swims in the sea and loves it. But now it's getting a bit colder I will only allow her in the sea till mid October. I'll look into the magnetic collar too.

I've checked the Glucosamine she's on and can't see that it contains any salt. It contains 1230mgGlucosamine Sulphate (providing 728mg Glucosamine), Chondroitin Sulphate 20% 300mg and Vitamin C 225mg in a daily consumption of 3 capsules.

Ingredients Glucosamine Sulphate, Chondroitin and vitamin C. The vet said this was ok for Lucy.

Does the pet Glucosamine differ in content?

Soozoo, no, the vet didn't take xrays. Lucy is fine after walking for a few minutes and so the vet didn't see the extent of her stiffness at all, and feels the problem is minimal. But after a rest, she hauls herself up using her front legs with huge effort, and sometimes gives up and flops back down which is heartbreaking to see.

I just want to help her before things get worse.

Hi

I know - it so horrible seeing them in pain . If it's an option, it may be worth some investigation. I know Lucy's 8 but it may not be arthritis at all.

When we took Poppy to the vet, she wasn't stiff at all. I think that's why he x-rayed as he knows that although I can be a bit neurotic (I have a cat who's had VAS, it makes you a bit paranoid) I wouldn't take her in for the fun of it.

At the referral practice she wasn't stiff either, in fact she was quite boisterous . I don't think anyone else would have noticed there was anything wrong with her legs but he noticed a slight difference in her gait and went on to do a CT scan.

I don't know if it's an option for you but a lot of specialists offer a free advisory service for vets so if you/your vet did want to x-ray and send them off for a specialist to look at, that could be an option.

With regard to the supplements though, if you can change the glucosamine to HCI rather than sulphate, she should absorb it better and changing the cod liver oil to omega 3 fish oil would be better too.

If she likes swimming, maybe you could take her for hydrotherapy during the months the sea will be too cold. There are lots of places now offering this. We pay £20 for half an hour and the actual swim time is about 15-20 minutes but it's quite intense with short breaks in between.

Other than that, the other posts offer some good suggestions such as the magnetic collars (you can also get coats). Accupuncture or physiotherapy may be options too. Also as Tizerbelle said, medication could be the right option in Lucy's case and help her be pain free. Personally though I'd be a bit reluctant to go down the medication/rimadyl route without a firm diagosis of the problem though, just in case it's not arthritis in the joint causing the problem.

Wish you and Lucy all the best x

chatbug

Hi we have a black lab he will be 11yrs in Feb. About a year ago he used to cry out when he got up, joints would crack very bad. He also had difficulty walking. He is not over weight just right so vet said. I found a dog tablet called yumove by lintbells. they contain glucosamine hci, green lipped mussel powder, di calcium phosphate, and lots more ingredients. It says its triple action joint support for your dog. He has no more joint pain since taking these infact he thinks he is a two year old again. If the vet says it is arthritis it maybe these may help Lucy because its not nice seeing your dog crying in pain.

Buffy4572

Buffy (GSD) was diagnosed with severe hip dysplacia aged 3 (hip score 90!!) and put on Metacam. We had little choice, it was meds, surgery (which the chap at Harrogate was unhappy about doing as her hips were so bad) or put her down. I was warned that Metacam messes up their insides and she could get ill and die in a relatively short space of time, but here we are 7 years on and she's still bouncing round like something possessed LOL! Also on Glucosamine, GLM extract and Ester-C and wears a Bioflow collar.

zaksmum

Thanks buffy, chatbug, tankgirl, tizerbelle and soozoo.

I got some Ester-c last night and also some of those Pedigree Joint Care chews for Lucy.

And I made another appointment with the vet because if it's medication she needs she will have it.

She's fully insured so she can have the best possible treatment without any worries about the expense of it.

undaunted

Glucosamine chrondroitin, MSM, Devils Claw, Green lipped Muscle, Alfalfa, Magnetic bed and / or collar, hydrotheraphy, accupuncture, canine massage are all possibilities.

Asda sell Bob Martin conditioning tablets (though if you don't haver one locally the main ingredient of them is simply brewers yeast - a rich source of vitamin B I believe)

Have a look at
http://www.caninetherapy.co.uk/

http://ezinearticles.com/?Canine-Myotherapy,-Common-Dog-Illnesses-and-the-Benefits-of-Canine-Muscle-Therapy&id=117898

http://www.canine-hydrotherapy.org/

http://www.giveusahome.co.uk/articles/supplement.htm

http://www.discoverymagnets.co.uk/bioflow.htm?gclid=CLCXnbPCvqQCFWr92AodgEcjZA

tizerbelle

zaksmum wrote: »

Thanks buffy, chatbug, tankgirl, tizerbelle and soozoo.

I got some Ester-c last night and also some of those Pedigree Joint Care chews for Lucy.

And I made another appointment with the vet because if it's medication she needs she will have it.

She's fully insured so she can have the best possible treatment without any worries about the expense of it.

Good luck - hope you find the right solution for Lucy soon. Hopefully your vet is a good 'un and can recommend dog-safe supplements that will work for Lucy. If supplements don't work or not effectively enough and you do need medication, don't forget that finding the right medication can be a case of trial and error as well. So if the first type you get given isn't working (once it's been given time to take effect) then there are normally other types / brands of medication that you can try.

Big dog's first medication worked brilliantly at first but after 6/8 weeks or so it wasn't have any affect so we tried another one - works fantastically and has done for over a year now.

zaksmum

Thanks tizerbelle. Lucy's a bit better tonight though. I got some Bob Martins conditioning tablets yesterday and gave her 4 and then 4 today. I don't have to hide them in food...she likes the taste.

Surely it can't be the tablets so soon? But she's MUCH brighter and playing with her ball and chasing the seagulls today, so I'm going to definitely keep her on those.

I used to get them for my old dog when he was getting on a bit, and they really did have a dramatic effect on him - they were like miracle pills.

Hope they work the same way for Lucy.

zaksmum

Thanks for those links, undaunted. I'll check it all out.