Arthritis in dogs

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Rich44

Active member
Howdy
I've a 10 year old female lab who has had arthritis in her hind legs for a couple of years. I quit hunting her at 8yrs because she was getting pretty stiff after being in the water in late season so I took her to the vet and had her xrayed he said it wasn't to bad two years ago, but it has gotten much worse. I just took her for xrays yesterday and they looked pretty bad (back knees) he put her on Dermax and said to give her 1500mg of Glucosamine/Condrotin. Has anyone used this for their dog and does it work? I also bought her one of those harneses that have handles on to help lift her back legs for going up steps or getting into the truck. She has been one of the best dogs I've ever had. Its a couple of days till early goose season and she can still tell, when the camo and shotgun and decoys come out she actually tries to run and jump alittle . So if you have any ideas or remideas I'm looking for suggestions. Thanks
 
My Dog had a lot of hip problems after trying to jump in a river out of the cab of the truck doing 55mph, she didn't make the river. Swimming ended up being the best therapy for her. It's low impact.

I know it sucks losing a great hunting partner, but all you can do is let the dog be happy doing what it loves and keep it medicated to relieve the pain as best as possible.
 
Try gluclosimine with congritin, you can get it at any wal mart,or drug store. My lab is doing great, it helps lube the joints, and it takes a few months to notice it working, but well worth it.
 
I 2nd the glucosamine, had a lab 11 years old that had a hard time, after a month on that he was doing pretty good at getting around again. Finally had to put him down at 13 1/2 years old however. I believe I got mine from a livestock supply company and my lab ate them like they were a treat.
 
Thanks guys
I've been giving her the Glucosamine/Condroitin but can't tell yet the Dermax is making a difference. and she goes swimming every day in our pond.
 

My male yellow lab is 8 years old last spring and he gets a Glucosamine/Condrotin pill every day. The stiffness in his hind quarters seems to be much better! He has been on it for about 4 months now. MH
 
I am not familiar with dermax but have used rymadil for my golden in her waning years. I think I probably got 2-3 more years out of her when on the rymadil. It is expensive though. You might also try Ester-c (vit c) and Aleve which are both supposed to help. The aleve is otc but may end up costing more than the rymadil.
 
This is what I give my german shepard http://www.glycoflex.com/glyco-flex-III-canine.php I know they sell it a pet supplies plus. Its 56 bucks but it lasts quite a while. My dog gets 3 treats a day and it lasts roughly 2 months. It seems to make a difference. Mydog has hip dysplasia and the vet recomends that he swims,says its low impact and great exercise. The nice thing about these is their treats so he eats them.I tried thepills but he would somehow managed to eat around them. It was a real pain.
 
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You might also try Ester-c (vit c) and Aleve which are both supposed to help. The aleve is otc but may end up costing more than the rymadil.



ALEVE ???? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif DogTired, You need to do some research.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif.

Here is a direct quote from the Veterinary School of Medicine at North Carolina State University:

Aleve is sodium naproxen and it is very bad in dogs. An acute dose of >10 mg/kg can cause vomiting and gastrointestinal ulceration while >50 mg/kg can cause renal failure. Much lower doses chronically can cause problems as the half-life in dogs is 74 hours so there is an increased chance of the drug accumulating and reaching toxic levels.

DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES GIVE YOUR DOG ANYTHING THAT ISN'T CONFIRMED BY YOUR VETERINARIAN !!

Aleve works totally different in dogs than in humans. DON'T DO IT !!!

If you have given your dog Aleve and gotten away with it.....consider yourself lucky.
 
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I work at a vet clinic. We use Rimadyl for situations that you are describing. Most of our clients notice a huge difference in their dogs pain relief. The great thing about it is it is a non-steriodal anti inflamitory. Most dogs can use it long term safely. There are several good medications that are very safe and effective. I would consult with my vet to get a recomendation from him/her...............Drew
 
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Hey Hildago, Aleve was recommended by my Vet. I just took it as truth. Thanks for the heads up.



Sorry if I came on too strong......I just would hate to see someone kill their pet by not knowing the specifics. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

My wife is a Critical Care Specialist and Professor at NCSU Vet School. I know of several cases that she has seen that died from Aleve toxicity. Aleve MIGHT be an approved treatment in very, very low doses at specifically spaced intervals, so I hesitate to say that your veterinarian misled you. But if he/she just dished out that Aleve could be used without going into specifics on dosage........that's not good. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

It's kinda like people who use Tylenol for their cats. It almost always results in a slow agonizing death. Tylenol is extremely toxic to cats, even in low, one-time doses.

Everyone should be very, very careful when taking veterinary care in their own hands.

BTW.....glusosamine has proven to be helpful in a large amount of arthritis or hip dysplacia cases. Not always, but in a large percentage. That part was good information. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 


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