What can you do for a dog with signs of arthritis?

Question

My dog hurt her hip and the vet has said after an xray that she is showing deterieration in her hip. She is a lab collie cross and 7 years old. I have started giving her some olive oil with her food which I have been told is good. Any other ideas to help her joints?

Answer 1

Glucosimine/chrondroitin has done alot of good for my dog but call your vet as it must be given by weight to be effective.Regular adult strength Bayer aspirin for pain but again has to be given by weight and only for a couple of days so use your best judgement.
Exercise daily!Let the dog do what it will without trying to push it.But you have to get the dog up and moving to loosen those joints and keep them from getting stiff.
Set a heating pad on medium and lay across hips for 10 minutes at a time do this 2-3 times a day especially during cold weather months.
And if you can get the dog in water.Swimming is the best exercise for arthritic dogs.Water holds the animal up and takes weight off the joints.
If that's not do-able and you have the time to clean the mess then go get one of those things that hang over the side of the bathtub to turn a regular bath into a whirlpool.Forget what they're called.
Fill the tub with warm water and get the dog to sit in it with that aimed across it's hips.
My dog has arthritis in hips and 1 front leg.I also have osteoarthritis in both feet and ankles.
I've done everything except the tub thing.But my dogs have their own swimming pool {cattle trough} which has been huge help.
I have a friend that's done the tub thing with good result it's just a pain to clean up after.
Another thing I do that really seems appreciated is to give butt rubs.Massage the hips for at least 10 minutes 3 times a day.My dogs gotten to where he comes and leans his rear end on me when he wants a rub.
I'm lucky the sense that I know when he's hurting before he shows signs of it cos I'm hurting and can start giving extra care so it won't be so bad.
Cold weather,rain and seasonal changes all make it flair up.

Answer 2

Try giving him Flexadin or Saraquin Metacam and Rymadal are usually prescribed by vets for arthritis. Unfortunately both of these medications can cause internal bleeding and they horrify me; however at the onset of pain they give relief. My GSD was diagnosed with arthritis in her knees, she suffered from internal bleeding when she was prescribed Metacam, this was apparent when her stools became almost black. I investigated other meds on the internet and discovered Flexadin. It’s about £70 from the vets and £20 on the internet. It contains Glucosamine and Chondroitin which helps enormously with pain and bone problems; however it also contains Devils Claw which also helps with pain. Later I accidentally discovered Seraquin which has other virtues because as well as the above stuff it also contains Turmeric, this is about £60 from the vets and £16 on the internet. I was told that it could take up to six weeks for either Flexadin or Saraquin to take effect. In my experience it acts more quickly. Flexadin and Seraquin are both available without a prescription.

Answer 3

"Treating canine arthritis is similar to that of human osteoarthritis. Therapies may include:

- Healthy diet and exercise to help maintain proper weight.

- Working with your veterinarian to find a drug treatment that helps relieve the pain.

- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) are the most common form of pharmaceutical treatment for arthritis in dogs.

- You can also use over-the-counter pet treatments with your dog, such as pills or food containing either glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate or Omega fatty acids. Both have shown to help relieve the symptoms of arthritis in dogs.

- Your veterinarian may prescribe both an NSAID and an over-the-counter treatment that together may help decrease pain and disease progression.

Never give your dog human medication without checking first with your veterinarian. Certain medications can be toxic to dogs -- particularly acetaminophen and ibuprofen -- and a safe dose will differ between a greyhound and a dachshund.

No matter how you decide to treat your dog’s arthritis, make sure you work with a veterinarian to ensure that you select a program that helps your best buddy."

Answer 4

olive oil won't do anything. If she has hip displaysia only an operation can help. Ask your vet for some Rimadyl . This is a good pain reliver for dogs. My geriatric giant schnauzer was on this daily for her arthritis and it gave her a new lease of life.

Answer 5

Ask your vet about a product called Metacam. It is an anti inflammatory and pain killer that was prescribed for my 15 1/2 yr old Jack Russel which works well to ease the pain. Have found it doesn't have to be given every day just when he needs it
Hope this helps

Answer 6

I'd advise you to put glucosamine tablets in with her food daily which is good for the joints. I'd also ensure that she was the correct weight and not carrying any excess weight as this will make her joints worse and maybe cut down slightly on the length of her walks. If she doesn't improve much then your vet ay advise you to put her on a medication called Metacam which is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory which will help ease any discomfort.

Answer 7

My in-laws dog has arthritis in her back legs. The vet gave her a regular injection to ease the pain. She was given these injections regularly for a few months, and now only has to get checked out every few months.

Your best to ask the vet what they recommend.

Answer 8

Try giving your Dog New Zealand Green Mussel. One can get them in tablet form. I know this works because I recommended it to an Labrador owner and within weeks the Dog was walking quite well again.

Answer 9

My dog had real bad arthritis. She could barely move toward the end and we had to put her to sleep. Maybe my dog was too far gone; I hope you have better luck.

Answer 10

best thing to do is ask your vet if there is any supplements that he can suggest there are loads on the market that are designed for animal use. it is best not to use human supplements for your dog without consulting a vet as you may be overdosing the dog and causing more problems. if you are worried about the dog being in pain speak to your vet they can prescribe medication and with the correct management the dog can go on as normal. if the dog is overweight it will benefit from going on a diet so as not to put extra strain on the joints and reducing lhe length of walks and the play activities that you do with your dog eg if you normally throw a ball for your dog in the air to catch. try rolling along the floor so as not to strain the joints