I am looking after a GSD and he very occasionally has painful hips. He is a very active dog and loves to explore and run a little when on walks. He is just about to turn 5 I believe. Can anyone recommend any suppliments, or exercise programs to minimise his pain.
2007-03-18 07:11:13 · 7 answers · asked by Fred 3 in Pets ➔ Dogs
Thanks for the advise so far.
I am just looking after him for 6 months, he is not mine.
At the moment he only shows pain every 2 weeks or so. If he gets any worse I will take him for x-rays. Does anyone know how much these may cost in the south-west of england?
2007-03-18 07:24:55 · update #1
Mark G - Do YMCA's really allow dogs in their pools!?!
2007-03-18 07:30:44 · update #2
He is about 43Kg, but most definatly not over weight. He is very fit and trim. sorry to keep adding stuff.
2007-03-18 11:23:55 · update #3
Glucosamine/chondroitin tablet supplements, as several people have suggested, are a good idea, particularly since he's just starting to have problems. They help more in the long-term though. There are dog supplements you can buy from your vet, or you could ring your vet and ask for a suitable dose and see if it's cheaper at a human health store.
You're doing the right thing by keeping him active. If he's at all overweight then losing the weight is one of the things that makes the most difference. Hydrotherapy is also really good for dogs with joint problems, I've seen fantastic results with long-term programs. If you're in the UK then http://www.k9hydrotherapy.co.uk/ has a list of centres, but it is perhaps something his owners should be doing as it can be expensive.
Although he's not your dog you could maybe advise the owners to have him assessed by a vet. This would mean he can be prescribed some painkillers to take on his bad days (which is probably the best thing to do).
X-rays are a good idea to determine how bad his hip dysplasia is, but the painkillers will be decided by how painful he seems rather than an x-ray picture. X-rays would be helpful if the owners are willing to think about surgical options like hip replacements (he is a young dog after all).
There's also a new treatment that sometimes works, it's a course of injections called Cartrophen and is good for arthritis. I'm not sure how well it works for hip dysplasia but it could be worth trying.
Good luck with him!
2007-03-18 09:21:56 · answer #1 · answered by theindigorat 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He needs to be on glucosamine chondroitin - likely a dose of 1000 mg per day for a dog his size, especially if he's in pain. He also needs his exercise, running especially, somewhat limited.
But what he needs more than that is to be taken to a vet for x-rays so a vet can determine if he needs to be on a prescribed med to control pain. A vet would also be able to advise exactly how much exercise he should get after seeing his x-rays.
2007-03-18 14:15:59 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Swimming supposed to be good but pools expensive although you may find someone locally who is cheap. My dog has glucosamine from Health span (with my husband) and they have worked for him but not the husband - he is almost 15 and still runs. He's a mongrel though. We did have a GS cross Rhodesion Ridgeback who was 11 and had been in local RSPCA for a year and I got him running again - he was dreadfully arthritic when we got him and he was prescribed something from the vet which we collected from RSPCA but I don't think it was any better than the glucosamine. Friends of ours give their young lab cd liver oil.
2007-03-18 15:27:24 · answer #3 · answered by Carol Ann H 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
He should ideally be on a complete dog food for maxi/large breeds, this will contain ingredients to help with joint probs. Also a supplement like glyco-flex or something similar avaliable from your vets will really help - this contains glucosamine, chondroitin, magnese and green lipped mussel, which will improve the condition of his hip joints - they are pricey but well worth it. If she shows signs of discomfort or pain, get him to a vet, so they can xray and prescribe some anti-inflammatories.
2007-03-18 14:42:33 · answer #4 · answered by Appletart 20 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Get him to a vet and check for hip dysplacia (sorry about spelling!) This disease can strike at any age but can be controlled sometimes with medication.
Good luck
2007-03-18 14:21:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
vets have meds for hip dysplasia,,,, contact the breeder also,,,, they need to know this information in order to improve their lines and to NOT breed the parents of this dog again
2007-03-18 14:16:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I WOULD ADVISE GSD TO START AQUATIC EXERCISES THEY ARE GREAT FOR YOUR BODY AND GREAT FOR THE KNEES AND HIPS, ALSO SUPPLEMENTS OF SHARK CARTILEGE ARE GOOD,WITH SOME POWDER CALCIUM,.THE AQUATIC EXERCISES CAUSE NO FRICTION TO THE BONES,YOU CAN GO TO A LOCAL YMCA ,THEY ALWAYS HAVE A POOL.
2007-03-18 14:25:01 · answer #7 · answered by Mark G 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋