Be Arthritis Aware For Your Dog!!
By kathy77
@kathy77 (7486)
Australia
March 11, 2007 12:51pm CST
Be arthritis aware when it comes to your dog as it is a big issue in winter is arthritis - one in five dogs has it. It's very painful and because dogs are so tough, they often don't let on until it becomes unbearable. So dog owners need to be aware of the signs.
* Difficulty climbing stairs or jumping into the car.
* Stiffness when getting up and limping when walking.
* Whimpering or growing when being patted.
Early detection means more effective management of the condition. Vets have the most advanced anti-inflammatory medications available today - hard hitting on pain, yet very safe. In addition, dietary supplements, such as green lipped mussel can assist in helping to heal aching joints and protect against ongoing arthritis.
2 people like this
7 responses
@abbey19 (3106)
• Gold Coast, Australia
11 Mar 07
Thanks for bringing this to the attention of us dog owners, because I have a 10 year old shih-tzu, and she is slow to climb steps - not all the time, just sometimes. As they age, they can get the same aches and pains as humans.
She is on medication for it, but because it's so expensive, I only give to her when I notice she's struggling; my vet suggested not to give it to her all the time, only when she needs it.
I have noticed that when she has her medication she is a lot better, and manages steps no trouble whatsoever. No-one likes to see their pet suffer, so we should all watch out for the signs you mention.
1 person likes this
@xenatessmocker (339)
• United States
12 Mar 07
I give my eldery dog flexicose it seems to work well. It has glucosamine and other joint healing agents. It isn't expensive unless you have a giant dog like me (100+lbs)
1 person likes this
@hazydazy (783)
• United States
11 Mar 07
I am going through this with my dog. She is almost 10 and because of an accident has had arthritis for about 5 years. In the winter months she takes Rimadyl for the pain.
I have found other ways to ease the pain. We raised her dog dishes for her. When the dishes are on the floor it pulls on her hips when she eats. This made a huge improvement. I take her for two 10 minute walks a day. She also gets doggy massages in the morning and evening. We also made her a bed. We took our sons old crib mattress and made a box to slip it into that is up off the floor. She just has to step into it and I made a thick quilted cover for it. She loves it. She has been a great dog and I try to keep her as comfortable as possible.
1 person likes this
@missytia (387)
• Australia
11 Mar 07
Hi kathy77, I can totally relate to this post. lol. I suffer from chronic arthritis too, so I can sympathise with any pet that has it. I take a form of glucosamine hydrochloride. It also has ginger and bromelains (from pineapple) in it. Apparently this can be given to dogs safely. Green lipped mussels are good for humans too with arthritis. As you say, early detection is the best, to stop the inflammation get too bad.
1 person likes this
@cybergwen (158)
• United States
11 Mar 07
I used to give my lab shark cartilege (sp?) and that helped a lot. I could really tell the difference when I forgot to give them to him, and I am sure that he could feel the difference!
@Debs_place (10520)
• United States
11 Mar 07
My black dog was a stud for a guide dog organization for the blind. Due to the weight of the harness, the organization recommended the dogs take glucosamine chondroitin to help the shoulders and prevent arthritis, now you can get it with MSM. This is a mild pain killer.
It is the same stuff us people take. It takes a while to work but it helps.
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