Doggy arthritis

[JackReacherReader]

Can they do anything? He's 9, and he's very very stiff. He doesn't want to go upstairs at all now he's happier staying downstairs. He also struggles to get up after sleeping. He has a walk for about 2 hours every day off the lead and he plays and runs fine, so I don't know if it's just tiredness from off the lead zoomies or something else? When he runs he does this funny thing with his back legs, he kind of bunny hops?

He's on yumove and there has been a massive improvement but he's still not right.

Can the vets help with pain

There's no response on the dog house

Ours is 15 and is on Previcox from the vet as well as Yumove and that has made a massive difference. It's a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory. He's also just finished a course of six K-Lazer treatments which have loosened his hips and back up a lot and seems to be happier in himself from them. Not all vets offer this - we had to go to a different practice - but it's worth looking into. You can get a higher strength Yumove now as well but ours absolutely refuses to take them - it's called Yumove Plus.

Of course the vets can help with the pain. He can be on painkillers for life if necessary although which one will depend on your dog. Bloods to check kidney/liver function first is advisable and usually 6-12 monthly thereafter.

There are lots and lots of options through vets to help arthritis, but getting the correct diagnosis is the first step. What appears to be arthritis can actually be a whole host of other conditions.

I had a patient only the other day whose owner though arthritis, but actually it was severe spondylosis inbetween two thoracic vertebrae.

There are lots of options, your dog does not have to suffer.
This website is a great guide to various options
www.caninearthritis.co.uk

Ours is on yumove advance which is even better than normal yumove.
When our dog was first showing signs of arthiritis we restricted exercise and gave her two weeks of metacam. We keep her very slim and don't throws balls or sticks. She is showing no signs of pain or arthritis currently.
There are lots of different drugs your vet can try.

Just to add we had xrays taken by our vet to get a firm diagnosis.

Aw it’s so hard to see this on them. If he seems fine and isn’t in pain then just monitor him. Staying downstairs may be better if that makes him comfortable and he’s happy. In her s head he’s still a puppy.

Thank you all I've booked him to the vet tomorrow evening. Poor little thing he's such an awesome dog I don't want him to be any pain

Ours has been on metacam for 6 months and it really does help. We tried her on Yumove fot a couple of months as well, but didn't notice much difference. Was looking at Yumove Plus the other day and wondering if it is worth a try. Our vet suggested hydrotherapy, but our dog HATES water, so that's not an option for us, but might work for your dog!

He's such a good dog I hate seeing him in pain :(

Our dog was on metacam. But got a collar with magnets in. He spent his last few years without meds and very happy until his last few weeks.

I second Vet! CAM is an excellent source of information! Both the fb page and the website.

My dog is 14 and I take him to hydrotherapy weekly which really helps keep him supple. He had to miss a couple of weeks when I was in hospital, and I could see the difference when I came out. He’s also on NSAIDs in the form of metacam and recently I increased the amount of essential fatty acids in his diet and he’s noticeably far more annoying. I also got him a sportsvibe coat which although pricey and I’m not 100% it works but it seems to settle him when he starts pacing at night and he loves it. I’m also just about to invest in a heat pad for his bed ready for winter.

They've kept him in for hip x rays is this normal?

Vet here. X-rays perfectly normal to find the cause of the stiffness/lameness. And to the PP who mentioned pain, stiffness and lameness are a sign of pain. The dog is restricting his movement to alleviate some of the pain. There is ALOT you can do to help...pain relief, lifestyle management, complimentary therapies eg hydrotherapy, acupuncture, physio.

My dog is 12 years old and on carprofen for arthritis. It works wonders. Hope your dog is ok op

My almost 7yr old has hip arthritis and knee problems and struggles getting up and down and I'd honestly feel so bad having her out for a two hour walk every single day in the pain she's in! She goes for a half hour walk and I've heard her whimper a few times once we're back.

She's on Carprieve but the vet wants to operate. They don't seem to be doing much!

Oh okay, so should I cut down his walks? I'll pick him up in the morning and talk about pain relief

I’m no expert but I think two hours may be long if he’s in pain. It’s awful isn’t it

@TheFuckfaceWhisperer yes it's absolutely devastating 😢 I'm so sad he's not even got to 10 before being in pain

One of ours has hip problems which makes him very stiff and sore. He has limited mobility in his hip joint and literally throws himself to the floor to lay down. It's so sad to see. Our vet has prescribed Rimadyl to be taken daily which is a painkiller. You can see the difference in him when you give it to him. He even knows the name of it now and his ears perk up when we mention it. Must be good stuff.

He's on meloxicam for 2 weeks, a strict diet and hydrotherapy for a bit. Then review in 2 weeks. I don't know if he's been manhandled a bit under ga but I had to lift him out of the car.

The vet said his back legs have next to no muscle but he's got big muscles on top he's grown to compensate how he walks. Now I've been asking about that at our previous vets for years. And they kept saying he was fat and they were 'muffin tops' I will fully accept he is a bit chunky and I'm on top of that now. But to be told that the 'muffin top' is actually muscle to help him walk because he's in pain is heart breaking.

I'm so glad we moved vets

How long do you think it'll take for him to start to feel better?

I’m reading with interest as my almost-8-year-old Lab has developed a permanent limp in the last few months. She’s having laser treatments at the vet but I’m taking notes of all these other suggestions. A friend of mine has had success getting acupuncture for her dog as well.

I hope you find something that works for your dog OP.

Definitely try Yumove Advance 360 if you can get it from your vet - it’s a natural supplement rather than a vet medicine but it is specifically for arthritis - we saw improvement very quickly with our black lab in this.

Pain relief will start working immediately, and his mobility should hopefully improve quickly. Did your vet talk to you about management...for example weight control, exercise (short frequent walks much better than 1 long walk a day), helping him with stairs, not expecting him to jump into the boot of the car but try using a ramp, using carpet runners on hard slippery floors etc.?