Supplements for joints in older dog

[doodleygirl]

My girl is 11.5 and is slowing down and sometimes seems stiff. We give her YuMove extra but I was wondering if we should be giving her other supplements as well?

I would have a read of the Canine Arthritis Management website. They also have helpful videos on Facebook, as well as a group called Holly’s Army, also on Facebook, where you can ask advice.

They have lots of advice about different things you can do re exercise and environment and what signs to look out for if your dog is in pain.

Iirc, high strength, fish-based omega 3 is the only supplement that’s been proven to help in clinical trials, but people do have varying amounts of success with other options.

I have my elderly boy on Riaflex and their Green Lipped Mussel, Omega 3 and Turmeric for Dogs and along with adjustments to the house and his lifestyle, as advised by the aforementioned website, he’s a different dog than he was even a few months ago. He’s a large breed, has osteoarthritis and is 15 years old, so not doing too badly at all.

You need to introduce each new supplement individually and they can take up to 3 months to start seeing signs of helping.

I used yumove+/ green lipped mussel powder and salmon oil as supplements for my girl.

thank you, I will take a look at the website

Sorry, I meant to add, the vets should always be your first port of call. My dog is also on Rimadyl from the vets, alongside the supplements. He’s been on it for a long time now and veterinary meds should be used alongside any supplements, with the aim of keeping your dog as comfortable and pain free as possible.

The vet will be able to assess the stiffness to find the underlying cause. Lots of dogs get lower back problems as they get older, as well as osteoarthritis. As well as prescription meds, many vets can offer physio and some offer other options, such as acupuncture or hydrotherapy, all of which should be used alongside any supplements. It’s kind of a holistic approach, with supplements, environment, exercise and alternative therapies all being used together to support the individual dog’s needs.

Agree with the PP, although bit like GP's not all vets are very knowledgeable about
various arthritis treatments past their preferred NSAID or aware of benefits of complimentary therapies so using CAM can be really beneficial to become the best advocate for your dog.

Supplements may help but they can take time to build up & have to mindful of caregiver placebo where we want something to work so think we see improvement & really the dog is still uncomfortable. I use riaflex joint plus & green lipped mussel powder. I watched some CAM talks about CBD & decided was lot of potential issues so wasn't something I wanted to try.

I would book a vet consult as stiffness/slowing down is a sign of chronic pain and you'll probably notice many other subtle changes have also occurred once on pain relief meds & unlike supplements these are proven to work. In general people tend to have an aversion to using medication or want to give only when dog is bad (in their eyes) but for chronic conditions like arthritis most work better when used regularly as the body needs the movement to keep flexible & maintain the muscles to support and discomfort tends to make you avoid doing something or use your body differently so end up with strain elsewhere too.

@Scattyhattie, can I ask how I would know if she is in pain. She doesnt seem to be in pain, just slower and stiffer than her younger years?

I will make an appointment with my vet thank you for the advice

Dogs don’t show pain in the same way as humans. I had a dog with bone cancer and she was still running around like a pup. Only started limping when there was no bone left in the middle of that leg.

Unfortunately, slowing up and stiffness are both signs of pain. The stiffness is most likely arthritis, which restricts joint movement and causes pain, but it can be lower back pain. Stiffness was the first clear sign my boy had arthritis. Being slower to get up off their bed, up from lying down or up and down steps/stairs, not keen on sitting - preferring to lie down, less active generally around the house and garden, moving from bed to bed (finding it hard to settle in a comfortable spot) more sedate on walks, etc. Each dog will show signs in different ways. Also keep an eye out for uneven claw growth, as that can show how they’re favouring one leg or one side over the other.

The good news is that you are taking action as soon as you have noticed the stiffness, so there is a lot that can be done to help keep her comfortable and active. Often people say they are amazed at how it seems to take years off them when they start treatment. My boy is obviously a lot older, but he was running around in the park like a puppy, being really daft yesterday. Sadly, at this point, I have to intervene, as he will pay for it afterwards if he overdoes it, but he’s clearly happy and felt good enough to do it, which he wouldn’t have done this time last year. Since we’ve added in the supplements to his Rimadyl, he has started having his mad dashes in and out the back door at tea time again. We didn’t realise how hard he was finding things until the treatment plan began to take effect and he started being daft and cheeky again. We assumed being slow, less active and a bit grumpy was inevitable with old age. Since the treatment has started to work he is back to being himself. In fact, right now, he seems to be going through a second puppyhood - or maybe teens - as he’s started getting up to all manner of naughtiness he hasn’t done for years.

CAM Signs of Chronic Pain

CAM Identifying Signs of Arthritis

@PermanentlyDizzy - I have an appt on Monday for a telephone consultation and we will take it from there. I am so upset that I didnt realise this earlier, I hope she is not in too much pain.

From your link there are so many signs that she is in pain, the restlessness, moving from bed to bed, slowing down on walks. I just thought it was old age and she was slowing down. She often acts like a puppy, runs around, loves her toys and playing.

Thank you so much for your guidance I am so pleased I posted my question.

You’re not alone. Most people don’t realise and even though I had taken my boy to the vets early on, I had no idea how many other things I could have been doing to help him.

The important thing is you did notice something was up and now you are going to be able to make her a lot more comfortable.

Good luck with the vet appointment.