Osteoarthritis

[Wildside]

Seems to be what is causing my doggy so much pain. Is there anyone around here that might be able to help me understand this condition? A physical therapist maybe? I'd like to know what could aggravate the joints and maybe some exercises to help him. Before this weekend he could still climb up on the furniture, still climb stairs and still walk 1/2 a mile with no problems. I want to keep this from affecting his quality of life for as long as I possibly can. In my opinion there has never been a more awesome dog to walk the face of this earth and he deserves the very best I can give him to the end of his days. I'm open to all suggestions regarding his care.

[Kaetlinv]

I'm not sure of this, but I remember watching a documentary about dog muscle / join therapy involving swimming, since it's easier on the joints and such but requires a hefty amount of muscle work.

Perhaps looking into that? So long as he's not afraid of water he might just consider it play :)

[Wildside]

I'm not sure of this, but I remember watching a documentary about dog muscle / join therapy involving swimming, since it's easier on the joints and such but requires a hefty amount of muscle work.

Perhaps looking into that? So long as he's not afraid of water he might just consider it play :)

He loves to swim, but he sinks like a rock and winter will be here soon, but thank you for the suggestion. I will look into it.

[Kaetlinv]

Indoor pools, if you live near any, would be a good option for the winter times, and also safer in case he starts to sink. :) The documentary was based indoors and sort of had them on bouncy harnesses I think, so they -couldn't- sink.

I can try and locate the documentary, but this was years ago.

[Wildside]

Indoor pools, if you live near any, would be a good option for the winter times, and also safer in case he starts to sink. :) The documentary was based indoors and sort of had them on bouncy harnesses I think, so they -couldn't- sink.

I can try and locate the documentary, but this was years ago.

M' Dear I don't live near any that would be open-minded about allowing a dog to swim in them :laugh:

[Kaetlinv]

haha, well that stinks. Too bad they don't make huge size kiddie pools that are just extremely tall, so you could just hold him up while he tries to paddle in place? haha

[sherriwat]

so i had a doggie that had this. it was more in his later stage in life.
now when it first started the vet gave us some pills that helped on the bad days. they where pain relievers and something else (sorry this was years ago like over 5 so my forgetter is working overtime on this one in details). anyways these pills where for really bad days. they helped alot they gave us 2 more years. now eventually our bailey got to the point the pills werent cutting it. so he than went every 2 weeks for a needle at the vet and still had the pill for bad days. those needles amazing. we had 6 more mths. than we started having to go everyday and giving him pills twice a day. at this point we put him down.

now when he was just taking the pill he ahd huge quality of life. he was out walking and could get up and down on his own. (we stopped playing ball and alot of activies with him just incase) but he was downgraded to a nice slow lazy life and was completely happy and the pills kick in really really fast. now when we started giving him the shots eveery couple weeks i will admit at this point we where selfish and did not want to loss our beloved family member, but for the first little bit he was a ncie lazy happy doggie if he wanted to go for walk we took him but for not as long.

our bailey lived to 10 yrs old.

now im not sure where your vet or yourself stands on perscriptions or even if you have the same thing in the usa.

now alot of people gave us a hard time right from get go. as soon as we found out there where people who said put him down he's just gonna suffer and shouldnt have to take a pill to be able to comfortably go about his day. well my mom has arthritus has ahd it since she was 25 shes 65 now, shes in pain everyday almost all day, she ahs always since fiding out she has it been on perscritions for it just so she can move. should we have put her down? but like i said that last 6 mths when we had vet give him shots plus his pill we shouldnt of let it get to that point.

but talk to your vet if theres a perscription that can give quality of life for X amount of years with minimal to no discomfort or pain its worth it....


(oh i hope this does not start a debate)

[Wildside]

They gave him a prescription and no I do not feel wrong about it. Like I said, before this last weekend he barely showed his age at all. He is 9 and very very old for his breed. I know I don't have much longer with him but he'll let me know when he's tired.

I made this thread though to see if I could gain a better understanding of what he's going through. There are a few specific things I want to know...

What aggravates osteoarthritis? ( i.e. weather, certain activities, is going for a walk still good for him?)

What are things that helps relieve osteoarthritis? (icy hot, warm blankets, certain exercises, diet changes)

[Lankyrob]

I can only talk from personal rather than doggy experience as i have an arthritic condition.

Too much heat, cold, changes in barometric pressure all cause joint swelling and pain. Relief for me is painkillers and anti-inflammatories, heat therapy can work to help relax inflamed joints, swimming as long as the water is warm is helpful too.

Hope doggy contimues on with the least amount of distress for either of you for a long time :)

[Wildside]

Thank you Rob! Can you tell me more about "heat therapy"?

[Lankyrob]

You can get a heat blanket with thermostat, i wrap it around my shoulders and keep it "warm" to help with the pain. I have also used "deep heat" gel but not sure if that is usable on dogs or not.

Funnily enough too much heat is as bad as too little and some people use coldness to treat it rather than heat :)

[Wildside]

You can get a heat blanket with thermostat, i wrap it around my shoulders and keep it "warm" to help with the pain. I have also used "deep heat" gel but not sure if that is usable on dogs or not.

Funnily enough too much heat is as bad as too little and some people use coldness to treat it rather than heat :)

He'd been lying in the sun a lot prior to the past weekend,maybe that's what he was doing. I thought he was losing his mind laying in the sun when it's a hundred degrees lol.

[Lankyrob]

It could well be that he has associated the warmth with a feeling of "comfort", i certainly like lying in the sun and it does ease things to an extent :)

[mykee]

I am about to give your dog a new lease on life with two simple words: before I give you these two simple words, let me give you a bit of history about why and how I found this product:
Willow, our 11 year old chocolate, tore both of her back cruxiates when she was 8 months old (long story). She was faced with either surgery (which would have required her to be completely bed-ridden for 8 weeks post) or moderate pain for the rest of her life from light to moderate activity.
My wife and I looked for a third alternative and found: Sashas Blend. This stuff has been an absolute life-saver for Willow. It is a powder formulated by a dog owner (possibly a vet) in Australia for her aging, arthritic dog. It contains some fairly innocuous stuff; New Zealand green lipped mussel, marine cartilage, abalone, perna canaliculus to name a few, but the product gave Willow a new reason to live. Prior to Willow being on this stuff, a ten minute walk would have her limping the rest of the night. Now Willow can swim for two hours and not be sore (aside from normal soreness).
It can only be purchased through a vet, its a powder that is sprinkled on their food once or twice a day and comes in a 250g tub.
A tub lasts Willow almost two months at 86 lbs. and costs $60. Willow gets 1.25 tsp. a day, you dog at over 150 lbs. would get 1.75 tsp a day.
Smells horrible, is a miracle product.
Good luck.

[Falconeer999]

I have an older cat that has this and the vet recommended we give him glucosamine (sprinkled on his food). After a month or so we saw major differences. He use to whimper when jumping from the floor onto the couch. Now he has no problems jumping from the floor onto the washing machine.

I'm not sure if it has the same effect on dogs or dosage, but may be worth asking your vet about.

[Wildside]

I am about to give your dog a new lease on life with two simple words: before I give you these two simple words, let me give you a bit of history about why and how I found this product:
Willow, our 11 year old chocolate, tore both of her back cruxiates when she was 8 months old (long story). She was faced with either surgery (which would have required her to be completely bed-ridden for 8 weeks post) or moderate pain for the rest of her life from light to moderate activity.
My wife and I looked for a third alternative and found: Sashas Blend. This stuff has been an absolute life-saver for Willow. It is a powder formulated by a dog owner (possibly a vet) in Australia for her aging, arthritic dog. It contains some fairly innocuous stuff; New Zealand green lipped mussel, marine cartilage, abalone, perna canaliculus to name a few, but the product gave Willow a new reason to live. Prior to Willow being on this stuff, a ten minute walk would have her limping the rest of the night. Now Willow can swim for two hours and not be sore (aside from normal soreness).
It can only be purchased through a vet, its a powder that is sprinkled on their food once or twice a day and comes in a 250g tub.
A tub lasts Willow almost two months at 86 lbs. and costs $60. Willow gets 1.25 tsp. a day, you dog at over 150 lbs. would get 1.75 tsp a day.
Smells horrible, is a miracle product.
Good luck.

Interpath Sashas™ USA (http://www.sashasusa.com/index.php)

Is this the right stuff?

[Wildside]

I have an older cat that has this and the vet recommended we give him glucosamine (sprinkled on his food). After a month or so we saw major differences. He use to whimper when jumping from the floor onto the couch. Now he has no problems jumping from the floor onto the washing machine.

I'm not sure if it has the same effect on dogs or dosage, but may be worth asking your vet about.

Got some of that. He must be able to smell it on the food because he absolutely will not touch it :( The other dog likes it though lol. Might as well start joint maintenance early.

[mykee]

That's the stuff Wild, an absolute life saver!

[Wildside]

That's the stuff Wild, an absolute life saver!

Great! I will try that.

[Gungirl]

Mykee, Thanks for sharing the product information. I know a few people that would love to know about it.

[mykee]

I'm so happy when I get a chance to share that info with anyone having issues. Like I said, it gave Willow a whole new lease on life and if I can help even just one dog be painfree and fancyfree, I'm all over it.

[Wildside]

As soon as I can afford to I'm gonna get some of this stuff. The unexpected vet bill kinda broke me for the moment :(

I am happy to report though that King is getting much better! He's actually attempting to move around on his own now and the pain finally seems to be subsiding. I noticed that I have to get him up and moving a couple times a day or he gets pretty stiff. I'm just glad he's gonna pull out of this one though.

[rivkah]

When my older dog, Yoda, developed arthritis, he did not respond to the glucosamine, it had litt effect, and I saw no imporvement. "Metacam" from my vet put the sping back in this walk, he was like a puppy again, dancing, prancing, and generally being his old goof-ball self within only a day of starting the drug. What a miracle!!!!

I am actually not sure what type of drug metacam is, it is a liquid, dispensed by weight and added to his food, very easy to give.

Talk to you vet and see what s/he recommends... but get a second opinion if you don't like the first. I inherited this older dog (he came with the boyfriend) who had previously taken him to a different vet, who said that "he was faking it", when Yoda would limp or wimper in pain. My vet determined that Yoda had arthritis in all but one joint.

[mykee]

Metcam is essentially dog Morphine. It can be given daily on a maintenance dose, as well as a "double dose" for an almost immediate cessation of pain.
As stated previously in this thread, Metacam made my Willow a stoner. She was a mere stoned out shell of the dog she was without it.
Here's their website:
METACAM - Pain Relief for Dogs and Cats (http://www.metacam.com/)

[Wildside]

They put King on Carprofen which doesn't seem to be doing **** :angry: I thought he was getting better but now his elbow on the injured side is swollen. He's losing weight and now refusing to eat, but on the other hand is now getting up and moving around on his own without having to be coaxed. I just don't know what to do. I'm at my wit's end!

[Falconeer999]

The not eating may be loss of appetite associated with the Carprofen (According to wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth: "Pfizer acknowledges a problem with some dog owners, especially a consumer group that mounted a campaign dubbed BARKS, for Be Aware of Rimadyl's Known Side-effects—which include loss of appetite, wobbling, vomiting, seizures, and severe liver malfunction. Reports say the drug company has contacted pet owners who told their stories on the Internet, offering to pay medical and diagnostic expenses for dogs that carprofen may have harmed." (rimadyl is a brand name for carprofen)).

Extra swelling could also be associated with walking differently to compensate for the injury so putting extra stress on the elbow?

Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time finding just the right remedy. Hope it all resolves itself soon and King is back to normal!

[Wildside]

The not eating may be loss of appetite associated with the Carprofen (According to wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth: "Pfizer acknowledges a problem with some dog owners, especially a consumer group that mounted a campaign dubbed BARKS, for Be Aware of Rimadyl's Known Side-effects—which include loss of appetite, wobbling, vomiting, seizures, and severe liver malfunction. Reports say the drug company has contacted pet owners who told their stories on the Internet, offering to pay medical and diagnostic expenses for dogs that carprofen may have harmed." (rimadyl is a brand name for carprofen)).

Extra swelling could also be associated with walking differently to compensate for the injury so putting extra stress on the elbow?

Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time finding just the right remedy. Hope it all resolves itself soon and King is back to normal!

Thank You so much! You just made me feel so much better :) You guys have all been so helpful! I am so glad I found this forum. :yes:

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/301930_220832051305935_182020646_n.jpg

This was him a year ago, one month before his 9th birthday and looking like he's gonna live forever. He still looked like this except with a lot more gray 2 weeks ago. Other than his recent problems the vet said he's in great condition. I truly hope he pulls out of this. I'd love to have another year or two with him.

[mykee]

He'll be fine. It's pretty obvious (to me at least) that you're one of "those" dog owners; the ones that will do almost anything to keep their dogs happy and healthy.
It warms the cockles of my heart.

[Wildside]

He'll be fine. It's pretty obvious (to me at least) that you're one of "those" dog owners; the ones that will do almost anything to keep their dogs happy and healthy.
It warms the cockles of my heart.

LOL! Wait until I update my BP thread ;)

[Wildside]

Alright so I didn't give him the Rimadyl this a.m. and tonight he ate a monster bowl of food. After that he felt so good he wanted to take a little walk around the yard and actually started bearing some real weight on it. It's weak, but man was it good to see him use it :) I think all he's gonna need is some time.

He does need to start a joint therapy regimen though. For tonight I made him doggy cookies with the Osteo Powder stuff that I already paid $100 for mixed in. That was interesting, but my daughter and I had fun making them. :yes: I'm just waiting for them to freeze to see if they're a hit. If I can get him to eat those then I know I'll be able to get him the Sasha's Blend and that will just be awesome!

[Wildside]

Update: King has made a full recovery! :yes:

He is even walking up the stairs again. I'm ecstatic. I figured his stair climbing days were far behind him. I <3 that dog!

[Lankyrob]

Update: King has made a full recovery! :yes:

He is even walking up the stairs again. I'm ecstatic. I figured his stair climbing days were far behind him. I <3 that dog!

Fantastic!!! Best post i have read all day :) :)

[Donnie]

That's great news, glad he has made a full recovery