BrunoBella Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 A friend has a 6 year old who has recently developed degenerative disc disease (c4-5) and is in lots of pain. Is being treated with steroids. Anyone know what else she can do to make him more comfortable while he is recovering? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldens Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) I do not know if this will be of any help or not, but here goes. My old male golden developed arthritis in his hips and spine from about mid back down about the time he turned 11. Hi spine actually kind of buckled up and curved some. He was very low getting up and down, but once up, he went at a trot---that old man never did learn dogs were suppose to walk, not trot. Also, he reached the point he could not stretch his rear legs behind him nor roll on his back. He would lean against a door jamb and rub back and forth to scratch his back as best as he could. I had him on osteo-biflex for joints, plus fish oil, vitamin E, EsterC. Well, on an all breed forum one lady was always talking about Knox Nutra Joint Plus. She had severe arthritis and someone told her about it and she started using it and it helped her a lot, so she started giving it to her elderly dog--and it helped him. A few others tried it and posted they say improvment in their dogs. I decided to give it to Buck. Callie said it takes about 3 months to notice a difference. I really had my doubts, but Buck had been on it about 2 1/2 months and one day I saw him stretch his rear legs back a little---for the first time in months. Also he was getting up faster. Huby is a cross country truck driver--even going up into Canada--and I did not think to tell him about Buck's improvment. He came in one day and had only been home a couple of hours when he was shounting to me that Buck had streched his rear legs some. Buck did continue to improve, but about 5 months after I had started him on it, he died in my arms of a heart attack at age 12 yurs. 3 months. We had lost a full brother, different litter, to him several years earlier to heart attack at age 5 years 2 months. I really do not even know if you ave he Knox Nutrajoint down there or not. I get the powdered form at WalMart in the vitamin section--I suppose you have Walmart as I think they are al over the world. Edited January 12, 2009 by goldens Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 Hi Goldens ..... thanks for the story, although sorry to hear you lost your ol' boy. It is always sad, regardless of whether it is their 'time' or not, but glad you were able to provide him with some comfort and better mobility in his latter years. I've not heard of Knox Nutrajoint here, although perhaps we have it under another name? If you still have a jar of it, are you able to list the ingredients? Oh ..... and as an aside, 'trotting' is an economical gait for dogs, energy-wise speaking . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldens Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 It is unflavored gelatin powder. Somehow it helps rebuild cartledge in joints. The Plus has MSM and glucosamine added. I had seen the little individual packs used for cooig in with the jello packs in grocey store, but had never noticed the annistars until I actully looked for them in WalMart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 Thanks for your story goldens . I'm sorry you had to lose your old golden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 This wasn't Callie from i-dog was it, the one with an Australian husband?? She is a freaking wealth of knowledge on natural remedies. Penny was on Sasha's Blend for ages and I think it really helped. What helped even more was taking her off kibble and putting her on homecooked, later raw. Her arthritis went into remission and disappeared for about 3 years! I think swimming helps, as it's a low impact exercise. Taking slow walks as it's important to keep everything moving. Keep him warm and make sure he has something very soft to lie on that's easy to get on and off. Penny likes a bit of massage on her tired old joints and sore muscles, but do it wrong and it makes her cranky. Callie also suggests giving a relaxant such as Valerian Root at night. I tried that a bit, but then my kitchen floor ate my Valerian Root capsules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBella Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) Thanks Corvus. This is a friend of mine from hervey bay, not a doler. She has put the dogs food and water up high so he doesn't have to bend down. I will send her the rest of this info now. BP eta my floor eats things as well Edited January 12, 2009 by BellasPerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldens Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 This wasn't Callie from i-dog was it, the one with an Australian husband?? She is a freaking wealth of knowledge on natural remedies. Penny was on Sasha's Blend for ages and I think it really helped. What helped even more was taking her off kibble and putting her on homecooked, later raw. Her arthritis went into remission and disappeared for about 3 years! I think swimming helps, as it's a low impact exercise. Taking slow walks as it's important to keep everything moving. Keep him warm and make sure he has something very soft to lie on that's easy to get on and off. Penny likes a bit of massage on her tired old joints and sore muscles, but do it wrong and it makes her cranky. Callie also suggests giving a relaxant such as Valerian Root at night. I tried that a bit, but then my kitchen floor ate my Valerian Root capsules. YES, THAT EXACTLY THE CALLIE I AM TALKING ABOUT. SHE HAD BEEN USING CANES TO GET AROUND WHEN SOMEONE TOLD HER ABOUT THE KNOX. SHE WILL ALWAYS TRY NATURAL THINGS FIRST AND EVEN THO SHE HAD DOUBTS SHE GAVE IT A TRY. ONE DAY SHE GOT UP TO ANSWER THE PHONE OR SMETHING AND FOUND HERSELF CARRYING RATHER THAN USING CANES. SHE SENT ME SOME VERY FOUL SMELLING STUFF FOR A SOULDER IMPINGMENT ROBLEMi HAVE AND IT HELPED MY SHOULDER. CALLIES' COCKER, bILLY DEVELOPED AUTOIMMUNE HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA LAST EAR. iF YOU READ MY THREAD HERE, "PORHEART6--OR 12--CAN BE A KILLER" (IT IS ON DOWN) YOU WILL FIND WHAT A HORRIBLE DISEASE IT T IS. dRUGS THEY HAVE TO TAKE TYO SURVIVE DO HORRIBLE THINGS TO THEIR BODIES. SHE USES A LOT OF HERBS, ETC ANDbILLY IS ONE OF THE LUCKY AIHA DOG AND IS STILL AROUND. hE HAD A DOUBLE WHAMMY IN THAT HE IS A BLOND COCKER SPANIEL AND VERY FEW OF THEM SURVIVE. ACTUALLY, ONLY ABOUT 20% OF ANY BREED DOES SURVIVE THAT HORRIBLE DISEASE. sHE IS THE ONE THAT PUT US ONTO MILK THISTLE AND WE TAKE IT EVERY DAY AND ALSO GAVE IT TO ALL OUR DOGS--hONY STILL GETS IT. i AM ON MEDS NOW THAT ARE KINDA ROUGH ON LIVER (*3 FOR DIABETESE, ONE FOR THYROID, ONE FOR CHLESTEROL) AND MY BLOOD WORK FOR LIVER IS GREAT EVERY MONTH. i ASO TAKE CRANBERRY CAPSUL DAILY FOR KIDNEYS AND THEIR VALUES ARE ALSO ALWAYS GREAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) I do not know what we would all do without Callie, goldens. And her senior citizens are the luckiest old dogs. ETA Oops, sorry BellasPerson, wasn't too clear on who I was talking about there. Edited January 13, 2009 by corvus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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