Arthritis - Ideas For Making Dog More Comfortable

[TashaBailey]

My nine year old Sheltie suffers from severe arthritis which we suspect is hereditary. The Chiropractor is amazed that with the severity of the arthritis that the dog is even walking.

Baileys mobility has decreased significantly over the last few months and I have noticed in the last few weeks that he seems more unconfortable to the extent that if I cannot ease some of this discomfort that we may have to give him his wings.

Bailey had a course of 4 Catrophen injections over the course of 4 weeks a month ago but this time around I cannot see any improvement.

Bailey is also on 1/2 a tablet morning and night of Glucosamine

He is also on 1 tablet morning and night of a chinese herbal remedy ( China Med Arthritis) from the chiropractor (increased to 2 morning and night after consultation with the chiro on the weekend)

He gets a fish oil capsule every few days as well.

He underwent laser therapy at the chiro on the weekend.

We have been leaving his heated dog bed on almost 24/7 and he does spend a fair bit of time on that.

I noticed on the weekend that he is no longer able to get up and down my back stairs at home so we now carry him down the stairs to go to the toilet and then bring him back up. We can set up a tray for him on the back deck if we need to and put down some fake grass so that he can go there if we are not home

Has anyone got any suggestions of anything else that we could try to make him more comfortable.

I will be taking him out to Karen Hedberg tomorrow afternoon to see if she has any other suggestions as to date his treatment has been with another vet more local to me.

Thanks

TB

[Kelly_Louise]

For Chloe's bad days, I use half a tablet of the medication Previcox. It works really well and doesn't have side effects that some other pain relief has. Perhaps if he is at the stage where nothing else is working - but he still has quality of life, it is worth a shot.

Otherwise, you sound like you are doing all you can...

Have you considered getting a pet ramp for the steps he has to navigate? It might help, might not... depends on how bad it is.

Poor mite...

[Skye2]

Have you looked into stem cell therapy I know it costs a lot. There is a talk at erskine park in the next week or so. Dogs nsw can give you more info. Have you tried accupuncture as well. I take my dog to Sydney physiotherapy where does underwater treadmill. Christine can give you some different ideas as well such as exercises to increase range of movement, massage, accupucture.

I also give monthly cartrophen injections.

[hopenfox]

You could try upping the fish oil. Hope who has arthritis in a hind leg is almost completely pain and stiffness free with 3-5 caps a day.

I also found a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar in his food helped my Cavalier's terrible neck/spine arthritus tremendously.

[Elfin]

MSM (in capsule form from a chemist or health food store) is brilliant - helped my jointy racehorses, helps my own arthritic feet and I am giving it pre-emptively to my older dogs.

I give 1000mg a day. It is available mixed with glucosamine and chondroitin too, but I don't think it's strong enough, so I give them seperately.

All the best

[Georgieboy]

A friend of mine uses buffered asprin from the chemists her vet put her onto that for her Golden Retriever who has a bad hip. Not sure of the quantities thou. I also recall my ex-inlaws giving their old girl half a disprin or asprin in her dinner for arthritis.