Arthritis in dogs any ideas for treatment?
08 Mar 2010
my 9 year old collie cross has had arthritis for about a year now and its getting really bad.. weve tried arthium and strenthening oils but unfortunately the vets recomended tablets are too expensive (£20 a month) and i just dont have that type of money its burning holes in my pocket PLEASE HELP ME i dont want her too suffer any longer
do you have any ideas about treaments and cures? Thank you xx
Oh Lord, I understand your dilemma. My dog has spinal arthritis and I was not a big fan of the medicine used to treat it as there are horrible side effects. Many dollars and much heart ache later, I found the Rimadyl worked and that is what was going to give my baby relief. It is very expensive and mine needed it twice a day.
Make sure you are giving the glucosamine as that does help but it will not stop the pain your dog is having. What I had to do in the beginning was to get the script and start my dog on it. Then I gradually cut back to an amount that kept Duffie out of pain and happy. That did help on the cost some. I get so angry with these companies that know we need the medicines they make and they are trying so hard to get rich before a generic is available. And even though there are lots of places that will help with people when they need their medicines, few will help with our fur babies.
I cannot guarantee these people will help you but I know of they can they will. Check the site in my sources and go there. Send them your story and see if they can offer you any help. It is so very hard to love one of these precious friends and want to help them so badly and then get slapped with a medicine that is over priced. And I know that is the price of having a pet, but that does not make it easy or right.
One last note. While a dog can take aspirin in varying amounts, too much will poison your baby. I learned that one the hard way years ago. It will help but have your vet tell you the right amount for your dog, and many times the aspirin should be avoided because older dogs do not get rid of it so well and it will build up in their system. I am still in mourning because I did not know this and gave my shepherd/husky mix an aspirin when i was young.
Best of Luck.
Has anyone tried glucosamine for arthritis in dogs?
10 Responses
2010 Mar 08
i give both my dogs omega 3 capsules every day, dalmation is 10 and spaniel is 12, it helps alot, and seems to work after about a week
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2010 Mar 08
There is no cure, but a Glucosamine/MSM supplement helps a lot. Have you spoke to the Vet about a medication called Rimadyl, or something similar to it?
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2010 Mar 08
Glucose-amine, fish oils (Omega 3), cider vinegar and a small amount of fresh garlic (not too much and not the powdered stuff).
They all promote blood flow, which will help.
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2010 Mar 08
We have a 14½ year old German Pinscher with the same problem. As we cant afford the tablets recommended our vet told us to give her ½ Aspirin 2 times a day. She has been on that for about 3 years now and is doing okay.
I would ask the vet to make sure its okay to give it to your dog.
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2010 Mar 08
Make sure your feeding a dog food for seniors. They contain omega 3 and other helpful ingredients check labels. Do not ever give a dog asprin.
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2010 Mar 08
Oh Lord, I understand your dilemma. My dog has spinal arthritis and I was not a big fan of the medicine used to treat it as there are horrible side effects. Many dollars and much heart ache later, I found the Rimadyl worked and that is what was going to give my baby relief. It is very expensive and mine needed it twice a day.
Make sure you are giving the glucosamine as that does help but it will not stop the pain your dog is having. What I had to do in the beginning was to get the script and start my dog on it. Then I gradually cut back to an amount that kept Duffie out of pain and happy. That did help on the cost some. I get so angry with these companies that know we need the medicines they make and they are trying so hard to get rich before a generic is available. And even though there are lots of places that will help with people when they need their medicines, few will help with our fur babies.
I cannot guarantee these people will help you but I know of they can they will. Check the site in my sources and go there. Send them your story and see if they can offer you any help. It is so very hard to love one of these precious friends and want to help them so badly and then get slapped with a medicine that is over priced. And I know that is the price of having a pet, but that does not make it easy or right.
One last note. While a dog can take aspirin in varying amounts, too much will poison your baby. I learned that one the hard way years ago. It will help but have your vet tell you the right amount for your dog, and many times the aspirin should be avoided because older dogs do not get rid of it so well and it will build up in their system. I am still in mourning because I did not know this and gave my shepherd/husky mix an aspirin when i was young.
Best of Luck.
References :
http://www.imom.org/
2010 Mar 08
ask your vets about injections. i cannot remember what they are called but i know there is some injections – i think there Rimadyl injections or something
The company says to give an injection a week for 4 weeks at the beginning, and then a month, or you can adjust it to what your dog suits, whether he can have them monthly in winter, and just every other in summer. i think they are around £15 per injection, so still fairly expensive, but not as bad.
it takes a long time to figure out was is best for the dog, as on many different things, some dogs do not have a change with the injections, yet with others its great.
Make sure your dog is not heavy for her breed, as the more weight she carries round, the more the strain on her joints, and therefore she will become worse.
I have found this site, and it contains a lot of info. about arthritis in dogs, i hope this helps. http://www.vetrica.com/care/dog/arthritis.shtml
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2010 Mar 08
Metacam and Rymadal are usually prescribed by vets for arthritis. Unfortunately both of these medications can cause internal bleeding and they horrify me; however at the onset of pain they give relief.
My GSD was diagnosed with arthritis in her knees, she suffered from internal bleeding when she was prescribed Metacam, this was apparent when her stools became almost black. I investigated other meds on the internet and discovered Flexadin. It’s about £70 from the vets and £20 on the internet. It contains Glucosamine and Chondroitin which help enormously with pain and bone problems; however it also contains Devils Claw which also helps with pain. Later I accidentally discovered that Seraquin has other virtues because as well as the above stuff it also contains Turmeric, this is about £60 from the vets and £16 on the internet.
It could take up to six weeks for either Flexadin or Saraquin to take effect.
If you live in the UK and you are strapped for cash, free treatment could be available for your dog.
If you live in the UK and you unemployed or on any benefits you can get free treatment for your dog. All you need is proof of your benefits. Even if it’s just reduced council tax you can apply to the PDSA or Dogs Trust for their help.
There are vets in other parts of the world who will agree to spread the payments, consequently you should telephone them and ask before you arrange an appointment. There is also an organization called Credit Care, Google Creditcare for dogs however this may not be available in the UK.
Good luck
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Dorothy S
2010 Mar 08
Devils claw is another one you can get from a health food shop. If your dog will let you, you can also warm her joints with a hair drier, especially if she gets wet.
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2010 Mar 08
When it comes to keeping your dog healthy, the most important first step is the right attitude. A healthy pet requires more than a yearly visit to the vet for shots and a checkup. Heath, as with humans, depends on some basic building blocks.
Arthritis is often assumed to be a senior dog disease. While it certainly does strike dogs in their golden years, younger dogs are susceptible, too.
More details http://miniurl.com/20451
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