Arthritis

Brittany

When we took Kelsey to vet for her annual exam the vet made a comment that Kelsey was arthritic in her back legs. I should have pushed for me information but at the time I was concerned about the UTI and that is where my main focus was. But over the last month or so Kelsey has stopped jumping up on the bed. Either me or my husband had to lift her up there. We have since gone out and got her another bed for the bedroom and she sleeps on it instead of with us. Also, our office in on the second floor and doesn't have an elevator. Sometimes she darts right up the stairs but others, like today, she pauses and I have to coax her up. I read on the forum somewhere recently that dogs in pain don't always show it unless it is really bad. Do you think Kelsey could be in pain from arthritus? How do I determine that and how is it treated?

fawkese1

definitely discuss with your vet, but a friend of mine has an older dog with some serious issues (nerve degeneration) on top of arthritis, and she has started giving him a magical supplement (i've seen the stuff work, seriously she ran out of it and couldn't find it anywhere for a while, and finally got it from the internet somewhere, gave it to him for dinner, and in the morning he was a different dog!) i'll try to find out what it is called for you, then you could maybe ask your vet about it.... glucosamine has been shown to help too, you may want to find a good doggie version of it, tho i think human stuff is cheaper... but i think mikey said that her dog had a reaction to something in a human glucosamine pill....

Criosphynx

Critter has it in her damaged knee. They diagnosed it with an xray.

She gets Glucosamine in her food. She also had metacam for the bad days, which I need more of, we are out.


But yeah, they can be pretty stoic. Critter has good/bad days like your describing in Kelsey. She used to scream in pain on cold mornings...but hasn't in over a year, which I think is the result of supplements.

Brittany

Kelsey never does anything like whine or anything to show she is in pain. She will just sometimes not want to jump up or walk up the stairs. How much do you think it would cost me for the medicine?

Criosphynx

Metacam was $30ish I think...but we go through it in like a week. I actually have been thinking about asking my vet if there is another solution.

MySoulmateEmmy

good doggy glucosamine can cost anywhere from ~$40-70.00 per bottle and usually there are between like 60-120 capsules in them although you can get bottles with more. For the first 4-6 weeks you use it, you need to use a higher dose, then switch to a maintenance dose after that. (says it all about how to use on the back of the bottle).

You can also order online for slightly cheaper if your vet is expensive, or see if they could honor a price match to something you find online or in a magazine.

Most used products are:

Cosequin DS (comes in capsules or flavored pills)

Glycoflex I, II, or III (flavored pills)

Dasuquin (with or without MSM- flavored pills)

Synovichews (which are chewy, but also think they come in pill or powder form)

~MSE

Criosphynx

if anyone has experience with Cosequin...my ears are open. Iam considering it

Mikey

Awww poor Kels

Ditto talking to the vet.

Glucosamine is GREAT-Mandy gets the Synovi chews but they stoppped making them and now she's on a strait gluco pill.

Mandy gets weekly injections of a triple joint lubrication and you can tell if she's late getting them.

Metacam totally good for bad days, it's like ibuprofen for us but for them-so it can be hard on tummies-it's not an everyday thing.

A dog who is in pain looks just like every other dog-they won't show it unless it's big time extreme and that can either cause hiding and fearfulness, or agressive behavior or a little limp or even reactive biting when you touch them-you cannot count on her to tell you if she's in pain-instead look for signs that shes not (like racing around, eating with gusto etc)