Val (Zebedee) Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 Can those of you who have dogs with arthritis or joint problems help me out? Diesel is 9.5 yrs old now. He's not having any problems that I'm aware of but then again, I don't know what I should be looking for! What are the signs your dogs gave that all was not right? Is it the 'not getting up and down steps' that could be a clue or something less obvious? Like I say, he's still jumping in and out the car etc ok but I'm mindful of his age and want to be aware of any symptoms that I should be looking out for. The only other dog I've had that reached old age (13) had no problems till he got cancer - he was a GSD and I was always looking out for the usual hip problems that go with the breed but they never came; I just want to be prepared if D has problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollys Dad Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 I'll be watching for any replies as we think Timber might have a touch of arthritis. After some of our longer Sunday walks in the recent cold (ish) snap, Timber seems to struggle to get moving on a Monday morning. He is only 5 but I have heard that Mals can get arthritis younger than Sibes. Maybe because they are a larger breed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 With Brooke it was her back legs. Especially in the winter time she was stiff legged in the mornings and after naps. She still gets up and down the stairs fine but does bunny hop her way. Running at the park, you'd never guess her problems but once back home she'll sleep until evening and then struggle to get up, limping sometimes until she's been moving around for a bit. We have found that high strength doggy glaucosamine supplements help her quite noticeably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 Usually morning stiffness is an early sign. But there are levels of hip and joint supplements and you can probably start talking to your vet about putting him on a mild one. If he is overweight, now would be the time to start slimming him down. Swimming can help with that, and a lot of holistic veterinary clinics offer hydro therapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BelleBot Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 My mum's dog Gobi a lurcher not a Sibe, has arthritis. We started noticing it because after a walk he'd start nibbling and licking at his joints. He'd also get slightly snappy if he was outside and it was cold and wet as he was clearly in pain. He's got an anti inflammatory prescribed which helps a great deal. He only really has problems when it's cold and wet, and he's a little stiff in the mornings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Austinville Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 Look for changes in how quickly they stand up from laying down, changes also occur especially during changes in the atmospheric pressure. do note that I had Bo on human grade glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. I now have our 10 year old lab/rottie cross on them. After having him on them for a year, I was given a canine glucosamine formula, so I changed Chance over to them. I noticed immediately that they weren't doing the job. Once I put him back on the human grade formula, things got back to normal. The insight from this that I can offer you is that a more pure grade of glucosamine and chondroitin will work better for you.......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elyse Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 This is what I've noticed in Suka. On a daily basis: - Stiff when getting up. Especially stiff in the mornings. - Slow when getting up from lying down. - Sits slowly and lies down slowly. - A very VERY slight limp (his arthritis started in his right hip). - Atrophied muscle (right leg) because his arthritis started in his right hip... - Reluctant to exercise (would rather sleep all day) - Get worse when it rains, when it is humid outside, cold outside, snowing, etc. - Goes upstairs SLOWLY - doesn't bound up 3 steps at a time like he used to. - Doesn't pull as much on walks. - Falls behind slightly on walks - when he does this, I go really slow and head home. This usually means it really hurts for him. - Doesn't jump around. - Doesn't play/very reluctant to play. - After exercise, he's very grumpy. (If I touch his hips or other joints, he half growls and half whines...so they hurt?) and joints are slightly warm to the touch. (inflamed?) And during flare-ups: - Can't/won't get up. (major) - Shaking/shivering (major and minor) - Is unable to stay standing on own. (major) - Refuses to go up stairs (major and minor) - Refuses to exercise and go outside (major and minor) - Obviously whines, cries, and shows other signs of pain. What I do about it: - Give him joint supplements with Glucosamine and MSM (Vermont Naturals: Hip + Joint XL) daily. - During flareups, he gets 1/2 of a tablet of Deramaxx (vet prescribed anti-inflammatory) - Regular exercise really helps (short walks - 50 minutes a day seems to satisfy Suka), as muscle helps to support the joint. - Put omega 3, 6, 9 on his kibble - helps to lubricate the joints. - He's on a 'diet', to keep his weight down. He's a pound or so below his healthy weight - this puts less pressure and stress on his joints. He's had less flareups since he's lost weight. - Under NO circumstances is he to get fat or gain weight. - His walks are on dirt/grass - less of an impact than on sidewalks (most impact, no give) or roads (high impact, very little give) - If Diesel likes to swim...then swimming and hydrotherapy is one of the best things you can do for an arthritic dog. Good luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Povodny Posted December 23, 2012 Report Share Posted December 23, 2012 The OH's dad has a lab with joint problems. He has anti inflammatories (vet prescribed) but also has glucosamine and chondroitin. I imagine like people if you can determine the amounts suitable for dogs you could start him on it as a preventative rather than wait for him to start suffering. Apparently chondroitin helps rebuild cartilage, or so my gp told me, I take it for my joints, predominantly for my knees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 Saskia showed signs of limping and stiff in the mornings. She would nibble at the effected limb untill it bled, she now has Metacam prescribed by the vet and made a big difference. The other very noticable thing with her before she started on the meds was that if I looked at her back end, she would have a bow in her legs that made her look like a staff, bowed out legs, after 2 days on the meds they straightened up again. She will be nine next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cas Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 Storm started to show signs of leg problems by seeming stiff legged in the mornings, slight limping on and off and hesitating whilst going up and down stairs. Xrays confirmed Arthritis in her hips. She then started Hydrotherapy once a week for a 40 minute swim and I added a product called Joint aid to her food each day. Her hips have been playing up recently and has been started on anti-inflammatories as well as the Joint aid and swimming. She has greatly improved these past 2 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebe03 Posted December 24, 2012 Report Share Posted December 24, 2012 As others have said it's things like general stiffness and reluctance to go up or down stairs. Polee has Arden Grange kibble which contains glucosamine and chondroitin which appears to help as she doesn't show any signs of her HD and hasn't needed any any anti inflammatory meds for a long time. If you gently grab his skin between the shoulder blades and you feel it spasm that can be a sign of the muscle knotting up which can be caused joint problems. I use this method to establish if Polee needs a massage to relieve the knotting which I find more affective than medication Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted December 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Usually morning stiffness is an early sign. But there are levels of hip and joint supplements and you can probably start talking to your vet about putting him on a mild one. If he is overweight, now would be the time to start slimming him down. Swimming can help with that, and a lot of holistic veterinary clinics offer hydro therapy. We have got over a stone off him weight wise and it's still coming off (slowly but surely) not only for his general health anyway but because of his age etc but I think I'll look into the swimming - when we first rescued him, he hated water, he would squeal at the seaside, but now he loves it (except bath time!) so I may look into this, thank you for the idea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted December 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 (edited) She then started Hydrotherapy once a week for a 40 minute swim and I added a product called Joint aid to her food each day. Her hips have been playing up recently and has been started on anti-inflammatories as well as the Joint aid and swimming. She has greatly improved these past 2 weeks. @cas - where do you take Storm doggy swimming? As you're only in Bury, not too far from me, if it was something I was going to start with D, I'd want to go to one that someone has tried & could recommend [MENTION=2533]lebe03[/MENTION] - I didn't know about the knotting feeling, that is something else I will do. From what I have read, he is not showing any signs yet of hip / joint problems; he slows down on walks but he has always done that, I put it down to age & weight. He does struggle to get up if he has curled up in one of the other dogs' smaller beds, but as someone said to me, it's like us sitting funny & getting a "dead leg" but I will definitely keep an eye for any of these things mentioned - thank you all Edited December 26, 2012 by Val (Zebedee) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cas Posted December 26, 2012 Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 @cas - where do you take Storm doggy swimming? As you're only in Bury, not too far from me, if it was something I was going to start with D, I'd want to go to one that someone has tried & could recommend @lebe03 - I didn't know about the knotting feeling, that is something else I will do. From what I have read, he is not showing any signs yet of hip / joint problems; he slows down on walks but he has always done that, I put it down to age & weight. He does struggle to get up if he has curled up in one of the other dogs' smaller beds, but as someone said to me, it's like us sitting funny & getting a "dead leg" but I will definitely keep an eye for any of these things mentioned - thank you all Val i'm afraid I am in Bury in Cambridgeshire (over 3hrs from you I think) Were you thinking of the Manchester Bury? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted December 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2012 Ah poop! Yes I was! Hmmm - a bit far then! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmscott Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 You can usually call around to different vets to see if they know an orthopedics specialists or one with hydro therapy. If you are going with swimming, make sure to buy a doggie life jacket. It will take off some of the stress of swimming, and if your pup gets too tired, he doesn't have to work to stay afloat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lebe03 Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 @cas - where do you take Storm doggy swimming? As you're only in Bury, not too far from me, if it was something I was going to start with D, I'd want to go to one that someone has tried & could recommend @lebe03 - I didn't know about the knotting feeling, that is something else I will do. From what I have read, he is not showing any signs yet of hip / joint problems; he slows down on walks but he has always done that, I put it down to age & weight. He does struggle to get up if he has curled up in one of the other dogs' smaller beds, but as someone said to me, it's like us sitting funny & getting a "dead leg" but I will definitely keep an eye for any of these things mentioned - thank you all Val, when Polee was recovering from her surgery she used the hydrotherapy tank as Myerscough college However if your looking more for a swimming pool I've heard good reports on http://www.teazledownswimsafe.co.uk/ who have years of experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Povodny Posted December 27, 2012 Report Share Posted December 27, 2012 Ah poop! Yes I was! Hmmm - a bit far then! lol Theres a hydrotherapy centre at pet paraphernalia on the Burscough industrial estate http://www.canine-hydrotherapy.org/find/169 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val (Zebedee) Posted December 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2012 Thanks Lee & Nic, I'll look into these, I just want to have any & all info to hand about it (a bit like getting your first husky!!) lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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