We have a 14 yr. old Siberian Husky who has developed arthritis. He's stiff when getting up and sitting/laying down. Because of some elevated liver enzymes, he cannot take any prescription arthritis meds. He is taking Tramadol for pain and a joint supplement (Super Joint Enhancer) from PetMeds. His arthritis has not gotten any worse on the Joint Enhancer, but it hasn't really made a visible difference either. I found a Joint Rescue and Supplement on petwellbeing.com, but it only has 1 review. There are a bunch of different supplements out there "sworn to work" too. Does anyone give their older dog a supplement for arthritis that has made a big difference & that they would recommend? Jake (our Husky) thanks you!
Good Canine Arthritis Supplement?
- Thread starter Jhonalid1
- Start date
I dont have a dog with arthritis (yet) but I do give my Doxies Re-Gen Max and Wild Salmon Oil by Pet Tek and Primrose Oil by The Urban Carnivore. All are good for joint health, and arthritis. I dont like chemical meds, and try to avoid them (but I wont sacrifice my dogs health to avoid them) Boo used to have some pain in his back, but since I started the Primrose oil, his pain is gone.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
i have lived with a dog with arthritis, and that Tramadol did seem to help Toby. I share Sara's general wish to avoid prescription meds, too, but, like her, if you got to, you got to.
I also used some chondrotin/glucosamine mixture, which i was never sure if it helped much or not. But i was desperate enough, i probably would have hired rain dancers, if someone said it might help.
One thing we tried to do for him, as often as we could, was get him in water, to swim a bit. There are some wonderful doggie life vests out there, for dogs who don't have much energy, makes swimming easier. If you don't have a nearby lake, your vet might know of a place where dogs can swim.
It was hard geting him into the SUV, so we built him a doggie ramp for that.
Tricks training might help him have as much joy as he can, if he is limited on other activities. Even dogs who can't move much, can learn some tricks. Really gives a dog a very very satisfied feeling, like they accomplished something, got a chance to use their minds, have a chance to please their owner and get praise for doing something, etc.
Maybe dogs, like humans, may even find distraction a good therapy, the way humans do...(?)
If you are interested in some tricks even dogs who can't move much, let us know, is great community here, who'd be real willing to help you learn some low-activity tricks, if you want to distract him....if you've never done it, you might smile hugely to see how much your dog loves doing tricks. Many tricks can be done lying down, too.
and it's not hard to do, either, only five or ten minutes a day, can teach a dog a trick.
BEST OF LUCK. I know you are doing all you can for this dog. And do let your vet know, if you feel the meds are not helping, in case he has anything else to offer.
I also used some chondrotin/glucosamine mixture, which i was never sure if it helped much or not. But i was desperate enough, i probably would have hired rain dancers, if someone said it might help.
One thing we tried to do for him, as often as we could, was get him in water, to swim a bit. There are some wonderful doggie life vests out there, for dogs who don't have much energy, makes swimming easier. If you don't have a nearby lake, your vet might know of a place where dogs can swim.
It was hard geting him into the SUV, so we built him a doggie ramp for that.
Tricks training might help him have as much joy as he can, if he is limited on other activities. Even dogs who can't move much, can learn some tricks. Really gives a dog a very very satisfied feeling, like they accomplished something, got a chance to use their minds, have a chance to please their owner and get praise for doing something, etc.
Maybe dogs, like humans, may even find distraction a good therapy, the way humans do...(?)
If you are interested in some tricks even dogs who can't move much, let us know, is great community here, who'd be real willing to help you learn some low-activity tricks, if you want to distract him....if you've never done it, you might smile hugely to see how much your dog loves doing tricks. Many tricks can be done lying down, too.
and it's not hard to do, either, only five or ten minutes a day, can teach a dog a trick.
BEST OF LUCK. I know you are doing all you can for this dog. And do let your vet know, if you feel the meds are not helping, in case he has anything else to offer.
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
and feel free to post some photos of your beloved dog, we love looking dog photos around here!!
tigerlily46514
Honored Member
thinking back to Toby's arthritis times,
we once shelled out some cash for a fancy doggie bed, specially designed for dogs with arthritis, very soft and all.
well, Toby didn't seem impressed with his fancy new bed, but loved laying his elderly aching bones down on the cold marble tile floor instead. For whatever that info is worth to you.
I'd bet all dogs are unique, but my arthritic dog seemed to much enjoy and relish really icey cold surfaces, if you can think of a way to provide one, just to see if your dog likes it, too.
we once shelled out some cash for a fancy doggie bed, specially designed for dogs with arthritis, very soft and all.
well, Toby didn't seem impressed with his fancy new bed, but loved laying his elderly aching bones down on the cold marble tile floor instead. For whatever that info is worth to you.
I'd bet all dogs are unique, but my arthritic dog seemed to much enjoy and relish really icey cold surfaces, if you can think of a way to provide one, just to see if your dog likes it, too.
Adrianna & Calvin
Experienced Member
Hi Jhonalid
My late and much beloved dog had both chronic hepatitis, lumbrosacral (low back) pain, and elbow arthritis in his late years. I deeply regret not giving him prescription NSAID medication (the equivalents of ibuprofen or naproxen for humans) now. I was so worried about his liver, and it lasting forever, that I did not do everything I could have to take away his pain in the moment. He was elderly, he needed more pain control than I gave him. I did use tramadol (which I didn't find helped that much) and gabapentin. Gabapentin is a good 'add-on' pain medication for some types of pain, you can ask your vet.
If the main worry is your dog's liver, you can do a liver function test called a bile acids test. This is a special test that requires two blood samples (before and after eating a specific meal), and although a good result is not a 'green light' to prescribe anything, it can give you reassurance that your dog's liver function is ok.
The other thing you can do which really seems to help is Adequan injections, Cartrophen if you're in Canada/Australia. You can give it SQ at home, it doesn't have to be an IM injection at the vet's. (It's labeled for IM but many people give it SQ and seem to find it effective.) I use it with my old cat and he does seem to get some benefit from it. It is the only thing out there for cats and dogs which may slow the progression of arthritis as well. It's an injectable PSGAG (basically a type of supplement) for anyone who wants to google. The other supplement I'd recommend is Denosyl/Denamarin. It's sam-E and milk thistle, and is good for liver, brain, and joints (probably in that order). I say the brand name because OTC supplements can vary greatly in quality, and Nutramax tests its products for potency and bioavailability in dogs and cats. That's why I shelled out for Denamarin and Dasuquin for my dog, so I knew I was getting what was on the label at least.
Like I said, I regret not doing more for my dog's pain. I did discuss his case with a pain specialist (a vet anesthesiologist) who was too nervous to give him NSAIDs, and I got scared. I wish I'd reconsidered in light of his age and the amount of discomfort he was in. It was only once he was gone that I thought about how much he didn't do in the last year or two before his death; play tug, shake his toys, wipe his face on the couch after eating (even though that would drive me nuts!) ... he was more affected than I'd thought.
Whew long post! Best of luck to you and do consider speaking to your vet about all of your options.
A&C
My late and much beloved dog had both chronic hepatitis, lumbrosacral (low back) pain, and elbow arthritis in his late years. I deeply regret not giving him prescription NSAID medication (the equivalents of ibuprofen or naproxen for humans) now. I was so worried about his liver, and it lasting forever, that I did not do everything I could have to take away his pain in the moment. He was elderly, he needed more pain control than I gave him. I did use tramadol (which I didn't find helped that much) and gabapentin. Gabapentin is a good 'add-on' pain medication for some types of pain, you can ask your vet.
If the main worry is your dog's liver, you can do a liver function test called a bile acids test. This is a special test that requires two blood samples (before and after eating a specific meal), and although a good result is not a 'green light' to prescribe anything, it can give you reassurance that your dog's liver function is ok.
The other thing you can do which really seems to help is Adequan injections, Cartrophen if you're in Canada/Australia. You can give it SQ at home, it doesn't have to be an IM injection at the vet's. (It's labeled for IM but many people give it SQ and seem to find it effective.) I use it with my old cat and he does seem to get some benefit from it. It is the only thing out there for cats and dogs which may slow the progression of arthritis as well. It's an injectable PSGAG (basically a type of supplement) for anyone who wants to google. The other supplement I'd recommend is Denosyl/Denamarin. It's sam-E and milk thistle, and is good for liver, brain, and joints (probably in that order). I say the brand name because OTC supplements can vary greatly in quality, and Nutramax tests its products for potency and bioavailability in dogs and cats. That's why I shelled out for Denamarin and Dasuquin for my dog, so I knew I was getting what was on the label at least.
Like I said, I regret not doing more for my dog's pain. I did discuss his case with a pain specialist (a vet anesthesiologist) who was too nervous to give him NSAIDs, and I got scared. I wish I'd reconsidered in light of his age and the amount of discomfort he was in. It was only once he was gone that I thought about how much he didn't do in the last year or two before his death; play tug, shake his toys, wipe his face on the couch after eating (even though that would drive me nuts!) ... he was more affected than I'd thought.
Whew long post! Best of luck to you and do consider speaking to your vet about all of your options.
A&C
JazzyandVeronica
Honored Member
I also don't have a dog with arthritis; but I have a dog that sustained a ccl injury and is therefore "prone" to arthritis.
Veronica's injury was mild and she was able to heal with conservative managment and avoid surgery; however she was monitored by a surgeon as it was 50 - 50 she would need surgery and he put her on a prescription joint supplement for life:
dasuquin
http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/vet/products/Dasuquin-for-dogs.aspx
and also a fatty acid; as the 2 work best in combination:
https://dvmfreeform.com/
Might be something to ask your vet about....
Veronica's injury was mild and she was able to heal with conservative managment and avoid surgery; however she was monitored by a surgeon as it was 50 - 50 she would need surgery and he put her on a prescription joint supplement for life:
dasuquin
http://www.nutramaxlabs.com/vet/products/Dasuquin-for-dogs.aspx
and also a fatty acid; as the 2 work best in combination:
https://dvmfreeform.com/
Might be something to ask your vet about....