Old Dog Joints
Discussion
Our Dalmation is approaching ten years old. His joints are getting a bit clicky, and he often stiffens up in the evening. He is still pretty active and is walked twice a day.
We are using Yumove but not sure if it's doing anything, other than making his fur softer. Any thoughts or suggestions?
We are using Yumove but not sure if it's doing anything, other than making his fur softer. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Edited by surveyor on Monday 18th April 20:59
Somewhere like this. He'll love it, helps mobility, a professional gets hands on and (in or case) monitors for deterioration.
http://www.avonsidehydro.com/
Eta photo
http://www.avonsidehydro.com/
Eta photo
Edited by PositronicRay on Tuesday 19th April 08:13
We are giving our Lab glucosamine and have just started a monthly injection with a new drug treatment for arthritis.
It seems to have helped her, she is more mobile than she was before and generally a bit more active throughout the day.
We also have given her a joint mobility supplement from a company called Wagmore which gets some pretty good reviews.
It seems to have helped her, she is more mobile than she was before and generally a bit more active throughout the day.
We also have given her a joint mobility supplement from a company called Wagmore which gets some pretty good reviews.
I would persevere with the yumove, i believe it's effects are cumulative so it may take a while for it to have an impact.
You can also buy neoprene joint supports for dogs if they've got a particularly weak or injured joint, they usually come in pairs one for each leg, but I found that individually they are a bit thin and flimsy to offer any real support but if you double them up and put both on one leg they do then seem to hold a weak and injured joint in place.
You can also buy neoprene joint supports for dogs if they've got a particularly weak or injured joint, they usually come in pairs one for each leg, but I found that individually they are a bit thin and flimsy to offer any real support but if you double them up and put both on one leg they do then seem to hold a weak and injured joint in place.
Glucosamine is amazing for dogs with stiff joints, i've spent years living with retired greyhounds and they often stiffen up badly on the rear end and i've found glucosamine works wonders for it, my last old dog would yelp in pain when getting up from sleeping and putting her on it seemed to cure it completely, it will be a life long thing once you start but it's inexpensive,
I've now got to an age where I take it myself too for my own knees!
I've now got to an age where I take it myself too for my own knees!
Green Lip mussel powder, we used it for our old labrador and swear by it. It was really noticeable the improvement.
We used the AniForte
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Lipped-Mussel-Dogs-...
Hydro is good, Cadbury had that also, pool swimming and treadmill, but the physio treatment probably helped more. That was Woozlebears, they have a number of branches, but depends where you are, none up Yorkshire way.
We used the AniForte
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Green-Lipped-Mussel-Dogs-...
Hydro is good, Cadbury had that also, pool swimming and treadmill, but the physio treatment probably helped more. That was Woozlebears, they have a number of branches, but depends where you are, none up Yorkshire way.
Edited by Byker28i on Tuesday 19th April 10:20
Yumove is a combination of Green lipped mussel extract, glucosamine and chondroitin. It is a good value way of adding a decent quality of these supplements. There is evidence that this combination does actually help, where as individually they were never better than placebo.
Anecdotally sometimes it seems to do wonders, others very little appreciable difference.
Arthritis is a one way street, the aim is to slow the inevitable deterioration. The mainstays of the treatment are weight management, exercise management, neutraceuticals and NSAIDs or more recently Librela.
I would book an appointment with your vet to discuss options. I haven't looked at this website previously but it looks pretty sensible;
https://caninearthritis.co.uk/
Anecdotally sometimes it seems to do wonders, others very little appreciable difference.
Arthritis is a one way street, the aim is to slow the inevitable deterioration. The mainstays of the treatment are weight management, exercise management, neutraceuticals and NSAIDs or more recently Librela.
I would book an appointment with your vet to discuss options. I haven't looked at this website previously but it looks pretty sensible;
https://caninearthritis.co.uk/
surveyor said:
Thanks all.
Hydrotherapy is a problem as he’s s
t scared of bring out of his depth in water…
Same with our Westie. He is having regular massage therapy that seems to help. Also, it may just be coincidence, but we tried a magnetic collar and noticed a difference the same day. Hydrotherapy is a problem as he’s s
t scared of bring out of his depth in water…PositronicRay said:
surveyor said:
Thanks all.
Hydrotherapy is a problem as he’s st scared of bring out of his depth in water…
I blame the parents. Hydrotherapy is a problem as he’s s
t scared of bring out of his depth in water…
I've seen but have no experience of a sort of underwater tread mill too.
If you're dog isn't interested in treats I've seen favourite toys used also.
The physio there was really good, the localised heat treatment she used worked well.
Glucosamine has had no noticeable effect on my running knees nor any of my dogs, but harmless and might help some. However, think about the disease process.....degenerative joint disease......arthritis!
It's an irreversible wear and tear issue, how do you repair a worn out bearing? Replace it! So, not really an option for most.
OK, so there are a few options, and dietary supplements and physio are defintely part of that for some. For most, the necessity is to reduce the soreness to allow continued activity and thereby both maintain muscle support and keep a dog doing what most of them love, namely being active.
The commonest and simplest approach is painkillers, work really well for the most part, some are a bit sore on the guts, but I guarantee that removing pain means you can move around so much more freely. My previous rottie could not take drugs like metacam without awful diarrhoea, but some like gabapentin and tramadol were ok. Acupuncture seemed to give 2-3 days of reduced soreness each month but didn't seem to last for long, although part of the aim was to keep mobility rather than just reduce symptoms short term.
The really good news is that there are some excellent developments in meds that reduce the inflammatory process that drives the disease. Librello is the name making waves just now, rather like the anti-allergy drugs such as atopica, really doing good stuff.
My "new" rottie has shown some signs of elbow problems when he gets too much exercise, but librello for one month so far has apparently solved this..........what a magnificent achievement this could be, maybe immunomodulators in people could have knock on effects with covid or such like, but there is hope in this field especially for preventing deterioration of joints such that they need painkillers.
HTH
It's an irreversible wear and tear issue, how do you repair a worn out bearing? Replace it! So, not really an option for most.
OK, so there are a few options, and dietary supplements and physio are defintely part of that for some. For most, the necessity is to reduce the soreness to allow continued activity and thereby both maintain muscle support and keep a dog doing what most of them love, namely being active.
The commonest and simplest approach is painkillers, work really well for the most part, some are a bit sore on the guts, but I guarantee that removing pain means you can move around so much more freely. My previous rottie could not take drugs like metacam without awful diarrhoea, but some like gabapentin and tramadol were ok. Acupuncture seemed to give 2-3 days of reduced soreness each month but didn't seem to last for long, although part of the aim was to keep mobility rather than just reduce symptoms short term.
The really good news is that there are some excellent developments in meds that reduce the inflammatory process that drives the disease. Librello is the name making waves just now, rather like the anti-allergy drugs such as atopica, really doing good stuff.
My "new" rottie has shown some signs of elbow problems when he gets too much exercise, but librello for one month so far has apparently solved this..........what a magnificent achievement this could be, maybe immunomodulators in people could have knock on effects with covid or such like, but there is hope in this field especially for preventing deterioration of joints such that they need painkillers.
HTH
I'm not sure I should admit to this. I am not sure anyone else should follow our path except as a last resort.
We have a 12yo Golden Retriever. He has had a double arthroscopy on his elbows as he developed a pronounced limp. He improved for a few months but rapidly deteriorated. He became seriously lame on his front right leg. Glucosamine didn't seem to do anything. He doesn't like going out of his depth in water (we have a pool at home which he won't go near).
In desperation, we tried Voltarol gel. Now, to be clear, Voltarol is supposed to be toxic to dogs if ingested. Any vet will have a coronary at the very idea. We just watched him to make sure he didn't lick it. One application in the evening is sufficient.
It has transformed him. He just runs and walks as much as our 5yo GR. Did a 7km walk up a big old hill last week with no ill effects. If we forget to apply it, he will be lame by morning - but an application will sort that out.
We have a 12yo Golden Retriever. He has had a double arthroscopy on his elbows as he developed a pronounced limp. He improved for a few months but rapidly deteriorated. He became seriously lame on his front right leg. Glucosamine didn't seem to do anything. He doesn't like going out of his depth in water (we have a pool at home which he won't go near).
In desperation, we tried Voltarol gel. Now, to be clear, Voltarol is supposed to be toxic to dogs if ingested. Any vet will have a coronary at the very idea. We just watched him to make sure he didn't lick it. One application in the evening is sufficient.
It has transformed him. He just runs and walks as much as our 5yo GR. Did a 7km walk up a big old hill last week with no ill effects. If we forget to apply it, he will be lame by morning - but an application will sort that out.
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