Is anyone treating their dog for arthritis?

[livetohike]

What are you using and is it working? Are you using something prescribed by a vet?

Cindy just turned seven years old this month and she is showing signs of arthritis. She's reluctant to go up the stairs and if she gets up from laying down, her back legs are stiff. Especially her right rear leg which she doesn't even want to put weight on at first. Her gait is off, too. I never had a dog showing signs like this until they were much older.

I've been giving Cindy glucosamine and chondroitin chewables for the past six weeks and fish oil capsules, but I think it's time to take her to the vet and see what she suggests.

Thanks for your input :hi:.

[njlib]

1. I have 2 eleven year old geezers!

Cinnamon, the female, is still puppy-like in her energy level and physical ability. Buster, on the other hand, has been an old man for years now! He's the one with the creaky bones and skin problems. He sounds just like your baby....hard time getting up, the gait is way off, and he was reluctant to put weight on the back legs.

I split a can of food between the two each morning. Buster gets a sprinkle of turmeric, which has anti-inflammatory properties and has also helped his skin issues, and a sprinkle of diatomaceous earth powder. It's all natural and also acts as an anti-inflammatory. In the year or so that I've been doing this, I've seen enough of an improvement to stick with it. Granted, he's not as spry as he used to be, but he's much better than he was! His bones don't crack like they used to, he has a much easier time getting up, and he doesn't limp anymore.

Read up on turmeric and diatomaceous earth online and see what you think. Good luck!

[livetohike]

2. Thank you!

I am going to try this. I prefer to go the natural route (as I do with myself). I had heard of using turmeric, but the diatomaceous earth info is new to me.

[njlib]

3. I'm the same way

I prefer as natural as possible! The turmeric also has some value in treating certain types of tumors, which is why Buster gets it in addition to the DE. He started to get these little tumors on his face, I forget what they're called, and the turmeric has helped tremendously in shrinking & eradicating them. The vet had said not to worry about them, but I worry anytime something's growing where it shouldn't be!

I ordered the DE from www.earthworkshealth.com

Apparently, there are plenty of people who use it for arthritis and other ailments, so I hope it'll do your baby some good!

[livetohike]

6. Thanks for the link for the DE

I'm so glad it's helping Buster (and the turmeric too). Murphy is the same age as Cindy, but he runs around like a wild man and I think he can't understand why Cindy won't run with him these days :-(.

I think you never know what might work, so this is great that we can get together and talk about things that have a good outcome.

[badgerpup]

11. As an added bonus...

Turmeric has some anti-cancer properties as well. :thumbsup:

It's such a GOOD feeling when you know you've improved your furkid's quality of life...especially in a way that has very little bad side-effects.
:bounce:

[Walk away]

12. Make sure the diatomaceous earth is food grade.

It's also great to sprinkle around for flea control.

[Zoigal]

14. Re sprinkle of tumeric

My dogs weigh around a hundred pounds each. What size "sprinkle" would you recommend ie
teaspoon, pinch, etc? And how often? Once or twice a day? Definitely want to try it because the twelve year old is having hip/leg problems and both have tumors of various sizes. Thanks....z

[MiniMe]

4. I use Cosequin for my boy

It is Glucosomine and Chondroitin Sulphate, it is considered a natural remedy. It works by lubricating the joints. It worked well for my last dog, and it couldn't have been a placebo effect on him. For some reason, the brand name worked better than the generics you but, I don't know why. Research whatever the vet give you, a lot of the doggie arthritis drugs can be hard on the liver and kidneys.

[livetohike]

5. Thanks MiniMe

That's why I am afraid of Rimadyl. I'd like to go to the vet armed with information first :-). I'll check out the Cosequin. Right now I am giving Cindy Hip and Joint Plus by NutriVet. It has 500 mg of Glucosamine and 200 mg of Chondroitin per chewable tablet. I give her four per day (she weighs about 80 lb.)

[MiniMe]

8. You can check out Metacam too

I don't know much about it, but you can add it to their food or their water. A friend of mine had his dog on it.

[livetohike]

9. I'll look this up now

Thanks again :hi:.

[Sanity Claws]

7. My late dog had knee arthritis

This was about 15 years. The vet recommended coated aspirin and we used it for years. Probably every week or two he would eat grass to make himself throw up -- my guess is that the aspirin upset his stomach.

He developed kidney disease a few years later and I started cooking a low-protein diet for him. It had amazing results for his arthritis. His knees didn't bother him as much; he could go up and down stairs without a problem.

If you are feeding him commercial dog food, you might want to switch to human quality food and see if his arthritis improves on the better diet.

Just an idea.

[livetohike]

10. Thanks!

I was cooking for my old guy Ranger when he was diagnosed with kidney failure. I think it will make a difference for arthritis too.

[david13]

13. I don't have a dog, but I'm sure my cat has alzheimers. He can't seem

to remember anything anymore.
dc