I think my 10yo beagle/lab mix is beginning to have some pain in his hips. He moves a bit slower these days & I've noticed he seems to pant often when there is no heat to cause this. He also chews on his fur in the joint area. I want to make him more comfortable. I have seen the commercials for Glucosamene but it is expensive. Is there some vitamin/supplement I can give him? I know baby aspirin is okay to give but would like to help the joints.
I have had pets forever and am very knowledgeable about animal care, all our friends call me first before calling the vet. Glucosamine and Chondroitin (MSM is good too) are the main things you should look for in a supplement. If your dog takes pills well you can get them at the drug store either as separate pills or together. If your dog doesn't do pills well there are two great chewables that PetSmart sells that aren't as expensive as the vet's stuff. One is called 'Cosequin DS' and the other is '21st Century'. We've used both and 21st Century is just as good as the name brand. Also if joint pain seems to make the dog chew put ice on the joint for 20 min. (or as long as he'll tolerate) a few times a day. Hope he gets feeling better soon! Gomer's Wife EDIT: For emphasis- this post is from MRS. Gomer-All I know about animals is how to clean up after them. If it barks, meows, whinneys, chirps, slithers or just sits there and does nothing, she's your gal. She's done things -unmentionable, horrible (...but necessary ) things...she gave our first cat mouth-to-mouth after it went into shock- I guess that should have been a clue!
:lol: Thanks Mrs. Gomer... And I once tried mouth to mouth with my beloved Maine Coon cat (didn't work :cry: ) but I SO adored him!!! I appreciate your advice - you might see me here again as I have 2 dogs, 3 cats (one is 16yo) & a fish... (plus 4 kids), oh, forgot the hamster
We have our 8 year old chocolate lab on the supplements recommended. Our previous cocker spaniel had some joint pain and the vet put her on Rimadyl which was a miracle drug. When she seemed uncomfortable, we would give her the pills for 3-4 days and it seemed to do the trick. It wasn't expensive either as I recall.
My Vet recommended 1000mg of fish oil and 1000mg of Glucosomine once a day for our lab that weighs around 65-70 lbs. She also said that fish oil is good for just about everything in people and dogs so I give it to my other 2 as well. We used Rimadyl for a bit but because it's like motrin for dogs, the effects on the liver/kidneys with long-term use was enough to scare me. Vet said if my girl was on it long-term then we would have to do bloodwork every so often. We now give her Tramadol when she's limping or has played hard...not everyday. Oh, and I agree...Mrs. Gomer ROCKS! She and I are always calling each other back and forth regarding our furry babies!
I used a supplement from Long Life Pet Supplements for our geriatric dog's last 3 years. She had arthritis and a torn ACL. Without them, she held her back left leg up and hopped around. With them, she didn't run circles around us by any means but she was able to get around with much less difficulty. Here's the link... www.longlifepetsupplements.com. Be sure to read the testimonials. One of them is ours. And NO, we don't get anything out of recommending this. I just truly believe it worked.
