How do I help my dogs hips?

[nanette]

My 9y.o. black lab is starting to show signs that her hips are hurting her. What have you found that you can give your dog that really helps? We feed her food with glucosomine in it, but I'm sure there isn't a very high content. Should I give her glucosomine supplements, or is there something else that works better? Please try to give me specifics if you can.

My dog and I thank you!

[Flowing Brook]

When our shepherd got this we gave him one glucosomine supplement daily. We also gave him some cottage cheese everyday. The vet said he needed extra calcium. We also gave him a natural remedy called myo calm. It really seemed to make a difference.

[curlylocks]

Eliminate grain-based foods

 

The Missing Link Plus supplement (available @ Petco, Pet Quarters, etc.)

[Pawz4me]

You're right about glucosamine in food -- it's a marketing gimmick and not much else. She needs a good glucosamine/chondroitin supplement. I'd also give fish oil. In high enough doses it has a fairly powerful anti-inflammatory effect. And of course there are prescription pain meds that can really help.

 

Here's a fairly thorough article on arthritis in dogs that covers diet, supplements, pain medicines and alternative therapies. It's written by Mary Strauss, who is (or used to be) a contributor to The Whole Dog Journal:

 

http://dogaware.com/.../arthritis.html

[ktgrok]

My 9y.o. black lab is starting to show signs that her hips are hurting her. What have you found that you can give your dog that really helps? We feed her food with glucosomine in it, but I'm sure there isn't a very high content. Should I give her glucosomine supplements, or is there something else that works better? Please try to give me specifics if you can.

My dog and I thank you!

 

Yes, glucosamine helps a lot. The Cosaquin brand has a really high level and has been proven to work. Also weight loss, if the dog is at all overweight. Finally, if the dog is actually limping or seems weak a trip to the vet will get you some doggy arthritis medicine that works wonders and has few side effects. It comes in generic now so it isn't expensive, other than you should check their kidney/liver function at least once to make sure they don't have a problem metabolising it. MOst animals don't, but the small percentage that do can't take it.

[RoughCollie]

I know a bunch of people who are giving their dogs this stuff:

 

http://tsc.tractorsupply.com/tractor/Dumor-Liquid-Flex

 

They feed 5 mL daily to small dogs (under 20 lbs) and 15 ml to large dogs (50 lbs. +). I don't know anyone who has dogs that weigh between 20 and 50 lbs. It is for horses. The flavor is alfalfa. They give it to their dogs whether or not they have hip problems or arthritis. All tell me that their arthritic senior dogs can move around a lot better. A collie breeder recommended it to them - her collies get it from the time they are about 2 months old.

[AngieW in Texas]

Acupuncture really helped my Golden. When the vet first recommended it (after we had tried several different pain meds for her with no relief), I really wasn't sure, but I tried it. Goldie was at least 75% better after her 1st acupuncture treatment and 90% better after her 2nd. We did 3 treatments and stopped. About one year later, she started having pain again, so we did 3 treatments again. The results weren't as dramatic, but the treatments clearly helped.