My dog has weak back legs and hip problems. Can glucosamine help?

This is a common problem in older, large dogs. They often need prescription medications to help. You can start with a glucosamine/chondrotin supplement such a Dausquin to add daily to help. Studies have shown that increasing omega 3 fatty acids and fish oils can also have a positive effect on joints. From there, you can talk to your vet about NSAID's for long term use with the addition of other pain medications such as tramadol, gabapentin, or adequan injections. Some clinics have the use of cold laser that helps with joint and back pain.

Yes you can give her Dasuquin or Cosequin, from your local pet store or vet clinic, to help support her joints. The both contain Glucosamine and other ingredients to help pets with osteoarthritis symptoms. However if this is due to trauma she will benefit the most from pet friend NSAIDs (i.e. Rimadyl/Carprofen, Meloxicam, Deramaxx) +/- opiates (i.e. Tramdol) from your vet.

I am so sorry to hear this. I would make sure she is on a joint supplement - I like dasuquin or flexadin. I would also look into the orthodog hip hound brace. I have had some of my geriatric patients who this has help tremendously with getting up. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on everyone. I would also talk to your vet about whether or not she needs a daily anti-inflammatory to help keep her comfortable. Finally, if you can find a vet in your area who specializes in acupuncture and Chinese herbs, this can be a tremendous help to increase the STRENGTH and decrease pain in an arthritic dog. I hope this helps!

I am sorry to hear about Bella! A glucosamine chondroitin joint supplement every day is a good starting point but we prefer one with added MSM (such as Dasuquin with MSM), and I would also consider a daily fatty acid supplement (such as Welactin) as these can have anti-inflammatory effects in the body. There is an injectable medication called Adequan that can also help joint health that your vet can give your dog. Oftentimes, however, if arthritis is severe then prescription medications from the vet are needed in addition to these supplements. There are drugs in the NSAID group (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that can be very helpful (one example you may have heard of is Rimadyl). There are also secondary drugs such as Gabapentin and Amantadine that we can give. You can read more about your options at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

Unfortunately its very hard to interpret pictures of X-rays that have been uploaded; detail and subtle changes are difficult to appreciate. Having said that, I don't see anything in these X-rays that is terribly concerning to me. It may be that she does have some arthritis pain causing her occasional limp. Glucosamine supplements can be helpful. Cosequin is a great one https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/cosequin-double-strength-plus-msm-joint-health-dog-supplement , so is Glycoflex. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetri-science-laboratories-glyco-flex-iii-bite-sized-dog-chews Physical therapy offered by a canine rehabilitation professional can be helpful for older dogs in terms of maintaining comfort, health, and mobility. Find someone here: https://www.rehabvets.org/directory.lasso Acupuncture can also be really helpful for these guys. Ask your vet if they do acupuncture, or if they recommend anyone in particular. If not, find a veterinary acupunc

Studies generally conclude that the human version of arthritis supplements are not able to be absorbed by dogs. Instead look for a supplement for dogs. The two I recommend our Dasuquan and Duralactin. Starting him on an additional omega-3 fatty acid for dogs will also help with arthritis. Lastly there is a food made by Royal Canin called mobility support. It is excellent for arthritic dogs. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Dasuquin with MSM and Cosequin DS Plus MSM (both by Nutramax Labs) are excellent products. I prefer these because it is the same company that makes the human product, Cosamin, and one of the few companies that submits its products for outside testing to verify ingredients. The GlycoFlex line of products would also be one to consider. These are my own personal recommendations.

I'm not sure what chewable tablets Cooper is getting, but I would speak to your vet about pain relief if he isn't on any at all. Pain medication will be beneficial for him. You can also do hydrotherapy (swimming), as the warm water will be soothing to his joints and will build muscle in a low impact manner. You can also see if there is a vet certified in acupuncture in your area. Acupuncture may be helpful in terms of pain management.

Oh my. He is young to have this debilitating condition already. I would recommend Dasuquin or Cosequin joint supplements and regular exercise that isn't over exerting for him. The supplements, a high quality food and exercise should be enough to help maintain his conditon for as long as feasibly possible. Keeping him ideal weight can also help prevent any extra load on his joints. Also keep in mind that an overweight pet has extra fat which cause more inflammation to occur in the joints. I hope this helps and best wishes with Rosco and maintaining his conditon. Here is more information on this conditon. Best of luck. http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A

I do like supplementing with a high quality product containing glucosamine and omega fatty acids. Here's a good one. https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/dog/dog-health-and-wellness/dog-hip-and-joint/cosequin-ds-maximum-strength-plus-msm-and-omega-3s-chewable-tablets If you're concerned about Babe's joints, I do recommend having him evaluated by a vet. Vets will have access to much more effective pain control options, and can also evaluate Babe's weight to make sure he's not putting excess stress on his joints. Hope this helps!