Petco Text Logo
Petco Pet Logo

  • Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!

What pain relief options are there for my senior dog's arthritis?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | English Pointer | Male | neutered | 12 years and 3 months old | 60 lbs

Hi, I have a 12 yo pointer who has an arthritic elbow and possibly some arthritis in his hips. On the whole he is a very healthy older dog

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Image profile

Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on January 18th, 2018

I imagine poor Chopin is pain from the arthritis! The good news is that he could likely benefit from pain medication for it, which you can get from the vet. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. You can also give him joint supplements such as Dasuquin, which help with joint health. You can find it online. I'd make an appointment for this weekend or Monday to take Chopin into the vet to discuss using pain medications for his arthritis. I hope this helps!

Vote icon

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Questions

Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What do I give my elderly dog for joint pain
Hi there! You could consider starting Sally on a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement like Cosequin or Dasuquin if you think she has joint pain related to arthritis. These supplements are very safe, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription. If this isn't enough to make her comfortable, then I would recommend asking your veterinarian about prescription medication options for arthritis pain. There are a number of meds that are very effective for arthritis pain in dogs and can dramatically improve their quality of life, including Rimadyl or Metacam, tramadol, and gabapentin. Adjunct treatment options like acupuncture, laser therapy, or Adequan injection can also be helpful in some cases.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 14yr old lab is suffering from arthritis badly in her hips. What can I give her to help ease her pain that isn't a narcotic remedy but holistic instead? She's been my loyal friend, legs, & service dog for years & now it's my turn to comfort her as
I am sorry to hear about your sweet dog. There are many options for pain relief that are not narcotic pain medication. These include Omega Fatty Acid supplements such as Welactin, Glucosamine Chondroitin joint supplements such as Dasuquin, glycosaminoglycan injections (Adequan), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acupuncture, laser therapy, and more. I would recommend having your vet examine her and discuss the multitude of options for treatment. There are some vets available that do offer more holistic approaches as well, so you can find out if there is a holistic vet in your area. You can read more about treatments at https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951467
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
my Boston Terrier...7 yrs old ...is showing signs of pain....maybe arthritis..what advice can you offer....change in diet?
I am very sorry to hear about Chance! I would recommend having him examined by a vet to be sure this is arthritis and not something else going on. For arthritis that is mild, we often start with a joint supplement with Glucosamine and Chondroitin. I recommend a product called Dasuquin https://www.chewy.com/nutramax-dasuquin-msm-soft-chews/dp/35849. I also recommend a fatty acid supplement that can decrease inflammation in the body, such as https://www.chewy.com/vetoquinol-care-triglyceride-omega/dp/57305 If these don't seem adequate then your vet can prescribe a variety of other medications including NSAIDs (non steroidal anti-inflammatory medication), gabapentin or amantadine, and may consider injections such as Adequan. You can read more about these options at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=587
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My Labrador is circa. 10. Rescued from Texas, brought to Europe 2014. Very sick when 1st found on the streets. Took 2 years to make her well. Now shehas arthritis in all joints
Hi there. There are many prescription medications that are safe and effective for arthritis pain in dogs, so I would encourage you to take Abby to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can discuss some options with you and get her started on an NSAID or appropriate pain medication to help make her more comfortable. In the meantime, you can try starting her on a daily glucosamine/chondroitin supplement such as Dasuquin or Cosequin, as well as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement like Welactin - both of these are very safe, and have been shown to help with arthritis in dogs. These can be purchased over the counter or ordered online without a prescription.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My 14 year old beagle has suffered joint pain for quite a while with arthritis. When he was 3 yearsold he needed discs in his back fused, and he still has a hot spot in that area. His pain has been increasing daily. He is still eating enthusiastical
Poor guy. I would suggest discussing Adequan injections with your vet as an additional pain treatment, as well as Tramadol or Gabapentin. Adequan is one of the most effective modes of pain management for dogs with osteoarthritis. I hope that this helps manage his pain well! Best wishes and take care. More infor on arthritis in pets--> https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=8896028
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My baby boy, Cooper, has bum legs. What I mean by that is his feet have turned outwards. I brought him home at the age of 4 months. I did notice that his feet and ankles looked different at 5 months of age. Now at 8 years of age we have a huge proble
Poor Cooper! Structural orthopedic issues like this can definitely predisopose dogs to arthritis and mobility problems as they get older. There are lots of things that can be done to help make him more comfortable, including medication, laser therapy, acupuncture, and joint supplements. I would strongly recommend making an appointment with your regular veterinarian to sit down and discuss these treatment options, so you can put together a comprehensive pain management plan for him. In the meantime, you could go ahead and start an over-the-counter joint supplement like Dasuquin or Movoflex, as well as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement like Welactin. Both of these have been shown to help with arthritis and other orthopedic problems in dogs, and are very safe to use.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
What can I give my dog for arthritis as sometimes he is in pain and is not as active thanks he is a jack Russell and is 12 years old
I am sorry to hear about Stringer. I would recommend making an appointment with your vet to evaluate him and find out about getting prescription medication such as Carprofen. These medications can be life changing for some dogs. In the meantime you can read this article on arthritis in dogs for more ideas: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-manage-your-dogs-arthritis/ and you can start a Glucosamine/Chondroitin joint supplement such as Dasuquin and a Fatty Acid supplement.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
15 year old Bichon who weighs 15 lbs and has no chronic systemic illnesses but does have arthritis and noticeable stiffness. What pain medication can I give her daily?
Hello. There are many wonderful medication availably to make Sassy much more comfortable in her older years. You can start with a good glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate supplement ( I like Dasuquin by Nutramax ). Then, you can visit with your vet about some of the amazing medications we have to keep our elderly pets so much more comfortable, like NSAIDS ( Previcox, Rimadyl, Deramax, Meloxicam, Galliprant ) to which we can add additional medications such as Gabapentin, if necessary. In addition, adding Adequan injections may actually lower the amount of medications that Sassy might need to keep her comfortable. We have so many safe medications available, but they do need some monitoring. I hope you can talk to your vet soon. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
My cousins dog has severe arthritis in his hips, what are some remedies to help with his pain when there is no medicine for that?
There are medicines to help with pain from arthritis, but they are available by prescription only from the vet. I would have your cousin take their dog into the vet to discuss using pain medications. Rimadyl (an NSAID) is a good drug to give to help with the symptoms of arthritis. I also recommend giving him glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate supplements. They provide the necessary nutrients for cartilage repair and function. Use of them helps relieve some of the symptoms of arthritis, and you can use it in conjunction with Rimadyl to help maximize relief from his symptoms. You can see if there is a veterinary acupuncturist in your area, as acupuncture may help with his pain. Swimming is a great low impact exercise for dogs with arthritis, and there are places in the US that offer hydrotherapy sessions for dogs. Speak to the vet to see if there are any facilities like that in your area. I hope this helps!
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Petco Pet Education Center
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I am looking for advice. My dog is 17 years old and has arthritis in her front paw. Her paw is pretty deformed as a result of many operations over the years. She is in very good health apart from her paw but she is uncomfortable and limping. She
You can talk to your vet about therapy laser treatments if it is available in your area as these can help with pain and inflammation. You can also see about starting Adequan injections to help with the joints or further pain medication such as gabapentin or Tylenol 3 or 4 in extreme cases.
Updated on September 24th, 2025

Related Searches

Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Pain Meds & Arthritis Relief for Cats Dog Pain Medicine & Relief Prescription Horse Pain Relief & Arthritis Medication Dog Medicine and Prescriptions Dog Hip & Joint Supplements Dog Health & Wellness Antifungal Medication for Dogs Dog Vitamins & Supplements Dog Blood Pressure Medication Methocarbamol Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Amlodipine Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds quellin Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Adequan Canine Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Novox Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Previcox Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Deramaxx Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Onsior Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Gabapentin Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds Vetprofen Dog Pain Relief & Arthritis Meds
image
Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Book Now

Sponsored