My dog has severe arthritis in his knee. What are the best treatments?

Question

I adopted a year old Lab/retriever mix named Ollie from a no kill shelter who could not afford an x ray. They believed he had a fracture and said if we babied this leg it would heal over time. Fast forward a year of improvenent later. As the winter came Ollie would yelp upon standing and his limp came back. I saved up enough for an X ray and my poor Ollie had sustained a complete break his is femur bone which healed sideways. Now he is 3 and I need advice as he has severe arthritis in his knee. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Large (61lb +) | Male | neutered | 3 years and 1 month old | 100 lbs

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

Oh poor Ollie! His fracture clearly healed incorrect, and he developed arthritis from it. The vet can give him some pain meds for it. 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 conjuction with Rimadyl to help maximize relief from his symptoms. You can do hydrotherapy with him as well. It's a low impact exercise that will help build up his muscles, and the warm water will be soothing to Ollie. You can also discuss with your vet if there is a surgical option to treat his limp.

My dog has severe arthritis in his knee. What are the best treatments?

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