My 15-year-old dog struggles to jump. What helps with joint pain?

Question

My dog turned 15 on Saturday just gone. She’s been struggling for the last year trying to jump on things but since her birthday she really struggles. She gets anxious when wanting to come down stairs or jump off the sofa or the bed. She keeps mildly crying as well. What shall we do?!

Daniel Fonza, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. It sounds as though she is starting to suffer from arthritic pain. With her age, it is not surprising that she has developed arthritis. If you are not giving her any supplementation to help support healthy joints, I would recommend doing so. Below is a list of arthritis recommendations. I would also discuss pain management with your veterinarian as you will need prescribed medications to manage her pain. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. SUPPLEMENTS - These are very safe products to help decrease inflammation, heal the joint, and reduce pain in your pet. Side effects are minimal with these supplements and usually involve stomach upset or diarrhea. They work in different mechanisms so one or all of them may be recommended. These are usually started in the early stages of arthritis. Additional medications are added as arthritis progresses. 1. Fish Oil- Wellactin- Omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) is recommended for arthritis. This is especially important with arthritis patients with kidney disease. Very safe, in overdosage may cause acid reflux or diarrhea. If used in very high doses (especially with aspirin products) may cause prolonged bleeding. Dose is generally 100 mg per 10 pounds. 2. Glycoflex- Glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM supplements are beneficial for multiple types of arthritis and appear to aid in cartilage health. Generally 100 mg/ 10 pounds of body weight is the recommended dosing for glucosamine. Glucosamine products should be used cautiously with diabetic patients. 3. Cetyl-M- This joint supplement uses Cetyl Myristoleate as the main ingredient. This supplement helps in lubricating the joints. This is highly recommended for hip, knee, shoulder, elbow, and carpus arthritis. This supplement is very effective for arthritis/tendon sheath pain. 4. Duralactin- This product uses milk proteins to reduce inflammation in the body. This product is very safe and has been used in most species of animals with almost no side effects. This is highly recommended for back arthritis/pain. 5. Adequan Injections - This is an injectable product that can help especially with spinal arthritis in many species of animals. This is an injectable form of chondroitin and works much more rapidly than oral forms of chondroitin. Should not be used with bleeding disorders. This injection is given every 1-4 weeks to help with arthritis. NSAIDs - Aspirin, Rimadyl, Metacam, Previcox, and Deramax are anti-inflammatory medications that help with arthritis pain. Only one of these medications can be used at a time to avoid serious side effects, such as liver failure, stomach ulcers, etc. These should not be used with cortisone. These products appear to work better if they are not used on a continuous basis. PAIN MEDICATION - Sometimes the combination of a cartilage-protecting agents and an anti-inflammatory drug is not adequate for pain control. There are several appropriate pain relievers that can be used in pets. These medications are strictly analgesics and do not modify the inflammation in the joint. Medications in this category include Tramadol, Methadone, Gabapentin and Amantadine to name several.

My 15-year-old dog struggles to jump. What helps with joint pain?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

How to keep a pet mom and her newborn babies warm and calm?

My sick small pet is breathing mouth open. Did I drown her feeding?

Dog licking paws, fur loss, and jaw wound: Could it be allergies?

Is there a chart for dog food protein biological value and digestibility?

Why does my puppy have bloody, mucousy stools despite diet changes?

Share