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My dog's front legs lock up. What can I give for arthritis pain?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Toy Poodle | Female | unspayed | 14 years and 8 months old | 10 lbs

I believe my dog has arthritis in her front legs and when she lays down and stands back up it's like they are locking up on her to where she cant extend her leg back down so its causing her to try and walk on her back legs only and she falls all over the place is there anything I can do or give her that will help her

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on April 17th, 2018

Poor Foxi sounds like she is painful! Arthritis is common in older dogs. I would take her into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose if she is suffering from arthritis, and can give her some pain meds for it. Rimadyl (an NSAID) is a good drug to give to help with the symptoms of arthritis. Please do not give her any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given. I also recommend giving her 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 her symptoms. Best of luck, I would give your vet a call now to set up an appointment.

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