Does your dog have arthritis?

If so please feel free to join in this thread. Let us know how you cope how long they've had it etc, anything you feel like sharing

Tango has severe arthritis in her elbow. She has a large lump over the joint caused by new bone growing over the site of a break that wasn't treated (before she came to us). At the grand old age of 6 she suffers terribly with it. She is on metacam and synoquin and we will be looking to further pain relief this year I would think. It is also of course, putting extra pressure on all her other joints, bless.
It is really hard to manage, she needs consistent walks etc yet at the same time we have to listen to her...yesterday was wet and awful and she did NOT want to go out or move off her chair...today, it's not raining...she is leaping around but will be stiff later as a result. We take each day as it comes.

Ollie has the startings of arthritis in his right shoulder I think I was told after all the tests but cannot remember now.

He also has some slight arthiritis in his joints. Like Ramble we take each day as it comes he has Glucosamine to help and is now on steroids not for the arthirits specifically but I feel that may be helping with the arthritis.

Jago has arthritis in his left shoulder, it started after he fell and slammed his shoulder on the bank of a small stream. He had an initial course of Cartrophen followed by a few months of Seraquin (glucosamine, chondroitin and turmeric) which made a huge difference. We changed his food to Skinners Light and Senior which has been amazing, so much so that he has not taken supplements for well over a year now and has been fine. I have noticed recently that he is starting to go a wee bit lame again on that shoulder, when this is noticeable I try to restrict his exercise (keep him on lead) and add sardines to his food as this really seems to help! I bought an Equafleece to keep his shoulder warm thinking it might help when it's cold but tbh I'm not sure how much difference it actually makes. Think I'm going to try salmon oil daily from now on.

Green lipped mussel is also supposed to be good? I give Tango oily fish a couple of times a week too.
I hate to see them sore. Tango isn't allowed offlead anymore on vets orders

Three of my past dogs have, and Shamus is now developing it.
Each has/ had different types - from a damaged knee joint to spondylosis.
I found supplements helpful, and swimming.
For pain relief, I`ve used acupuncture, chiro and NSAIDs.

I have found that you have to try stuff to find out what works - Rimadyl worked for one dog but not another.
Devils Claw has never helped with any, but others swear by it.

Warmth, gentle exercise and keeping the dog`s weight down helps.

Alfie has started getting it after his cruciate operation last year. I have him injected with Cartrophen every 3 months at the moment. We will have to have them more regularly as it progresses.
He is not on any painkillers at the moment, which I'm pleased about, but as it gets worse my vet has said there are many drugs to help these days.
Also give him Glycoflex and hydro every other week

My "oldie", Flame (9 year old GSD) has had arthritis in both back legs for a couple of years now. Like Claire, I have found you have to try different pain relief and see what works. Metacam worked for a while, but now she is on PLT tablets, which seem to do the trick.

My lab Lua torn the cruciate ligament but we decided not to repair it (she has lots of other health problems). She developed (I'm not sure if this was prior or after the ligament rupture) arthritis or arthrosis or osteochondrosis (each vet says something different) in her left hock joint. When she does longer walks or when she sleeps over this leg or when the weather gets colder it swells a lot and she lames.
She had some improvement with a supplement consisting of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, magnesium and vitamin C. When things get worse I give her Previcox, but I can't notice any improving... anyway this is prescribed by her Vet.
Once I gave her the NSAID nimesulide, because this was the only one available, and I noticed a rapid improvement but the Vet say this is very toxic and not used in dogs... I researched a little and found some scientific articles about its use in dogs and humans and yes it has limited use because it can be toxic to the liver, but is widely prescribed in some countries like India. The difference in price is striking here in Brazil: Previcox is ten times more expensive than nimesulide!!!
Has anyone had any experience with this drug?

My boy was diagnosed with severe HD and arthritis at 6 years old.

We started giving Glucosomine and Chondroitin on vet recommendation straight away and there was some improvement, but the limp was still obvious. We then supplemented with Green Lipped Mussel and the difference was amazing - limp disappeared.

Three years ago both conditions caught up with him and so metacam was given daily. This had great effect at first, then last year things got worse so the metacam was changed to previcox with some improvement.

My boy turned 15 in January and, although still happy and with quality of life, walks outside the garden are now a thing of the past

I am now researching Ester-C. Still very much at the early stages of research as I only heard of it through a post on this forum yesterday. Things are looking promising to give it a try from what I've read so far, but I am going to talk to the vet on Monday before making any decisions. Anything that might help, we're willing to give a go. Love my boy so it's worth the pain of the price of all the meds if they help him