Spondylosis

Hello everyone, this is my 1st time on here. I have a Golden retriever 'Suggs' who is 13 years. He was diagnosed with Spondylosis earlier this year. The vet put him on & off steroids for a few months until I eventually said no more. I have been giving him Glaucosamine for pets. (4 a day)
I have just stopped giving him them as I was not sure if they were working. It's difficult to tell as Suggs has up & down days. I am really looking for an alternative that I can now give him. He is like a pup is every way apart from this disease. It's so sad because he want s to run, swim & play. His back legs are beginning to give way beneath him. I also feel that his front legs are begginning to go a bit astray. I'm very concerned as lately he seems to be disorientated at times. Is this normal? Or is this a general sign of old age? Please can anyone help/advise. He does not appear to be in pain but I would like to know if there is a particular diet or drugs that I can put him on. Yours thankfully, Jan.

Hello and welcome, I have one dog who has lived with Spondylosis for yrs ( he is now 10) and another one who is "suspect" she wil have xrays soon for a diagnosis.

Carry on with the Glucosamine......my 2 have Glyco-flexIII , you can get on line cheaper.

You can also give him.Devils Claw... and Yucca ones a pain relief and the other is an anti inflammatory/pain relief.....again you can buy on line.

Have used this for yrs on my boy.

The weakness in the back legs will be due to loss of muscle tone, you can try hydrotherapy , this is a great source for non weight baring exersice and will build up his muscles.

The lack of awareness in probably due to old age, he is a good age, and apart from the Spondylosis , will be showing normal signs of old age

Hi and welcome
my GSP died recently aged 15. He was diagnosed with spondylosis around 7 years old. Occasionally it got bad, but I find acupuncture helped, and he swam a lot (gentle exercise). It helped for him to be kept warm, amd his weight down. Very occasionally he needed Rymadil.
He had Glucosamine / Chondroitin and MSM plus Cod Liver Oil, and you could see the difference if I stopped (ran out occasionally).

hi
defo worth a try combined with..... http://www.trmdog.com/muscledog.htm
eta ... re his awarness,one of these could also be worth a try....
'aktivait' made by vet plus
'senilife' made by ceva
none of the above are 'drugs' but may help with no side effects.good luck.

Thanks to all of you that kindly replied to my post. I am currently trying out a few of your suggestions and hope to get Suggs swimming when the weather is warmer. Regards, Jan

Hey there, I don't know a great deal but a vet once told me that Glucosamine by itself won't do anthing, it needs to be given in conjunction with Chondroitin (not sure of the science behind it but I think the Chondroitin activiates the Glucosamine somehow). *withdraws and hopes someone more knowledgable on the subject turns up*