What is the best therapy for sore hips? (lab, English Bulldog, vet) - Dogs - - City-Data Forum

gentlearts · 09-22-2007, 01:32 PM

My 7 year old Brittany has arthritic hip joints. She had a limp last year which was treated briefly with Rimadyl and Glucosamine. Neither really helped, but eventually, after many months, the limp went away. Xrays showed no explaination for the limp, but that here was some arthritis. I would have given her the Glucosamine forever, but after a time she refused it (it stinks) Now, I notice sometimes she is reluctant to go upstairs or jump up etc. so I take this to mean she has some pain at times. (Most of the time she seems fine). She lives a rural life and runs around a lot.
Does anyone have experience with things like heat, massage therapy or a gentle pain reliever that has helped their dog? What human pain relievers are safe for dogs?

dogpaw · 09-22-2007, 01:50 PM

We have always used Metacam, it's a anti inflammatory, for our dogs, when our english bulldog Rugby had problems with arthritis thats what we gave him. Rita, also a bullie, has had knee surgery and gets sore once in a while, we give her a dose of Metacam and it works.

brightdoglover · 09-22-2007, 02:04 PM

I just started getting a monthly shot of Adequine for my 16-year-old heeler mix. It's been a huge improvement for him. Adequine, as I gather, used to be used on horses only, and only recently is for dogs. It goes into the animal's system and only into the damaged joints. My dog got a weekly shot for four weeks, and then since it seemed to be working well, he now gets one a month. (That's the standard- weekly x4, then monthly).
The people at Best Friends in Utah also tell me they've seen very good results with Adequine. Good luck.

songinthewind7 · 09-23-2007, 11:20 AM

I have given massages to dogs that have hip problems or that are prone to having hip problems.
My lab mix is young but I massage her hips and glutes daily.
It's not a cure but I believe your dog would enjoy you giving a massage to those areas.
Glucosimine or some kind of oil daily mixed in with food would help also. I use organic coconut oil mostly and she likes it.

kelly3120 · 09-23-2007, 11:26 PM

swimming.
our dog same every day of her life up until my parents moved. She was 14 by then, her hips started having problems when she was 15 and she lived to be 16 ....it worked awesome and she stayed in shape ANd she was a collie ...prone to hip problems.

exhdo1 · 09-24-2007, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gentlearts

My 7 year old Brittany has arthritic hip joints. She had a limp last year which was treated briefly with Rimadyl and Glucosamine. Neither really helped, but eventually, after many months, the limp went away. Xrays showed no explaination for the limp, but that here was some arthritis. I would have given her the Glucosamine forever, but after a time she refused it (it stinks) Now, I notice sometimes she is reluctant to go upstairs or jump up etc. so I take this to mean she has some pain at times. (Most of the time she seems fine). She lives a rural life and runs around a lot.
Does anyone have experience with things like heat, massage therapy or a gentle pain reliever that has helped their dog? What human pain relievers are safe for dogs?

One of my pooches is on Rimadyl and Cosequin. He will take the Cosequin but not the Rimadyl. My solution was pill pockets. You can buy them in most pet stores and all you need to do is hide the offending pill in it. My pooch devours it like it was a treat. His problem is in his left hip. It has mild displaysia that is being exacerbated by a touch of arthritis. I get him swimming in a local lake three times a week. It is a great low load therapy. Between the exercise and meds he's doing great. Good luck to you and your pooch.

gentlearts · 09-24-2007, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by exhdo1

One of my pooches is on Rimadyl and Cosequin. He will take the Cosequin but not the Rimadyl. My solution was pill pockets. You can buy them in most pet stores and all you need to do is hide the offending pill in it. My pooch devours it like it was a treat. His problem is in his left hip. It has mild displaysia that is being exacerbated by a touch of arthritis. I get him swimming in a local lake three times a week. It is a great low load therapy. Between the exercise and meds he's doing great. Good luck to you and your pooch.

Thanks for the suggestions. I could get her to take anything with peanutbutter on it, but I felt like if she can drag a rotten deer leg out of the woods and eat it, but thought the glucosamine was too objectionable, I decided to respect her instincts on that one. She swims sometimes but only if it's warm out.
Funny, but we left her at a kennel for 10 days and when she got out, her limp was gone. It made me wonder if the lady there, who was trying to drum up business as a dog massage therapist, might have experimented on her and it worked. Since she seems to be having trouble again, I might try taking her for a massage and pay for it this time.

esraoktar · 05-06-2009, 08:14 PM

My 8.5 year old pug has spinal and hip issues. I have been taking her once a month for her Adequin shots, it has really kept her stable. She used to have leg jolts, she rarely ever gets that now. She is still dealing with hip issues time to time, maybe once a year to where we need to get to the vet and start anti-inflammatory again. I am hoping to get her into physical therapy too, doctor says it should help strengthen the muscles she avoids using.

grannynancy · 05-06-2009, 08:54 PM

If you can afford to take her to a canine physical therapist they can give you excercises that will help her. For my dysplastic dog they said

walking up hill
Range of motion
walking in chest high water [as opposed to swimming]
Some folks swear by the antinflammatory properties of salmon oil - mine will eat anything so the glucosmine is no big deal - we giv a horse product called actiflex 4000 and the dog really seems to like it.

rural lady · 05-10-2009, 02:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grannynancy

If you can afford to take her to a canine physical therapist they can give you excercises that will help her. For my dysplastic dog they said

walking up hill
Range of motion
walking in chest high water [as opposed to swimming]
Some folks swear by the antinflammatory properties of salmon oil - mine will eat anything so the glucosmine is no big deal - we giv a horse product called actiflex 4000 and the dog really seems to like it.

I've been checking on some products also, I've read about the uphill walking and swimming and salmon oil, I was thinking about the Adequan and was told of a product called Vaxamine K9, also plain gelatin, there's Dog Gone Pain but I question if this one works, the meloxicam worked for my other dogs but not this one, she acts too tired with it.