Rudy (8.5 year-old 48lb mixed breed) had been limping on & off for about 2 weeks, and I knew it wasn't an injury or trauma since I checked his paw carefully. I took him to the vet yesterday, and as I suspected, he appears to have arthritis in the elbow.
The first thing he needs to do is lose weight, since he is about 6-8lbs overweight... I realize that's my fault, as I'm guilty of spoiling him with treats! Aside from the treats he gets one can of PetSmart's "Simply Nourish" canned food daily, and has kibble out 24/7 which he rarely touches. So he isn't a big eater generally, and that brand of food is one of the few he likes. I think his amount of exercise is okay for a dog his age, as we go for about a 40-minute walk every single night; and maybe 1-2x/week, depending on weather and schedule, I'll take him to the dog park (after hours when it's empty) to chase balls for an hour. Is that good enough?
My vet also recommended glucosamine, but not a specific brand/form, and offered a sample of some anti-inflammatory which I forgot to grab on the way out - so I'll go pick that up on Monday. Does anyone have additional suggestions, and have you had luck with the glucosamine? If so, what form (pills, powder, etc) and/or brand has worked well? As I said, he is VERY picky, so something in actual edible form might not fly. We also discussed trying some new food, can't remember the brand now, which stimulates the metabolism for weight loss... but again, given his finicky nature it's doubtful he will eat it. TIA for any tips or experiences, as Rudy is my first dog! I have arthritis myself, and have owned cats with it, but realize dogs have completely different needs here.
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