What To Do For Your Pet with Osteoarthritis

There are so many really good questions that come through Pawbly.com. And so many that I forget to mention.. You see the problem is that for me they all seem like the routine stuff that I expected everyone knew already. I suppose that when your day is full of exchanging information and educating people that you forget there is a whole world out there who are all asking, or thinking the same questions. Pawbly gives me a reminder to share the information that I know applies to so many.

Here is a question that came in today;
"What helps a dog with arthritis?"

Here is my answer;

"This is a question that I get asked a great deal. In fact I was just reading a few recent publications and articles on this topic because so many people are taking such great care of their pups that they are living longer and longer...sort of the pet equivalent of baby boomers!

My first piece of advice is to make sure that it is truly arthritis.. Your vet can perform a senior examination to look for reluctance to sit, difficulty ambulating, decreased muscle tone in legs, thickened joints, decrease range of motion, etc. It is super important to not confuse this with other diseases that mirror many of the same traits as arthritis; like cancer, Lyme disease, muscle diseases, etc.. I also think that radiographs are very helpful in diagnosing one disease from another in these cases.

After your pet is diagnosed with osteoarthritis there are many things that I recommend. Here are some of my favorites;

1. Make sure that your pet is at an optimum weight. Every little pound worsens the joints significantly. It also severely impairs mobility. And as your joint disease advances it is imperative to maintain muscle mass.
2. Try a great senior diet. My favorite is Hills J/D, but there are many good options.
3. Add Omega-3 fatty acid. I think it helps some of my patients immensely.
4. Start a glocosamine-chondroitin product. I like Dasaquin.
5. Get into a strict (diet if needed) exercise plan. Keeping those muscles active and healthy is key to keeping the legs moving.
6. Ask about a NSAID. They are miracle workers for some dogs. I have actually had clients discussing euthanasia due to inability to ambulate go home try an NSAID and call me the next day that there dog was acting like a puppy again. Some of those dogs have gone on to live another 6-12 months as happy active pain-free pups.
7. Try acupuncture. I have an associate at my clinic who works wonders with our seniors.
8. Try an orthopedic bed. So much nicer on the sore bony bodies.
9. Massage. At the end of a long day a little TLC and rub reminds us that we are special and loved, it also provides important bio-feedback to the brain that the legs are still here and awaiting the next order.
10. Booties. I got a pair for my old girl and it kept her up and walking for months longer than her little feet could alone.
11. Harnesses. There are all sorts of devices that help get your pet up, assist with walking and keep their feet under them. Ask your vet,, or me, and I would be happy to pass along a few that have worked for us.
12. Make their world a little smaller and a whole lot safer. Maybe the walk from the potty area to the bed can be shortened? Maybe you can find a new home base for your dog close to the front door, where the food, water and orthopedic bed can all be stationed so that he doesn't have to overexert himself to keep his necessities at hand?

Lastly, a devoted, patient, and generous parent is the most vital element to helping our seniors age gracefully and happily. Keeping your pet active, pain-free, and leading a life still full of quality days is your job. Be their eyes, ears, chef, physical therapy assistant, and  doting responsible parent. Ask for help from your vet and remember it is all about the quality of the days, never the quantity.

Here is a story of my dog Savannah learning to live with her age related struggles."

Very Best of luck to you both!
Sincerely,
Krista

The very best part of Pawbly, well, next to it being free of course, is that you can add your pets experiences, your thoughts, and your own words of encouragement and advice to this. Pawbly is about helping other pet people. If you have a pet question please visit all of us at Pawbly.com.

To find me Tweeting about other pet stuff @FreePetAdvice.

Or visit me at the clinic, open 7 days a week  at Jarrettsville Vet.

Are You Afraid of Your Vet?

Hershey, at 14 years old.
He struggled with severe hip dysplasia and osteoarthritis.
Note his thin very straight back legs, thickened elbows and still his adorable sweet gentle smile.

What is normal for me, is not the normal for others. Surely, we are all guilty of this? In my profession I am conditioned to the sight of blood, the smell of vomit, poop, and intestines that are dying. I can diagnose almost as much with my eyes closed and my nose sniffing as with just my hands. But for those of you who are on the other side of the exam table I have to remind myself every single day to keep my veterinary lingo to a cool comfortable limited amount. To not lose or overwhelm a client with my big audacious words and demeanor.

If I can't convince you that I am here for the simple sake of helping your pet I have lost my purpose and strayed from helping both you AND your pet.

It was with this in mind that I provided my response to a friend's daughter when she wrote me asking for help with her elderly lab.

Hey Krista,

My lab - my love - is 12 and has arthritis and dysplasia very bad. More days than not, he has to be carried out to use the bathroom. I know if I take him to the vet, they will tell me to put him down, especially since he can't walk.

However, his mind is still good, and I just don't think he's ready. I make his meals, and give him meds, but now he has developed some sort of skin condition that is causing him to lose his hair very bad on his back end and stomach. It's almost yellowish and scaly on his stomach and his back end is just raw. Is there something I can do to ease this or should I take him in and hope for the best??

I'm sorry to bother you, but would truly appreciate any of your expertise.

Thank you!!!

My reply,

Hello,

The skin could be too many things for me to be able to guess without an exam and blood work. I would guess it's related to his overall health and would check blood work and any evidence of disease or immune system status. Most importantly you should never feel reluctant to go to the vet. It is not our place to judge you or make a decision for you. It is our job to help you understand what is happening to your pet with a diagnosis and offer you treatment options. In some cases I do think that a pet is suffering and that there are limited treatment options, so I will state this. But as long as my client has their pets best interest in mind, and the pet can eat drink pee and poop I offer pain management and extend a hand to help. Hospice is an option for all creatures and should always be offered. Whereas, euthanasia should never be a matter of convenience nor should it be the only option we provide.

There are lots of options for older dogs who struggle to get up and have pain, like injectable joint supplements, NSAIDs, glucosamine/chondroitin, physical therapy, water therapy, acupuncture and an orthopedic specialist, to name a few.

Go to your vet and explain everything that you told me. They can and will help. If they don't go elsewhere and remind that vet that they have failed you both. 

That's your job, to look for help for your dog. It's our responsibility to be your pets advocate and help you both. 

The answers are out there, but you have to find someone locally to start. I wish you the very best of luck.

Sincerely,

Krista

I saw my friend later that day and told her that I had replied to her daughters question. I also confessed to feeling saddened by her fears of being "reluctant to seek veterinary help because she believed that she would be forced to put her dog to sleep."

She replied, "Yes, we grew up in an area where our vet said to us, "Your dog is 12, why spend $300 to fix her? It's my recommendation that you put her down."" she paused. "It still upsets me to this day that we used to take their advice."

Another pause,, she started again,

"To which I would now reply, "Well, maybe we do."" She had changed her perception of what her role in taking care of her pet was. But that fear of not knowing what her options were, and what her dog was worth were still burnt into her memory. To her that dog was a family member, to their vet she was a commodity.

This is where my sailor mouth came out,,, and my passion lies..

"What the.. Do vets really say that?" I suppose they do?..may you all feel the burden of a heart bearing the burden of guilt of those who thought that euthanasia was their only option..

Dr. McCadden, our resident acupuncturist has an elderly dog with very weak back legs. We were talking about the options for him..I suggested trying to build him a cart.

Here is the labor of her husband's dog love..a cart from Home Depot stock that she says cost them abut $60.

Where there is a will there is always a way.

If you think that your pet is in need of help go look for someone who shares your view. Never settle for a lazy, uncaring, unwilling anyone..ever. There are some amazing rock star vets out there, knock on as many doors as you need to, one will open the door and help you, I promise.

If you have a pet question, a vet fear, or just need a shoulder to lean on, you can find me and a bunch of other animal rock stars at Pawbly.com. Pawbly is a place for all things animal related. If you have a question you can ask the community, or, if you take so many photos if your pets that you are fearing being labeled a "crazy cat/dog/ferret/horse/pig...whatever..person" you can post like mad on Pawbly. After all, we are all a little crazy when it comes to our pets!!, Why not join a group of people who embrace you for your pet passions?. And best yet, Pawbly is free for everyone to use.

Or find me on Twitter @FreePetAdvice,  or at the best clinic on planet earth (I am totally biased!), Jarrettsville Veterinary Center, in Jarrettsville Maryland.

Magpie sleeps.