How do I help my dog with arthritis and relieve his joint stiffness?

The best way to determine if your pet has a joint problem is by starting with a trip to the veterinarian. The veterinarian will be able to examine your dog to determine the location(s) of pain and if any changes in the joint are apparent. With osteoarthritis, veterinarians may identify a decreased range of motion in affected joints, as well as stiffness or signs of apparent pain. X-rays are needed to confirm a diagnosis of osteoarthritis with visible bony changes, particularly in the early stages when fewer signs may be apparent during a physical exam. If needed, the veterinarian will prescribe any necessary pain medications. Do not give your dog any over-the-counter human pain medication (including aspirin), as many are toxic to dogs. Other treatment modalities, such as Omega-3 fatty acids, specialty diets, glucosamine and chondroitin supplements, acupuncture, physical therapy or laser treatments, may also be useful. Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, recognizing early signs helps you treat your dog’s pain as early as possible. Early signs that your dog is experiencing joint pain may include hesitating going up and down stairs, reluctant to jumping into the car or on the couch, lagging behind or tiring easily during walks, preferring to lie down than to sit or stand, or stiffness after resting. As the pain worsens, your dog may show other signs such as limping, whimpering when jumping up or down, whimpering when the area is touched or even growling or snapping when the area is touched. ### Elanco and the diagonal bar logo are trademarks of Elanco or its affiliates. Galliprant is a registered trademark of Aratana Therapeutics, Inc.

When I have patients with arthritis or starting arthritis I always recommend starting a glucosamine supplement. This can be bought over the counter or online. A great animal one is Cosequin. All the directions are on the bottle. This will help lubricate his joints. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I am sorry to hear about Stringer. I would recommend making an appointment with your vet to evaluate him and find out about getting prescription medication such as Carprofen. These medications can be life changing for some dogs. In the meantime you can read this article on arthritis in dogs for more ideas: https://www.petcoach.co/article/7-ways-to-manage-your-dogs-arthritis/ and you can start a Glucosamine/Chondroitin joint supplement such as Dasuquin and a Fatty Acid supplement.

Arthritis is definitely a possibility. You could start him on a joint supplement, like Dasuquin and see if that helps. Your vet could also take an x-ray to evaluate for arthritis and then start him on a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, like Deramaxx, Previcox, Rimadyl, etc. NSAIDs help relieve the discomfort associated with arthritis.

Great question! I really like Dasuquin and Cosequin as joint supplements for dogs. I have found that in senior dogs with arthritis, Dasuquin is a great option because it contains ASU, which stands for Avocado & Soybean Unsaphonifiables. ASU is seen as considerably more effective in regards to repairing stiff, sore, and injured joints. For Oscar, I'd recommend Dasuquin. I hope this helps!

You will need to take your dog to a veterinarian for an exam and a blood test checking kidney and liver function. This will ensure that your dog can safely take NSAIDs in order to alleviate pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis.

Hi there. There are many prescription medications that are safe and effective for arthritis pain in dogs, so I would encourage you to take Abby to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can discuss some options with you and get her started on an NSAID or appropriate pain medication to help make her more comfortable. In the meantime, you can try starting her on a daily glucosamine/chondroitin supplement such as Dasuquin or Cosequin, as well as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement like Welactin - both of these are very safe, and have been shown to help with arthritis in dogs. These can be purchased over the counter or ordered online without a prescription.