My dog limps, clicks after resting. Can glucosamine help joints?

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.

Handsome boy! Those are good products for joint health and inflammation. I recommend a veterinary exam to diagnosis the lameness. It is common for large breeds to have a cruciate ligament injury in the knee. He also may have hip dysplasia. Knowing the reason for the lameness will help you decide the treatment that is best to have him recover from the lameness. Please don't run him again until the lameness resolves or it could become worse. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lugosi.

Until you get a full diagnosis it would be inappropriate to speculate. It would be recommended in all giant breeds to feed a high quality large/giant breed puppy food which should already be enriched with glucosamine etc, to prevent excess weight gain or rapid growth and to limit strenuous exercise until bones are fully developed. Keep her on complete rest with only short, toilet walks until this can be fully investigated

Legally, I am not allowed to give you a diagnosis, but based on the x-rays you posted, I suspect that your vet told you that Sly has significant hip dysplasia and arthritis in both hips. I'm sure that came as a surprise to you since Sly is only showing some limping after resting. Dogs are very stoic and do not show us pain as we would expect. Since you have just started Sly on a glucosamine and chondoitin sulfate supplement, you certainly could wait and see how he does on that, but I suspect you will need to add some additional supplements or medications to resolve his limping, so don't be afraid to talk to your vet about those. We frequently use fish oil, MSM, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and many other drug combinations for arthritis. I also highly recommend physical rehabilitation and acupuncture. Although we expect our dogs to cry in pain, most dogs with arthritis pain act exactly like Sly and only limp after getting up. Our goal with treatment is to get them to the point that their pain is so well controlled that we don't notice them limp at all. I hope that helps! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Since you have an appointment on Monday I would suggest to just start glucosamine until then and rest him as much as possible. If you give the antinfiammatories the vet might not be able to fully appreciate the clinical signs fully so I would rather you did not give any for the week-end.

Hi and thank you for your post on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The knuckling sound you hear is likely the sound of bone on bone in the joints which is a common sign of osteoarthritis. The Chondroitin, Glucosamine, and MSM tablet you are giving her is a great supplement to her normal diet. While the tablet will not cure the arthritis, it will help prevent and slow down the breakdown of further joint cartilage. Sometimes the signs of osteoarthritis are subtle and may not be obvious until it becomes more advanced, however it appears you are on top of it with Mary. The other supplement I would recommend is omega 3 fatty acids which are also very good for the joints. Most of these come in gel capsules or liquid. You may ask your veterinarian if they carry any Omega 3 Oils for Mary. Swimming is also excellent for joint health and is great low impact exercise with dogs with osteoarthritis. I don't believe there is anything to worry too much about right now unless you notice the knuckling sounds gets worse or her symptoms become more pronounced. You may watch out for decreased appetite, walking slower, disinterest in going up and down stairs, disinterest in walking, running, or her usual activities. These can be signs her arthritis is advancing. As osteoarthritis advances, pain medication may be given to help by your veterinarian. I hope this helps and best wishes to you and Mary!

Joint supplements as well as additional fish oils can help. I would definitely recommend a repeat orthopedic exam and x-rays since it's been so long. It's very possible you'll see something this time that wasn't visible before. Make sure he's been checked for lyme disease as well. There are also people who do physical rehabilitation for dogs who might be able to help him use the leg better even if no cause can be found. Finally, if your local vet isn't finding, you could schedule a consultation with a orthopedic specialist. Sometimes they can see something us general vets don't. Wishing you and Milo the best of luck. He's such a handsome guy.