My 5-month Bernese puppy is limping. Should I ask about glucosamine?

Ruby could be have hypertrophic osteodystrophy, which is a disease of the front limbs of large and giant breed dogs. It causes sudden lameness, and yes I would take her into the vet today. The vet can do x-rays to confirm she has hypertrophic osteodystrophy. It typically resolves on it's own, but she would benefit from some anti-inflammatory medication for the pain, and likely needs cage rest.

Large and giant breed puppies grow very rapidly, so it could be those bones growing fast could be causing a bit of pain and stiffness. Making sure he is on a balanced large or giant-breed puppy food can help make sure the bones grow properly and provide minimal discomfort. An elevated feeder as well as a comfy bed that's easy to get into and out of may also help as well. If the pain or stiffness continues, further workup with your vet or a referral to a specialist to rule out any other issues is a good idea.

It sounds like Apollo overdid it. I recommend resting him for the next 48 hours. No running, jumping, or playing. Take him out to toilet on a leash, and bring him right back in when he's done. If he still appears painful after this time, then I would take him into the vet for an exam. The vet can diagnose where the pain is coming from, and can dictate a treatment plan for it. He may also benefit from some pain medications, which the vet can prescribe. Please do not give him any human pain medications, as many are toxic to dogs and can be fatal if given.

Most joint and cartilage injuries in puppies will heal with acceptable mobility as long as the bones are not displaced and they can be restricted to slow, steady leash walking. I recommend keeping him on a high quality puppy food until 18months of age and adding a joint supplement including glucosamine and omega fatty acids. It would be expected that arthritis may develop in the joint in later life and long term supplementation may be worthwhile

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Jelly Bean. Poor girl! Limping means she is in pain, and it could be from elbow dysplasia. You can see signs of it in the dog as early as 5 months of age. Unfortunately there are no OTC pain relievers you can give her. Many human ones are toxic to dogs and are fatal if given. I'd take her into the vet today to get her pain medication and to have x-rays done of her elbow. I hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for your question about Lulu. Depending on which leg was affected or if the sound can be localized one specific limb this could be indicative of underlying orthopedic disease/arthritis. Diagnosis of arthritis requires an examination and potentially x-rays of affected limbs. You could try starting Lulu on glucosamine to see if this increases her level of comfort. If the limping continues or progresses and the sound does not go away I would recommend having Lulu evaluated by your veterinarian. Hope this helps, good luck!

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.