My dog's legs are weak and wobbly. Should I give a calcium supplement?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If Poncho is lame in one of his legs, he could have an injury ranging from a problem with his toes to something in his shoulder (front leg) or his hips (hind leg). If this is a chronic issue, it is possible Poncho has some arthritis in his joints, which may benefit from a joint supplement. However, if Poncho has a soft tissue injury or something like a fracture or dislocation of any of his bones or joints, a supplement will not help. I recommend restricting Poncho's activity for 3-5 days and see if this helps his lameness. If he is no longer limping on the leg after this rest, this may have just been a soft tissue injury that needed time to heal. If his lameness does not improve or worsens over this time, I recommend having Poncho seen by a veterinarian. He/she can perform a full physical exam and orthopedic exam to localize his pain and determine the best course of treatment. As a reminder, NEVER give dogs pain medication that is intended for humans, as these can be fatally toxic to dogs. I hope this is helpful!

Your poor baby. Yes, absolutely start him on a good glucosamine supplement. There are many out there, just do not buy the cheapest you can find. Good ones are Cosequin, Dasaquin, even the human OsteoBiflex. Just make sure it has Glucosamine hydrochloride . Take care.

Hi, I am so sorry Luci is in pain. Your veterinarian is correct that calcium imbalances can occur but i would recommend that you have Luci’s legs and joints x-rayed and reviewed by a board certified veterinary surgeon or radiologist to rule out angular limb deformities, elbow dysplasia, or inflammatory disease processes of the bone.

Hi, thanks for using Petcoach! Poor Harley, it is hard getting old! He could have arthritis or a spinal degenerative issue. I see a lot of older pugs with hind leg issues at Harley's age. Usually I start them on a steroid and gabapentin. Sadly it tends to be progressive if the neurologic spinal issue. If it is intermittent then starting Harley on a joint supplement and Omega 3 fatty acids may help if it is arthritis. Below are brands of each that I like for my patients. I hope this helps and good luck! https://www.chewy.com/nutramax-dasuquin-msm-joint-health/dp/35838 http://vrshealth.com/canine-products/canine-omega-benefits/

Yes, you are correct, it's too much calcium. As I said in your previous post, Chloe's dog food will give her all the calcium she needs and she doesn't need any extra. Too much causes medical issues. You are giving her the fish oil pill and joint supplement, that is plenty of supplements for her. You don't need to give her any more. I hope this helps :-)

There are a few more things that you can add into his daily regiment that may help. Continue giving him the current medications. You can try adding in a supplement called Duralactin that often compliments the glucosamine. You could also try giving him an additional joint supplement called Adequan. This is an injectable product that many dogs respond very favorably to. There are also diets that can be beneficial, I recommend Royal Canin Mobility support. Lastly, supplementing Bogey with an additional omega fatty acid supplement for dogs can also help in addition to the current supplements. I do recommend for Bogey to have a visit with his veterinarian. The doctor will check on the progression of any arthritis or other painful areas. It may be time to start Bogey on an actual pain medication such as Rimadyl or Gabapentin. You would likely use these meds and still continue his supplements. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! If you are worried a dog will have low calcium the supplement would need to be given AFTER the puppies were born while she is nursing. In order to confirm that is why Millie is sick your Vet should do a Calcium level on her blood. The diarrhea could be making her weak and diarrhea can be from worms. Also a fever from a uterine infection or mastitis can make her sick. I am glad she is eating but if your Vet hasn't examine her I would have that done to be sure that all she needs is the calcium tablets. It is a bit odd to have a low calcium 4 weeks after giving birth. i wish you the best!