Picky Maltese with stiff joints: how to give joint supplements?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Something that can be improved with the diet is arthritis. The best diet for that purpose in my opinion is the Hills Science Diet j/d. Usually improvement is seen within a few weeks. I think this can help Bailey with the arthritis. Good luck and have a great day!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about your baby! The good thing is that arthritis has some treatment options that can be quite effective. That diet is excellent. However, the metabolic aspect of it is for dogs who need to lose weight. If Koko Rae is already in a good body condition, you can get the Science Diet j/d that is great for joints but does not have the metabolic component for weight loss. That diet alone can make a huge difference. Deramaxx is usually used on an as needed basis for pain control. You could also consider joint supplements such as Dasuquin and Cosequin. All these things can help her tremendously. Good luck and have a wonderful day!

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Both Dasuquin and Glycoflex come in treat form. https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=34362 http://pet-supplies.drsfostersmith.com/search?view=grid&w=glycoflex%20chews&visitorID=&cartcount=0&wishcount=0&division=dogs I hope this helps!

I'm not familiar with gout as a condition for dogs, so this answer is for joint health but not specific to a dog with gout. There is a food called J/D made by Hills that contains joint supplements that could helpful for her. Your vet will need to prescribe it and can make sure that it makes sense for her intestinal situation. Otherwise, a general adult diet from Hills, Purina, or Royal Canin with a glucosamine supplement would be good.

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/

Hello and thank you for choosing Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Since glucosamine and chondroitin fall under the category of medications we refer to as nutraceuticals (fancy word for supplements) there is no specific age that is recommended. Generally, we start recommend using these types of medications when pets reach the senior stage (7+ years of age). Since Bella is still young, I would recommend feeding a quality food that is formulated specifically for large breed dogs as it will include all of the beneficial joint health additives. I am personally a fan of Purina foods, but any of the other brands (Hills, Royal Canin, etc) are all excellent foods. This way you don't have to worry about trying to remember giving Bella pills everyday and nothing in her routine has to change. The supplements may be needed further down the road. Hope this helps a bit. Best of luck to you and Bella!

I recommend the brand Royal Canin. It is highly digestible without fillers so pets generally have only a small amount of stool production. It is also a great brand for healthy coat and skin. I also like the brand Purina Proplan. I hope this helps.