What supplements for my senior dog? Should I ask the vet first?

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. Peanut is very handsome! The most common thing that happens as large breed dogs age is arthritis so I would just put him on a good all around supplement that contains joint supplements in it. I love this supplement by Missing Link. http://www.allivet.com/p-1647-missing-link-vet-canine-plus.aspx Some signs he may have arthritis are: * having a hard time getting up from a down position * not jumping up on the couch, bed, etc like he normally does (if he does that) * slowing down on walks (like he doesn't seem like he can go as far as he used to) Even if he is not showing signs of arthritis I would put him on a joint supplement. The other thing I would recommend is yearly blood testing with your vet to check his organ function. Declining organ function is not something you can see from the outside just by looking at your dog. Usually by the time you do see something abnormal it is often too late to do anything about it. It is better to test yearly so you can catch things early. Peanut looks to be in great shape! You are doing a great job! Hope this answers your questions. Please post again if you have more question. Best wishes.

If you are giving Motis a dog food formulated for senior dogs, she will be getting all the vitamins and minerals she needs to be healthy. You can give her a glucosamine supplemental which will help with her joint health, but otherwise no other supplements are needed. Too many vitamins and minerals can be detrimental to her health, so you want to avoid overdosing her on those. I recommend feeding a high quality senior dog food food such as Royal Canin, Hills Science Diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. Best of luck.

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, I’m sorry to hear about Diesel. Dogs can experience arthritis as they age due to instability in their joints. One of the most common places for them to have arthritis is in their hip joints. Just as in people, arthritis leads to aches and pains with movement. Supplements can be helpful with arthritis, because they contain compounds to improve joint health. However, they will not heal the arthritis and get rid of the pain completely. If the supplements don’t seem to have a large effect on Diesel, I would recommend having him evaluated by your veterinarian. They can examined his joints and look for discomfort. They may prescribe a course of anti-inflammatory medications to help with the discomfort. Hope this helps, good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would absolutely talk to your vet about this. There are lots of medication options that are stronger than supplements and could possibly help Sampson be a lot more comfortable. You can even discuss non-medication options like physical therapy and laser treatment. Your vet can go over the best options for you and Sampson. Kisses to him!

I am sorry Prince is having hip pain. I would recommend taking him to a vet to make sure he is not having any other issues. The vet will most likely want to do bloodwork before starting him on long term pain medications. I typically start patients off on a NSAID (non steroidal anti inflammatory) and add additional medications if the NSAID is not enough on its own. However Prince should only take medication for dogs and should have blood work before starting NSAIDs. NSAIDs can be harmful to a dogs kidneys and liver if they are not working properly. Over the counter you can start him on a joint supplement. I recommend glucosamine and chondroitin. There are non medical options too like a cold light laser and acupuncture. I would ask your vet about if these are options in your vet office or near by.

I understand being concerned about the cost, but seeing a nutritionist would be best. You don't want to give any vitamins or supplements that could interfere or react with Tater-Tots (LOVE her name!) medication for heart disease. In this case, I would strongly recommend seeing the nutritionist for help getting her a balanced diet. Best of luck.