How can i help my rotties aches and pains

[osterley]

How can I help my 7 year old rottie ? He suffers from general joint stiffness and muscular aches and pains - especially if he has had a good run over the park with his friends, which I do try to discourage. Anyway, he has been on the drug called Rimadyl and I am beginning to wonder if it is giving him an upset stomach, I'm beginning to think it can be coincidental that everytime he has this drug, he doesnt eat and his stomach swells and 'growls'. Has anybody tried any herbal or vitamin supplements that have had any success?

[wolf63]

Try reading this article and see if you think it will help. I have heard some good things about it.

http://www.peteducati....cfm?c=2+2084&aid=670

[ruthann58]

our gsd had a human dose of glucosamin, chroditon and msm every day on our vets advice she also wore a bioflow magnetic collar and it helped her joints no end i get it from http://www.agestop.net/Agestop/index.aspx hope this helps him

[lankeela]

A Bioflow collar will help particularly with stiffness after lying down. Dene's Greenleaf Tablets from the pet shop are good or any of the Glucosamine and Chondroitin mixtures. You can get it cheaper from the human stores such as Holland & Barrett.
Also Devil's Claw is another herbal liquid.

[lankeela]

Canine Chemist (Hyperdrug) are good.

http://www.hyperdrug....lity/departments/405/

[puzzfuzz]

Hyperdrug.com is excellent site and also holland and barret too.I have heard glucosamin is good though. A lot of my 'friends' go to holland and barrat the assistants there are well advised in natural joint supplaments.

If he is reacting to this drug 'rimadyl' take him off it asap as it doesn't sound good if he has gone off his food.

Also I also found my boy loved a good massage and a nice warm bath. Get into the habit of massaging his shoulder blades every night they really do love it and it is good for their joints.

[osterley]

thank you everybody for the advice....I shall be trying some of the suggestions. xx

[shivvy]

My sister gives her dog glucosamine and seems to think it helps.

My old girl had very bad hips and was prescribed metacam. However we also gave her something called caniviton which I think was far less severe on her system and maybe more of a herbal-type treatment. I might be wrong about the details of what it actually is but it certainly seemed to help her. We used to give it to her daily and only gave the stronger metacam when she needed it.

Good luck - it's horrible to see them so stiff and sore when all they want is to be out romping about!

[Clanad]

We've had good luck with 1 coated baby aspirin up to twice daily. We've had several older dogs and none have had a bad experience with this regimen. This was done the first time on the basis of our Vet's advice, by the way...

[lankeela]

From a veterinary website:
With regard to arthritis, yes, aspirin can be used, but with caution and under veterinary supervision. Aspirin is in a class of drugs called NSAIDs - Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, and dogs are particularly sensitive to the gastrointestinal effects of; pain, bleeding, and ulceration that can be a side effect of these drugs. Coated aspirin may help with the gastrointestinal effects.

Aspirin may cause birth defects, so it should not be given to pregnant animals.1