[Akari_32]

As you guys may know, I recently took in an old Dachshund with several health and behavioral problems, all due to lack of proper care and rough treatment.

One of her biggest problems is she’s always limping and when she hurts too much, she lashes out at almost any handling (mainly when being picked up). I know they are prone to back problems, and from what I’ve seen of her extremely limited vet records, she’s had no such problems. She does have problems with her shoulders and hips, though. Typical old dog stuff, really, but she’s learned from experience in her previous home that lashing out and biting when she’s in pain will get her left alone. I need to get her on some sort of good, but relatively cheap, joint/etc supplement (glucosamine is the first thing that comes to mind) that will help with any pain she’s having, and help prevent or slow down any further joint or bone damage and help with the arthritis I’m sure she has. I also need some tips on getting her to understand that biting is not the answer, if anyone has any.

She loves to be active, and I want to keep her that way. She does limp more after walks, but she doesn’t seem to notice, and loves the stimulation. It’s like she loves to just be so tired she doesn’t want to do anything. She just looks so happy after long walks, and you can tell that she is over all calmer and less high strung (she paces all day with no good walks) . Obviously, I want to keep her happy and active, but I don’t want to cause any more damage to her joints, so we need to get her on something good before she gets much worse.

I’ve tried Pro Sense glucosamine chewables from Walmart on my other dogs, and they really didn’t do anything that I noticed. Granted, they don’t really have any problems in that department, despite being large and freakishly huge, and 10 11 years old, so there is that. I shop mostly at Pet Supermarket and PetSmart, but can also go to PetCo and look at stuff online, and I work at Publix (only one dog joint supplement there, but it’s like $20, so I’m good on that, but people supplements are always an option, too).

And she is already on fish oil and coconut oil, rotated daily, so that’s already covered. So, anything you guys have, go for it! I’d like to only spend about $10 a month, if possible, but take that loosely when giving me suggestions.

Thanks guys!

[theBCnut]

Look for a supplement that has HA in the name or hyaluronic acid in the ingredients. I also like MSM in joint supplements. It helps as a carrier for glucosamine and has biologically available sulfur, which joints need.

[Melissaandcrew]

A dog in pain will bite. So would I if in pain and bringbpoked at. When you own a senior pet with pain issues its the owner that needs to adjust, not the dog.

[Akari_32]

Thanks Patty, I’ll look for something like that. Any brands you know of that would be a good starting point for my search?

Melissa, that is exactly why I brought her home in the first place. The previous owner literally came into the vets office I’m interning at and said she’s biting, and to put her down. She was obviously extremely stressed about something and in poor health, which right away caught my (relatively slight, but ever increasing) knowledge of animal behavior. She had been in about two weeks before for a bladder infection, and was given liquid amoxicillin. The owner was, and I quote, putting her in a head lock and shoving it down her throat. And guess when all this biting started? Right after the antibiotics started. Imagine that. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out a simple change in administering the medication would have solved all your problems, lady! I just wunna smack that chick… lol

So now, I’m working with her on not flinching away from contact (she used to expect every touch to hurt, but now she’s pretty good about not being so stressed about it, and loves butt scratches and ear rubs), and I’m working with her on at least accepting being picked up, because lets face it– a small dog has to be picked up at some point or another. There are places they just can’t (or won’t and need to be) get to themselves. I think once she’s on something that is helping relieve some of that pain, we will get further with getting her more comfortable with certain things. I think she may need to be on something like Previcox for the rest her life for actual pain relief, though. But before I do that, I want to see how she does on joint supplements, as it is safer in the long run for her, and easier on my budget.

One big thing I’ve noticed, after we take a decent walk, and she’s all exhausted and in a good, happy mood, and she’s too tired to care, I can pick her right up and she’s happy to let me. You can see a relief and acceptance in her eyes at being picked up when she’s in that state. So a good deal of it is certainly mental from whatever rough treatment she was subjected to before, but I have no doubt that over all, she is in some degree of pain, and it does need to be dealt with. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it is for her to be hurting all the time.

[Susan]

Hi Akari, I have arthritis… When I take Patch on his 7am walk every morning my knees & hips hurt at the begining of our walk but after 5mins of walking, its not as bad, by the end of our 15min walk my knees are all good..
Before I got Patch I wasnt walking as much & my knees were real bad but since I got Patch my knees are so much better just from walking 3-4 times a day, so try & do a few little walks thru the day, a morning walk is the best cause it gets everything working & your right for the rest of the day, also heat packs, the ones u heat in microwave are good, I think they are called wheat packs, they are material with wheat in them & you put in micro wave for a couple of minutes, if u can put one on her sore joints, it will help her especially in the winter, thats when its the worst the cold weather..There’s injection that dogs get monthly from vet, I dont know the name, my neighbour was getting them monthly for his little dog, they were cheap, only $18 a month & my neighbour said that the needle made Jack heaps better, you could ask the vet about the needle for arthritis..
When my other dog had arthritis, I bought the human Glucosamine the powder & would put 1 teaspoon on her meals, there’s a dog one called Sashas blend but it dear cause its a dog one but the vet said that the human Glucosamine powder is the same.. also a very soft massage will help..

[theBCnut]

I use horse supplements on the dogs. I really like Cortaflex, but I add MSM separately. I order from Jefferspet dot com. They have a supplement in their dog section that I have used before and liked, but I like Cortaflex better.

[Sadie’s Mom]

@ BC do you use the liquid or powdered Cortaflex? I am also looking for a budget friendly glucosamine supplement for my dachshund.

[theBCnut]

I use the liquid for Cortaflex and a powder called Joint Armor, one or the other not both at the same time. The Cortaflex might taste better.

[Author]

Posts