AboutPatti Expertise To date, I've owned 7 dogs, all of which have lived into old age.
Having cared for them in all stages of life, I feel I can offer sound advice to other pet owners, and people considering getting a dog.
I am knowledgeable about the AKC (American Kennel Club) dog breeds, training and exercise, caring for sick and elderly pets, feeding, as well as many holistic treatments pets can benefit from.
My only request is that you write me using standard English and punctuation.
Experience My life experience in this field is more like "on the job training" rather than an actual degree in animal welfare. You may benefit from my experiences over the past 30 years.
Aside from the dogs I've owned, I'm also involved in "breed rescue" and have fostered several dogs, all of which have been adopted to wonderful "forever homes".
I find helping people who want a dog very rewarding.
Question I have a mixed breed dog (10 yr. old) with both arthritis and bone spurs in his foot/ankle joint. He is presently taking an anti-inflammatory pill daily, but some days he will not put much weight at all on it. I just want to know what else I might be able to do to help him walk better on the days he is having problems.
Answer
Hi Cathy,
"Bone Spurs" is also called Hypertrophic Arthritis.
You can try diet supplements such as Glucosamine and Chondroitin Sulfate, MSM (MethylSulfanoMethane), Omega Fatty Acids, Vitamin E, and Selenium. All assist in decreasing inflammation and improving the body's ability to repair and strengthen tissues. Supplements will not reverse structural changes caused by the disease, but can offer an improved resistance to additional joint tissue breakdown, and improved health of some soft tissues. Some dogs respond better than others to these supplements, they don't come with a guarantee that they'll work, or to what degree they'll work. If you stop giving the supplements daily, the joint damage will resume.
Your dog would need to receive the diet supplement daily for at least 8 weeks before improvement might be seen. These supplements do not offer pain control, but in time your dog may need less pain medication.
Sadly, the time to address potential abnormal joint changes is before chronic stresses impact the joint conformation and structure. That said, acupuncture can give excellent results help with in pain management. You can find a veterinary acupuncturist here:
If you don't think your dog is receiving adequate pain control from her current medication, you should talk to your veterinarian. Your dog might need an adjustment to the dose she's receiving, or another medication might be more effective.
