Arthritis help...

    • Gold Top Dog

    Arthritis help...

     I am babysitting my mom's 18 year old beagle mix this week. She seems pretty uncomfortable, she'll only lay down for about 5 minutes, then move elsewhere. I have also noticed a limp in the last few hours. I think it might be my hardwood floors. She gets metacam twice a day. Anything i can do to make her more comfortable? I was thinking baby aspirin, but have never dealt with an arthritic dog before...thanks in advance.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Gentle massage will help.  You could cook up some Yucca root, its a natural anti-imflammatory.  Yucca can also be found in some grocery stores frozen.  If she is having trouble getting traction on your floors, you could try the booties like Buddy has now.

    If she is getting Metacam, I would be concerned about giving her aspirin as well.  Oh Callie???

    • Gold Top Dog

     I would not give two NSAIDs. Too much risk of damaging the stomach. Yucca soothes the stomach, and it's an anti inflammatory. You can do things like Nutra Joint, and a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement, to help her out.

    • Bronze

    Is she laying directly on the hardwood floor?  If so, just giving her something soft to lay on would probably help considerably.  Or is she laying on the floor because it's cool?

    • Gold Top Dog

    She may be craving cool but it will also set the arthritis up worse.  And ... most "normal" folks don't know this but arthritis is always worse in humidity ... I ache way worse in the summer than I do in the winter.

    I just sent you an email -- giving her a relaxant along with that nsaid will help the nsaid work better.  You really can't give her *more* -- cos it will overdose her and hurt the tummy.

    However you can also give some chamomile tea -- that's a low dose nsaid but it's healing to the gut and it actually "delivers" it differently to the body so you don't overdose.    Just get chamomile at any grocery store -- make a cup and let it steep til it's stone cold.  Add it to her food (including the herbs) or give it to her by syringe behind the canine tooth  (hold her mouth shut loosely -- and just squirt it with a baby medicine syringe -- works easy that way).

    OR you can *try* adding a touch or honey or meat juice -- some dogs decide they like it and will simply lap it up.  It's not bad tasting.

    The last suggestion is the essential oils -- peppermint or wintergreen - or a blend (I like White Flower Oil).  It's similar to Ben Gay -- except it's the oils without all the goop.  (That's what makes Ben Gay and Mineral Ice smell like wintergreen and peppermint ... yep it is).  Just a drop or two on the sore joint and massage gently -- the more you rub the more heat you'll get.  The more oil you use the more heat you'll get. 

    DON'T get it in your own eyes or in hers.  (wash your hands with lotsa soap or you'll hate me!!)  It helps tons -- it really does.  It's amazing how much pain relief these oils gives topically.