Hill's perscription diets

KB, the reason a grain free diet is great for a dog with Arthritis is because grains are the highest allergen for dogs. Arthritis in many cases is "caused" by allergies and this is another way of the body reacting. If your dog has allergies it's a good idea to cut out grains as can aggravate the arthritis or cause the dogs body to react causing more inflammation.

Also, if you check out the site I provided it goes over everything that you need to know about Arthritis, supplements, natural anti-inflammatories etc. 

The supplement I give is called Nutri-Aid GCM.  This is the best supplement I've found so far[]...and it's liquid .  I've been using Glucosamine supplements for more than 25 years and this is by far the best.  It's for equine, but, gives amounts to give a dog.  The price is perfect and it contains Mineral Manganese which is important for a dogs body to uptake the glucosamine into the blood stream.  Which is one reason human Glucosamine supplements don't seem to work as well as they normally don't contain Mineral Manganese.[]

Another wonderful thing about the supplements I give is they are great preventatives.  Our 11 year old Newf had cruciate ligament surgery at about the age of 5.  The Vet's tell you that it's "normal" to develop arthritis later in life due to this surgery.  I'm happy to say Cassie never developed any arthritis and she is going on 12.  She still plays around like a puppy, the Vets are very impressed with her.  It's all called preventative feeding and supplements.[]   
   

I kinda hate to see Science Diet prescription put down. It was the only thing that worked to get the weight of KayCee (the r/d) and she has kept it off for over 2 years. It (k/d) also worked on Buck when he was diagnosed with the kidney infection and "trash" in his urine back in June

 
I think every dog is different and you should feed what works for your dog regardless of what others think of a particular food.   My vet wanted to put JJ on Euk Kangaroo diet for his allergies and I knew that long term I didn't want to feed just this food, but if I needed to do it to get his allergies under control then I would have done so.  Fortunatley I found something that had higher quality ingredients that worked very well for him but that may not be the case with all dogs.

for some dogs, a short course of those prescription diets might save their lives. But the joint one is just silly. It's a poor quality food with joint supplements and omega-three fatty acids mixed in. You'll get much better results by feeding a high-quality high-protein food and adding joint supplements and omega-3 fatty acids.
It's also important to regularly exercise critters with arthritis, even if they appear lame. Plenty of good long walks.

You'll get much better results by feeding a high-quality high-protein food and adding joint supplements and omega-3 fatty acids.

Grain free, I might add[] Grains can actually worsen inflammation. I definitely agree with that statement, though.... Acupuncture or massage is also a good option.

I watched my dog crash and burn on Hill's RX, and I won't feed it again, but for some dogs, it works wonders. I know that it's the only thing that'll bring some dogs out of their illnesses.

It's also important to regularly exercise critters with arthritis, even if they appear lame. Plenty of good long walks.

 
i am not so sure about the long walks.  I have rheumatoid arthritis and long walks do nothing for me except make me hurt more.  Seven years ago i was walking 4 miles every day and loved it.  But it got to where it  was doing more harm than good.  I most certainly think exercise is important, but I would say several shorter walks  in a day would do more good  than one long one.  If i walk a long time--like Christmas shopping, etc, then i am so stiff and really hurt.  But if I do it in several shorter trips, i do much better.  What I do know for dead sure is lack of exerise, will cause joints to stiffen even more and muscles to go weak.  It has to be done.

Rheumetoid is quite different from osteoarthritis, which benefits from the stonger connective tissue and musculature built up by exercise (while possibly these benefits are not outweighed by the harm done by triggering an inflammatory flareup of RA).

OA has been in our family for generations and generations of doctors have encouraged an active lifestyle to keep the degeneration at bay.  My great aunt (my mom's mom's sister) walked three miles every day until she was 85, and my mom walks about four miles a day rain or shine, plus does a couple miles on a stationary bike.  I need to get a lot more active but I've gotten into a difficult cycle where my old injuries bug me when I increase my activity level - I was OK until they took my Bextra away from me.  []

Every vet I've discussed HD with, has recommended as much low-impact exercise as possible, for the same reasons.  It works.  Another important thing to remember is to get inflammation down within a day of overdoing it, if that happens - either with Rimadyl or some other approved anti-imflammatory.  Doug also gets a cool rubdown (which he likes OK), followed by warm packs (which he adores).

Another important thing to remember is to get inflammation down within a day of overdoing it, if that happens - either with Rimadyl or some other approved anti-imflammatory. 

brookcove, for my Rottweiler Athena with severe HD which I have been managing wonderfully for 6 1/2 years (diagnosed at 1).  I give Athena Arnica or Rhus Tox both homeopathic remedies for pain if she over does it.  The Arnica works wonderfully, I'm very impressed[]
 
The best supplement I have found for her as well is DGP [linkhttp://betterhealthinternational.com/productDetails.asp_Q_prodID_E_3326]http://betterhealthinternational.com/productDetails.asp_Q_prodID_E_3326[/link]
 
I still give her the Nutri-Aid as well.  I am really impressed with how well Athena is doing...I have a feeling I will never have to go the Metacam or Rimadyl route and will always use homeopathy techniques.  My Vet already advised me that there are stronger homeopathic remedies he will suggest when the time comes that Athena may need it.  I'm also going to start acupuncture at some point and I already do acupressure at home..I have a diagram of all the trigger points.
 
You can manage so many degenerative diseases by healthy living and eating...and herbs[]  

OA has been in our family for generations and generations of doctors have encouraged an active lifestyle to keep the degeneration

Same here, though my mom had RA. The rest of the family line has OA, Use it or lose it. I haven't developed it yet, that I know. A few years ago, I thought I was suffering the onset of OA and I was at the right age to get it. Went to my doctor and he diagnosed me with a torn intermedial cartilege in my left knee. Great ... wonderful ...

he diagnosed me with a torn intermedial cartilege in my left knee.

Ack.  I tore a ligament in my left knee last year.  Not fun.  I despise those stuipd braces.  However, the funny thing was that I had just gone off Bextra a few months before and when I got the first steroid shot for the knee, I was in heaven when it sort of washed around the other joints!  I actually lost some weight while I was going for the shots in my knee, lol.

Cally, for sure I would include natural remedies/homeopathics in the therapies - the point I was making is that care must happen almost immediately!  One of these days I will get off my duff and develop a more comprehensive plan for both me and Doug the Dog.  Being here in the middle of nowhere with lots of stuff to do creates a lot of inertia. [8|]

That DGP (Dog Gone Pain) is suppose to be great and I even have a sample of two tablets here.  Of the top of my head i can't remember if it is made in Australia by and American company or what, but has Ausssie herbs in it.  I understand humans can also take it.  A couple on one of my golden boards have started their old goldens on it recently.

Sandra the DGP is great and works wonders for most dogs[]  Athena is doing wonderful on it.  But, Dilon our Newf with Elbow Dysplasia (kinda sad to think a dog can get Championship titles in 3 Countries with ED[&o])...any way, he didn't show any improvement with DGP so we started him back on the Nutri-Aid GCM, Rhus Tox, Ginger and turmeric.  He does wonderful on these supplement.  

I guess it is like that with most everything--drugs and food--what works for one will not work at all for another.    Is like some dogs can take rimadyl for years and there are reports of some dying after one injection.  Many only made it thru 2 injections and i am terrified of it and the other NSAIDs.  Many dogs had no trouble with proHeart6, some died after one injection, others after 2ed, Hunter after the 3rd and i know personally here in my town whose dog didn't have a reaction til the 4th one, and same with Bandit the border collie mix that died in Wis the day my Hunter died here.  you just never know.
 
I jut know i am going to try every route before going NSAIDs and if nothing else works, i will go that route and do a lot of praying.

Have any of you every tried Glycoflex III?

No, but I have seen others post on various boards about it.  My oldest golden, 11 3/4 is on two osteo bi flex at night and two Glucosamine/MSM in the mornings.

we've done some informal supplement tests on creaky arthitic horses, and I recommend you try a combo product. The one that worked the best on our creaky horses was one that had high levels of HA, MSM, glucosamine, chondrotins, vitamin C, and omega-3's.