Brownie's Arthritis

If you'll email me I can send you my arthritis information (I've had rehumatoid arthritis since I was a child, and many many arthritis dogs.)

It can't be a pm -- has to be email cos it's an attachment.

 If you'll look at other arthritis threads, you'll find that a lot of folks find the Knox Nutra Joint that I talk about to be really helpful and yet not expensive.  It's NOT fast because it's not a painkiller -- it literally puts the stuff at the body's disposal to **rebuild** cartilage between joints.  It literally takes about 2-3 months to see the results but when you do it's more permanent because it actually helps repair those joints.

You see a lot about glucosamine/chondroitin -- they aren't a pain-reliever per se, but what they DO helps avoid pain.  They (and the pharmaceuticals like Adequan) are hydrators -- that means they add moisture to the cartilage already there and "plump it up" so it cushions better between joints.  BUT there has to be cartilage *there* for it to work well.

 As to "how" to massage -- get a book.  It's not difficult.  Dr. Fox has several different massage books for dogs and cats (look for him on Amazon.com) - he's pretty easy to understand.

You can also go to www.petmassage.com -- they have videos you can get that *show* you how. 

The biggest thing you can do (and this is also covered in my article) is give him SOME excercise but don't overdo it.  Arthritis is actually "inflammation" -- if you touch (flat hand just lightly covering the area where he's sore) you can probably FEEL that area is hotter than other places.  In arthritis, the cartilage has gotten worn away AND the bone can actually rub on bone.  That actually causes the bone itself to become inflamed and very sore. 

Once the bone itself becomes inflamed then it becomes a vicious cycle -- the inflamed bone actually begins to wear away becoming more sore and allowing less mobility.  The less mobility the more pain and the more weak the muscles get -- That makes more pain.  so you have to have SOME exercise to keep the muscles working but not so much that you inflame the bone more.

*sometimes* with arhtritis you have to use nsaids (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories) which for dogs are things like Rimadyl, Deramaxx and some others.  Humans have other ones -- and many of those dogs can take, others are POISON to dogs.

 This is probably a good place to give this warning.

We humans tend to think we should take Tylenol (acetaminaphen) for pain.  NEVER EVER EVER EVER give a dog Tylenol or any product iwth acetaminaphen -- not even a tiny bit.

Even ONE 'regular' Tylenol can kill a small dog -- it shuts down their kidneys completely.  So be very careful if you carry Tylenol in your purse.

 (I'm not yelling at you --- but so often I've seen people think "Oh I'll just give him what I take) and it's SO deadly for them.

Even ibuprophen (Advil, Nuprin) are pretty poisonous to dogs -- it's sometimes used by vets but it is VERY difficult to dose -- don't use it.

Mostly on a walk with an arthritic dog you have to be VERY patient -- don't go far and STOP OFTEN.  Don't think in terms of miles or even blocks before you rest him.  Sometimes half a block is a LONG way to an arthritic dog.  You go a few houses or a couple of hundred feet and then STOP and just let him stand and rest.  Go a few more and stop. 

If he slows down or acts like he doesn't want to go further *don't make him*.  Either carry him or bring him in a wagon (wagons ROCK for arthritic dogs -- it gives them the chance to walk as far as they want and then STOP as soon as you know they're begining to be sore).

Dogs are very stoic -- if you want until the dog refuses to go further, that dog is hurting unbelievably bad.  You have to stop way way way before then. 

Make sense?  it's hard for someone who is young and healthy to understand how the pain of arthritis works -- I'm not fussing at you or scolding -- literally just trying to help you understand how it works.

There are tons of things you can do in that article if you want to email me for it.

hey cALLIE PM ME WITH YOUR E MAIL PLEASE.

I'm going to look into fish oil and Knox Nutra Joint. Well me and Brownie just got back from a very SLOW walk around the block. He loved it. I think I'll take him again in an hour.

~BROCUDPOS~

I tried the Knox for months and months--no results. I tried salmon oil--no results. I tried Rimadyl--some results. In the end, and I have a dog with 4 bad legs and a bad back (and he walks over 2 miles a day, flies around the yard, and plays quite a bit, but I watch him like a hawk so that he relaxes enough, too), we are seeing success with these items:

• Standard Process' Boswellia Complex
• Standard Process' Canine Muscoloskeletal Support
• Standard Process' Myo-Plus

(See these at: http://www.standardprocess.com/display/router.aspx)

• Myrsistin

(See at: http://www.cetylmyristoleate.com/ordering_for_animals.html)

• Zeel (has to be taken for 3 months before results can settle in)
• Green Pasture's Blue Ice Gold (cod/fish oil--balanced, of course)
• Nupro Joint
• Adequan injections (once every 6 weeks after loading dose)

My dog is off his Rimadyl and is ONLY on these supplements. We have hit the Jackpot for sure and I am so grateful. He does do some Bi-COM every couple three months.

I was skeptical of all of this at first, but this is a dog who most vets believe should be dead. He is only 5 and they really can't believe 1) that's even alive and 2) that he's doing so well. Amazingly well. I did acupuncture for awhile, but even that hasn't helped him like some chiro work that he gets (like twice a year) and what we've been following (above).

Good luck. I know Callie's got good info--but if Knox doesn't work (and it didn't for me) take heart, there is so much more you can do. Murphy is living proof. Yeah, he won't live forever and things will probably worsen, but for now, he's a miracle for sure.

It all depends on what is *wrong* in the joint.  Knox isn't a pain-reliver.  It simply helps build *new* cartilage.  But if that isn't the problem it's not going to help.  In other words, it's possible that the joints are just not formed properly so a hydrator like Adequan may be more what that dog needs.

If the dog has something like bone spurs or unusual calcium deposits or spondylosis or something no, the Nutra Joint won't work.

Standard Process is a superb company - it's a veterinary supplement company but their stuff is really good.  Billy's on Standard Process's Cardiac Support and Tink's on the Dermal Support. 

Heel's Zeel is GOOD stuff - it's a homeopathic so no side effects there. 

Acupuncture would only help if it was the right points to help BUT even so, if the spine is out of alignment then nothing else will do but for getting it back in line.  Billy and Kee also get chiro with Dr. D but chiro and acpuncture do totally different things.  I honestly wouldn't want to have to do without either one.  But a good dog chiro is HARD to find.

Right on, Callie. It's taken me three years to find this little sweet spot for Murphy. I did acupuncture for 2 years and I did Rimadyl and Channel Flow but he was worsening.

I found another holistic vet (she's lovely and very smart) and we're heading in the right direction. Money is another factor. Sometimes just buying Rimadyl "can" seem less costly than going this route. Truth be told, if Murphy were older, I might be OK with Rimadyl, but the risks are high and he's a relatively young guy (though the odds of him living beyond 9 are not in his favor).

But for now, this is where we are. I really do CM (myristin--and it stands for two words but I'm too lazy to look them up now and properly insert them here) quite a bit.

Sometimes, though, you have to dabble a bit. You have to get an X-ray done here and there, study them, discuss them, and then try out differnet things. It's hit and miss for sure. Very frustrating but doable. I think my guy is having a nice life right now.  

Oh my gosh thank-you Callie and Nfowler you guys have BOTH BEEN VERY VERY helpful. Thanks again.

~BROCUDPOS~