Post by Aussienot on Apr 10, 2009 23:06:06 GMT -5
Sailor, the lovely well behaved Labrador I rarely post about, turns 11 in two weeks. I have suspected for a while that she had arthritis. In the past week she has reduced her physical activity, has completely stopped playing with Tarot, and is slow to rise. You can actually hear a clicking-popping sound from her joints when she gets up after lying down. She is also reluctant to climb stairs.
So, into the vet today for treatment and advice. I have already started her on supplements of Glucosamine and Chorndroitin tablets, which was the vet's first recommendation. The second was to start on a series of 4 to 6 weekly injections of Cartropfen. The idea is behind both these treatments is to repair the joints to relieve the pain, rather than masking the pain with a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) .
My last 'senior' dog Jody, was diagnosed with arthritis at 13, she was started immediately onto a NSAID (Moloxicam/Metacam). She was on one dose daily for nine years. It was hugely expensive, but she had mobility and was pain free until she died at 22 years of age. I was a big believer in Metacam, but am willing to give my vet's recommendation a try.
Sailor had her first injection this morning. I have kept Sailor slim and fit her entire life (she's only 24.5 kilos), and I cared for her joints with controlled exercise while she was growing up. The vet thinks she is an ideal candidate for the repair/rebuild treatment.
Sailor is stoic and does not show pain (I think it is a Labrador thing, because Jody was the same way.) So I won't know for several weeks if she's hurting. I want to do the right thing by her, and am a little uncertain about going down this path.
Any thoughts or ideas?
So, into the vet today for treatment and advice. I have already started her on supplements of Glucosamine and Chorndroitin tablets, which was the vet's first recommendation. The second was to start on a series of 4 to 6 weekly injections of Cartropfen. The idea is behind both these treatments is to repair the joints to relieve the pain, rather than masking the pain with a Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) .
My last 'senior' dog Jody, was diagnosed with arthritis at 13, she was started immediately onto a NSAID (Moloxicam/Metacam). She was on one dose daily for nine years. It was hugely expensive, but she had mobility and was pain free until she died at 22 years of age. I was a big believer in Metacam, but am willing to give my vet's recommendation a try.
Sailor had her first injection this morning. I have kept Sailor slim and fit her entire life (she's only 24.5 kilos), and I cared for her joints with controlled exercise while she was growing up. The vet thinks she is an ideal candidate for the repair/rebuild treatment.
Sailor is stoic and does not show pain (I think it is a Labrador thing, because Jody was the same way.) So I won't know for several weeks if she's hurting. I want to do the right thing by her, and am a little uncertain about going down this path.
Any thoughts or ideas?