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Best Arthritis Treatment for a Great Dane?

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  • 20-04-2010 8:51am
    #1
    sharoninireland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭


    Hi there, I have a neutered female Great Dane and because she is a recue dog, I only have an estimated age for her. I reckon she's about 6 which means she's an old lady but overall very alert and active! I noticed her hind quarters are very stiff in the morning and it takes about 2 hours before her joints loosen up. I got a bottle of Arthritic Aid from my Vet which I've been giving to her for the last four or five days - 20ml a day for a week and then the dose is halved. No signs of improvement at all yet. Does anyone know what works? I have seen Bioflow magnetic collars on the internet but haven't sourced an Irish supplier yet. I have her on Science Hills feed but am considering returning to the Royal canin Great Dane feed as it's breed specific. I have been researching feed quality and the Science hills is low grade compared to Royal canin. If anyone can recommend treatment for this girl, I'd be really grateful and so would she! Thanks.


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    #2
    toadfly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    sharoninireland wrote: »
    Hi I reckon she's about 6 which means she's an old lady but overall very alert and active!

    Hi Sharon,

    First off she is not old! Our family dog, Cody, will be 17 this year and has been on a special diet and medication for his arthritis for about 2 years now. It has made such a difference to his quality of life. He is on ProPac Senior dry food (green bag) its about €63 for 15kg. He is also on Prednoleucotropin tablets everyday. He was originally on 2 a day but now is only on 1 a day. These cost about €60 for 60 tabs but have recently ordered them online for £26 for 60 tabs. Still waiting on these to be delivered though.

    Your vet should be able to proscribe whatever she needs.

    Good luck hope she feels better soon.


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    #3
    mymo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    6 is on the older side for a great dane all right, but by no means geriatric.
    I would go back to the dane food, or at least a giant breed senior food.
    There are lots of things you can add to her food too, I'm sure someone will have some names for you, I think another poster on here recommended some stuff a couple of weeks ago, try using the search function and looking for arthritis in dogs.

    Here's a link to one thread
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055795474&highlight=arthritis+dogs


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    #4
    sharoninireland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭sharoninireland


    Thanks MyMo and TillyGirl!

    Yes, 6 is on the old side for a Great Dane...the lifespan is usually around 6 but this girl is in great health other than this problem and I want to get a handle on it early before it deteriorates. Because she is such a large dog (65kg) any medication/treatment is probably going to be costly. I don't mind too much if it works! I'll look into the stuff you both mentioned.

    Thanks a million for responding so quickly!

    Much appreciated :-)


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    #5
    toadfly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    mymo wrote: »
    6 is on the older side for a great dane all right, but by no means geriatric.
    sharoninireland wrote: »
    Yes, 6 is on the old side for a Great Dane...the lifespan is usually around 6

    Sorry my bad didnt realise :o. Best of luck with her.


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    #6
    sharoninireland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭sharoninireland


    Hi TillyGirl,

    Can you let me know what website you purchased the Prednoleucotropin tablets from? I'm sure I can get the Arthritic Aid Glucosamine liquid cheaper online too...


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    #7
    Toulouse
    Registered Users Posts: 2,413 ✭✭✭Toulouse


    There was a girl on the PetsIreland forum that raved about this stuff http://www.trmdog.com/stride-plus.htm


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    #8
    sharoninireland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭sharoninireland


    Great stuff, cheers!


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    #9
    toadfly
    Registered Users Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭toadfly


    sharoninireland wrote: »
    Hi TillyGirl,

    Can you let me know what website you purchased the Prednoleucotropin tablets from? I'm sure I can get the Arthritic Aid Glucosamine liquid cheaper online too...

    Ordered it on PetMeds.co.uk it hasnt been delivered yet. you have to print off a form from the site and get your vet to write up the prescription then email/post that in before they will dispatch.


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    #10
    ISDW
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,378 ✭✭✭ISDW


    Stride plus is supposed to be very good. I used to give one of our old dogs Green lipped mussel extract, you can get it from health stores, it helped him a lot.


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    #11
    dragona
    Registered Users Posts: 1,647 ✭✭✭dragona


    Ask your vet about Cartrophen injections -very effective.


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    #12
    mollymascara
    Closed Accounts Posts: 95 ✭✭mollymascara


    sharoninireland wrote: »
    Hi there, I have a neutered female Great Dane and because she is a recue dog, I only have an estimated age for her. I reckon she's about 6 which means she's an old lady but overall very alert and active! I noticed her hind quarters are very stiff in the morning and it takes about 2 hours before her joints loosen up. I got a bottle of Arthritic Aid from my Vet which I've been giving to her for the last four or five days - 20ml a day for a week and then the dose is halved. No signs of improvement at all yet. Does anyone know what works? I have seen Bioflow magnetic collars on the internet but haven't sourced an Irish supplier yet. I have her on Science Hills feed but am considering returning to the Royal canin Great Dane feed as it's breed specific. I have been researching feed quality and the Science hills is low grade compared to Royal canin. If anyone can recommend treatment for this girl, I'd be really grateful and so would she! Thanks.

    I have heard of some animals responding very well to the arthritic aid before, it may take a bit for the meds to be absorbed into the system before they take effect. There are other medicines available such as Metacam - expensive, also hard on the tummy, is a liquid. Rimadyl Tablets are also used (they also come in treat form), and the last one I know of is the Cartophen Injections, Ive seen animals really thrive after the course of these injections. All are available from your Vet, perhaps pay a visit or give them a call and have a chat with them about the meds, Im sure they would be only too happy to help.

    Hope you find one that works - Great Danes - AWESOME btw


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    #13
    Sligo22
    Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭Sligo22


    yea i would try Glucosamine! I've used it on dogs and horses and humans to great effect! you can get it fairly cheap in capsules...just break them open and pourv the powder indide into the dogs food!


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    #14
    sharoninireland
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5 ✭sharoninireland


    Thanks a million for all your responses! Yes, I have seen the Vet of course and he has recommended the Arthritic Aid so I got that from him. She is on it about 2 weeks now and there is a notable improvement so hopefully that will continue. I don't really want to go down the road of Metacam as it's very hard on the stomach and I'm not keen on getting her a course of injections, but I'll see how this goes. I may have no choice!


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