It seems a lot of times when you suspect a joint issue or lameness in your dog, you take your dog into the vet clinic. I find a lot of times people come to me after they have taken their dog in and the vet never did X-rays but yet diagnoses the dog with arthritis in the hips or whatever joint is hurting without doing X-rays. If you suspect a problem with a joint, it should be x-rayed immediately so that you know what you are dealing with. You cannot treat something if you don't have the correct diagnosis. This happens so many times that it frustrates the vets that actually DO care about their patients and do get x-rays right away so they know how to treat the dog.
For example, your dog is limping and you are concerned so you take your dog to the vet and the vet says, "Oh your dog has sprained its wrist" or "Your dog has arthritis" and sends you home with pain medication. REALLY? Is this your kind of vet? If so, find a new one right away. This vet not only put you off, but didn't have a care in the world on how to help your dog.
If you find your vet doing this, request x-rays. Don't wait for your vet to suggest it. You need a proper diagnosis to be able to treat the dog correctly. I am finding this happening a lot and it really has me concerned for pet parents. This is why I want you to know so that when/if you walk into a clinic one day with a lame dog, you will know what to do and what to expect. If for any reason your vet is not willing to work with you on ALL levels, by all means find a new one. They are a dime a dozen. Just because you like them cause they are polite to you or nice to your dog doesn't make them an ideal vet. You are the one paying the vet bill. It is YOUR dog. You have every say so on what happens when you walk through those doors. Same goes for your children and so does it for your pets.
So once you get your correct diagnosis, make a plan on making some changes for your dog. Feed premium canned food or better yet..homemade (preferably raw) diet. Do not feed grains or carbs like potatoes of any kind. Reduce all vaccines. Stay with only a Thimerosal Free 3 yr rabies (ask for it from your vet) and if your dog is ill or in bad shape, have your vet sign a waiver to remove the rabies vaccine. Try titering to show immunity. Remember though, if anything happens like your dog bites someone, your dog will most likely be taken from you and quarantined or worse. So always weigh your options in your city or county. Do not vaccinate a pet with a weakened immune system..EVER! Do not vaccinate on the same day of having any surgery. Do not give antibiotics unless absolutely needed. Only certain antibiotics are acceptable with arthritis as well. Doxycycline is acceptable and also helps reduce inflammation in joints. The antibiotics most associated with drug induced lameness are sulfa drugs, erythromycin, penicillins, and cephalosporins. ​
Having What You Need

Make sure you have all the right supplements for your dog including a joint supplement. In these supplements, make sure there isn't any preservatives or artificial fillers or additives. Find a good mix of substances. Giving JUST glucosamine isn't your best bet. I find supplements that have a combination of good ingredients work the best. Add in a high quality fish oil (anchovy/sardine), vitamin E,  Ester C (magnesium ascorbate) or natural form of vit C (Camu Camu) along with a mix of herbs. Boswellia, Devil's Claw, Yucca & Turmeric work well. Add milk thistle for 30 days to help filter the liver from all the toxins in his/her body. If your dog is limping, a moist heat pack 3 times a day for 15-20 minutes helps relieve some of the pain and inflammation. In winter it's great for helping with stiff joints. Keep your dog warm so the joints won't ache too much. If you have overworked your dogs joints and he/she is in pain and limping. apply ice packs 3 times a day as well. Anywhere from 5-15 minutes. Make sure you wrap ice pack in towel. Same for heat packs.

Massaging your dog can be a rewarding and bonding time for you and your dog. Try to give a daily massage for at least 5 or 10 minutes. You can never massage too much. Do it several times a day if you have a few minutes extra out of your day. For extreme pain, give the pain meds you received from the vet. Try not to give them any longer than 2 weeks. Actually NSAIDs break down cartilage and make the joints even worse so try to stay away from these as much as possible but please, if your dog is in horrible pain, by all means give them to him/her. Adequan works well also when you have a dog that's down. It takes up to 4 weeks to kick in but it is well worth it once you get the body primed with it. Giving injections at home is much cheaper. Check with your vet about getting you an RX for possibly ordering online as it is cheaper that way most of the time. If my vet gave them, it would cost me $35 a shot. If I give them at home, it's about $15-$20 a month. Well worth learning how to give one. Have your vet show you how.
If you have a knee injury or are in need of a back brace or harness lifts, look into splints or braces. Also you can purchase a magnetic bed for your dog. I find my dogs like it and they enjoy laying on it. I think it has helped my dogs but I can't say for sure.

One thing I want to mention, don't let your dog jump off of beds, couches, out of vehicles or jumping at any extent if your dog is in pain. I never let my special needs girl jump out of my vehicle or in playing. I lift all 70 lbs of her and sit her down on the ground. When she gets in the truck, I put her front feet on the seat and support her rear evenly and lift her to get her even with the seat then let her move forward to get in the back seat. You may find a ramp or something to do this a lot easier but this is what I do. And of course ramps don't always work well either. She doesn't move without me helping her either. Rest works well for an arthritic hurting dog. Once the pain has subsided, take daily short walks. You can work up to further walks but do not push it. Repetition is more important than distance.
If you have a doggie door, make sure it fits your dog properly. A dog constantly ducking its head or having to squeeze through a small door will make the problems much worse. Keep slick floors covered with rugs so your dog won't slip or have to work hard to stay on all fours. They also make non slip doggie boots. Water therapy works very well. It's one of the best things you can do for an arthritic or injured dog. Don't forget your chiropractors and acupuncturist. There are so many things you CAN do to help your dog. And it doesn't have to cost a fortune. Find what works for you and your dog and work at helping him/her be a happy pup again. 
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