Joint Relief Options for Sore Senior Dogs

Scrappy is a 17-year-old poodle who suffers with chronic joint pain that has gotten worse the older she’s gotten. Scrappy’s mom brought her to Hulen Hills Animal Hospital (now The PARC) to help her elderly dog get some relief. As the quality of life for our pets is constantly improving, our best friends are living longer, and owners find themselves confronting the health problems that accompany old age.

One of the most common health problems of geriatric dogs is osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) — in fact 30 percent of all older dogs suffer from it. The sign we most frequently see is a gradual slow-down in a dog’s activity level. In this case, it took Scrappy longer to climb into the bed, longer to run down the stick and longer to get up from her cozy nap on the floor.

At The PARC, we have many geriatric patients just like Scrappy who benefit greatly from medicine that helps relieve the pain and inflammation caused by osteoarthritis and improves their mobility. Response varies from dog to dog but can be quite dramatic. Most patients will show improvement in a matter of days. After just a few months on medication, Scrappy is having a much easier time keeping up with her much younger best friend, Poppy.

If you think your senior pet is too "young at heart" to be slowing down, make an appointment with one of our veterinarians to explore your options. You may just get your old dog back!