Best joint supplement for older dogs?

[Seven-up]

First of all, YAY for the new forum! I've been waiting for off topic day to ask this.


I have a dog who adopted our property and family 6 or 7 years ago, and she guards our barn and horses like nothing I've ever seen. She patrols the fenceline, she takes her squeaky toy out in the pasture and sits with the horses, chases racoons away, all that stuff. Our best guess is that she's some sort of chow/golden retriever mix. She's about 75 lbs. and part of her problem is that she's about 10 lbs. overweight. We're trying to fix that. :winkgrin:
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e287/hunterjumper77/DSC_0158.jpg
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e287/hunterjumper77/Horses106.jpg
Anyway, she was more or less fully grown when she showed up, so she has to be at least 7 or 8 years old. In the past year or so, I've noticed she's starting to look a little uncomfortable when getting up from a sitting or lying down position. Her hips seem to be bothering her, and I know that larger dogs tend to have hip issues as they age. The vet hasn't been all that helpful in suggesting anything, just saying that some people think supplements work, some don't, blah blah blah.

So, has anyone had good results with any joint supplements? What have you tried, what worked, what didn't? She's eating one of those diet foods, and gets a good bit of exercise during the day and sleeps in the house at night. I know she's getting older but I hate to think of her being uncomfortable if there's something I can do to help her.

TIA! :)

[Whitfield Farm Hanoverians]

I wasn't able to get my dogs to take the joint supplements well so I put them all on senior foods that have joint supplements in them. I've had some of the best results using Bil-Jac Senior. I recently have tried Blue Buffalo Company natural food. They seem to do well on both. My "dumpster dogs" were limping like crazy on the cheaper stuff without glucosamine in it but are doing great on the better quality food. I find it's cheaper than buying extra joint supplements. They are all products of bad breeding so their joints are shot before they are old. I have a limping chow, bull dog, & something that looks like Santa's Little Helper from the Simpson's. I keep my 2 JR's on it just because they run & jump so much I think they need a joint supplement.

[MidlifeCrisis]

My dog is much farther along with the arthritis than yours but here's my 2 cents.

I gave my dog a course of canine adequan. There was a definite improvement in her gait. She went from a slow walk to willing to trot. If you can find a vet that's willing to prescribe and show you how to do an IM shot on a dog, that's one possibility, albeit expensive. I wish I had started adequan many years ago before she became so old and weak.

There's numerous glucosamine supplements out there. Having had good success with Cosequin with my horse, I would be inclined to go with that one for a dog.

I bought a really nice dog bed with "orthopedic" foam. Make sure your dog has something supportive to lie on. Also warmth is wonderful for arthritis. If you're in a cold climate, a heating pad can be heaven for those old joints. Also, there are numerous anti-inflammatories for dogs that can help with the pain of arthritis.

Also, I'm a believer in gentle exercise to keep the muscle mass. My dog has lost so much muscle through her hips as she became geriatric. The longer you can keep them fit, the better. And keeping her weight down is key.

Good for you for looking out for the welfare of your dog.:)

[Simkie]

I used and liked Drs Foster & Smith joint supplements when I had an arthritic dog several years ago. They have good products for a good price, and most dogs seem to like the taste.

If I had to do it all over again, though, I would look at Adequan.

Oh, and since you're also trying to get her to lose weight: when we switched my older dog from a PetSmart food (Nutro, maybe? Something like that?) to California Natural, she went from old dog to PUPPY. There wasn't any joint stuff in the food, but the fact it was meat based with not a lot of carbs did AMAZING things for her. It also helped her lose some weight. If you're not feeding an ultra-premium brand, I really recommend something like Cal Nat :)

[flypony74]

My 10.5 year old Lab is on injectable Adequan and oral Arthrisoothe Gold. He isn't terribly arthritic, as he's been managed well (plenty of exercise, and on a good joint supp since he was 5), but he is an older, big, stocky built Lab. He does well on this regimen.

My vet sells me the Adequan and I give it myself, and I order the Arthisoothe Gold. Best price I've found on the big jar is at www.carealotpets.com.

[Aussie_Dog]

The human variety of glucosamine works just as well with dogs (if not better) for a fraction of the price of the doggie versions (which are filled with vitamins and other supplements, which drives up the price). You can get the powder version, so you can break open the capsule and sprinkle the powder on his food (if you make a mistake and get tablets, you'll have to crush them, which gets annoying). There's also a liquid version, but I've not tried it yet.

Glucosamine comes in three versions: Glucosamine Sulfate, Glucosamine & MSM, and Glucosamine & MSM & Chondroitin (which is like the super-strength for the more ouchie dogs). You may want to talk with your vet first about dosage amounts, but for about a 50lb dog, a good starting point is 500mg. Then you raise or lower depending on the results after about a week of using it.

My dog developed arthritis at age 6 (lovely genetics), and when I decided to try Glucosamine & MSM, after a week, he was flying around the yard with nary a limp. He's now 10 and actually doesn't get glucosamine anymore because he just isn't sore anymore, not even with our horrid Alberta winters. It's probably a combination of losing much-needed weight and being put on a better food (RAW), along with the glucosamine repairing his joints (he tore his ACL a few years ago and no doubt the glucosamine helped repair that after the surgery). Glucosamine isn't a painkiller, it works along the lines of a vitamin or supplement, being used over time to work with the body. So don't give him a pill and expect him to feel better a few hours later ;)

[Ware Whip!]

May I suggest you find out if it is really a joint issue. Our black lab great dane cross, at ten years old, and one hundred and ten pounds, woke one day in great pain, limping behind. I always assumed it was a hip issue, and treated her for joint pain. After some radiographs, turns out, she has torn ACL's in both her back knees. We have her on rimadyl, and it has changed her life.

Good luck.

[SarahandSam]

When we adopted our older dachshund, she was very overweight and had back and hip issues. We put her on Solid Gold adult maintenance food to lose weight, with only baby carrots for treats (oh, the horror), and she slimmed down really well on it and has kept the weight off since. For joint supplement, we use Wholistic Pet Canine Complete Joint Mobility (http://www.thewholisticpet.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=548&ParentCat=40). Between that and the weight loss, her back and hips have been so much better and she runs around like a puppy. We only use a pinch at a time so the little bag of it has lasted for a year now already...

[smokygirl]

Foster's Smith Advanced Joint Care granules... covered with a tiny bit of gravy (or you can get, they have it as do other spots, the glucosimine infused gravy stuff). I used to have rotties and be in rottie rescue. A lot of my friends (still with rotties and mastiffs and other large breeds) use this. Their are 3 stages. They have found that Stage 1 is best as a preventative, stage 2 for slightly more advanced, but several have just started with the Stage 3 and said it's great. If she's already showing some signs of pain getting up and down, I'd probably start her on the Advanced Stage 3 and then if it helps a lot, go down to Stage 2 (or 2+) if you want to.

[suzyq]

I used synovi G3 softchews for both my older dogs and it helped a lot. I originally got it from the vet but then bought it online for less. You can search online and see who has it the cheapest. That, and losing the weight, that you already mentioned.

[yellowbritches]

I've yet to need to give a dog joint sups (Monty was spry and healthy until the day she just keeled over and Stella is still in great shape). A client, however, has a lab with some hip issues, and they SWEAR by Cosequin. Without it, he can't get up the steps. With it, he is, well, a lab. :lol: They get a generic version somewhere, which works just as well. My brother's older dog gets plain old glucosamine, which helps, though I think he could do better on Cosequin.

[riverbell93]

She's so pretty! And somehow just so 'farm dog' looking, like a dog from a Norman Rockwell painting. My dog (50lb, around 9 years old) has been on Dasuquin since August. She likes the chewable tablets. She doesn't have any obvious arthritis, was just seeming a little less perky than usual over the last year, and it seemed like a good idea to give her some extra joint support as she's aging.

Just as a personal hangup, I am very leery of arthritis because both of my previous dogs were initially diagnosed with it when they were actually showing very early signs of more serious illnesses. I think vets can sometimes be a little too quick to assume stiffness or mild body pain in a dog over 5 is natural aging and arthritis. Not to jinx anyone, just my unfortunate experience.

[Melyni]

Without a doubt HyCel is great for stiff older dogs! Keeps my 15 yr old Sheltie active and running about.
MW

[citydog]

Wobenzym (http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?pid=107401297849707599&at=0), 4-6 per day is easily the thing that's helped our oldies the most (works great for people arthritis/stiffness, too). We've had a couple who've needed Glycoflex III towards the end too, and now use the Costco equivalent (it's missing one of the lesser ingredients but that's easily supplemented if you decide your dog needs it) at about a 5th of the price.

My 14 year old recently started on a low dose of Rimadyl as he keeps throwing out something in his back, so far it's helped and his liver values are OK.

[trubandloki]

I have had great luck with Cosequin for my dog.

[pAin't_Misbehavin']

My vet told me the latest research has shown no difference between glucosamine/chondroitin supplements and placebo at relieving or preventing joint pain. He's of the opinion that if the dog's in pain, you treat it with NSAIDs.

I've tried glucosamine/chondrotin/MSM supplements with both dogs and horses and haven't seen a particle of difference.

For my critters who weren't at the stage to need pharmaceutical help, gentle consistent exercise and getting rid of any excess weight benefitted them more than anything else.

[trubandloki]

My vet told me the latest research has shown no difference between glucosamine/chondroitin supplements and placebo at relieving or preventing joint pain. He's of the opinion that if the dog's in pain, you treat it with NSAIDs.

I've tried glucosamine/chondrotin/MSM supplements with both dogs and horses and haven't seen a particle of difference.



I have seen a huge difference.

My dog is very arthritic. She has bad conformation so her elbows are arthritic and her rebuilt knee is arthritic. Without her cosequin she is very stiff and slow.

[heelgirl4381]

You can try supplements with glucosamine, chondroitin and/or MSM. I would hold off on the MSM given her age and the fact that the arthritis is not that bad. You can also give her Omega 3 supplements, it helps with joint inflammation. I have a 6 year old French Bulldog who has bad hips and I give her Joint Care +1 from Drs. Foster and Smith, but really any brand should be fine. I also second putting her on a high quality, premium dog food. I switched my Frenchie from Pro Plan to Innova Senior Plus and she acts like a puppy again!! She is so excited to eat and runs around with her squeaky toys. Most of the premium dog foods (ie ones not sold at the grocery store or PetSmart) would be a good choice. Just make sure you pick one with at least 20% protein. Also, exercise and getting that extra weight off of her will help a lot.

[mypaintwattie]

Platinum Performance, both of my dogs are on it- they have great coats and you would never know that the one had a badly broken leg the way she runs around!

[PNWjumper]

I had a 110lb Bernese Mountain Dog that slowed way down at the age of 8. At the recommendation of my equine vet I put him on SynoviG3 and it made a huge difference for him. Up to the point that we lost him to cancer a year later he bounced around like a puppy.....you'd never know that he'd been having joint problems. But the other thing that made a huge difference was the fact that I started having my vet do chiropractic and acupuncture work on him. Aside from the general joint issues brought on by age, he also was having issues with his back.....that's where I saw the TREMENDOUS difference from the body work.

And then we had an older Husky who had torn both of her ACLs (one when she was 7 and then the other when she was 9), and we put her on the SynoviG3 when she was around 11. She was really gimpy until her joints fused and then she got along much better. And then when we started her on the SynoviG3 we noticed a pretty big difference in her ability to get up from laying down and in the fact that she started chasing birds again. :)

[dalpal]

My vet told me the latest research has shown no difference between glucosamine/chondroitin supplements and placebo at relieving or preventing joint pain. He's of the opinion that if the dog's in pain, you treat it with NSAIDs.

I've tried glucosamine/chondrotin/MSM supplements with both dogs and horses and haven't seen a particle of difference.

For my critters who weren't at the stage to need pharmaceutical help, gentle consistent exercise and getting rid of any excess weight benefitted them more than anything else.

I call BS on that one. It does infact work for some...and I would give adequan over NSAIDS anyday.....but then again, Dermaxx cost me 3000.00 at the vet school saving my dog's life....so, I am a bit biased on the NSAIDS.

Adequan would be my first line of defense
I use MSM here for one dog who has a bit of a limp (xrays clean)..she is much sounder on the MSM
Fish Oil is another great line of defense (Omegas)
Could also try Lubrisyn for dogs (Hylaurnic Acid)

Also, what are you feeding......if the food is full of byproducts and or sugar...could also cause issues.

[TransitionsGalore]

I'm a vet tech who also rescues Large & Giant breed dogs, and have a soft spot for the oldies, so I have a lot of experience with this.

Hands down, the best joint supplement I've ever used is called Flexicose. It's a liquid supplement that was first developed for marathon runners. It's labeled for humans, dogs, cats and horses now. Their website is www.flexicose.com

A little goes a long way. I use 1/8oz a day for my Doberman/Rottweiler cross who has arthritis in his neck and hips, and one bottle lasts 64 days for him, and he's about 96 pounds.

[Seven-up]

Wow, popular topic! Thanks for all the suggestions. And thanks to whoever said she was pretty...we agree. We just adore her. And would you believe she just showed up one day, stuck her flag down and said this was where she was living. We think someone dumped her, as we live on a dead-end road. She already knew how to sit and shake. :sadsmile: We called AC to check report of missing dogs, placed a free ad in the newspaper. Nuthin'.

I'll have to check what food she eats as far as the diet stuff; I don't know offhand. We mix in a can of Alpo--about 1/3 the recommended amount for her weight--with the diet stuff because she hates it by itself. I had to laugh about the horror of carrots as treats. I can't leave the horse carrots out where Chewy can reach them because she steals them. :lol: I'm pretty lucky that she'll eat almost anything, especially if you refer to it as a "treat."

I heard once from the best leg/soundness horse vet in the area that glucosamine supps are more or less worthless if there's no vitamin C. Something about the vitamin C makes it possible for the glucosamine to be absorbed. ?? So I think I'm going for a supp that has C in it.

We have had the vet examine her hips and say that they were bothering her, but we haven't done x-rays.

Anyway, thanks for all the good suggestions. I'm reseaching everything now. The cutest dog in the world says thank you!

[Weighaton]

We are having the same problem with our old girl. She is a 110lbs lab mix, 9 years old. She has been the best smartest dog we have ever had. I hate to see her laboring to get up and out of her bed but once she is up and moving she works out the stiffness and runs with the kids. I called the vet today about what to do for her and she is scheduled to go in for adequan injections tomorrow. I will see how it goes.

If I can bore you all with a story about how "Virginia" came to be - it is kind of bitter sweet.

When I met my husband I owned a black lab named Virgil. He was my best friend and very important to me. When the time came to put him down I left it to my husband (which I regret) because I thought he would be stronger than me. When the deed was done he told me that the song playing on the radio the whole time was "Meet Virginia" by some band I forget the name.

Several months later in the dead of winter my husband calls from the farm and says that he found a puppy out in the cold. He said that the neighbors wouldn't take her and were going to take her to the pound. He said that she was just a hideous thing and had been hit by a car but was fine just some hair missing. Still reeling from the loss of Virgil I told him the following: "Honey, look if the dog is that ugly it is best for the neighbors just to let her be put down. She is probably going to have a horrible life with people abusing her. At least she can be humanely put to sleep." And that was that.

My husband got home late that night and asked me to come out to the truck. As we walked out I immediately said, "You better not have that ugly dog in the truck!!". He reached in the front seat and turned and put the most adorable fat, gooey, warm, sweet black lab puppy in my arms. She nuzzled her head in my neck and I burst out crying. My husband said, "So you think we should just put her to sleep or do you think we could find her a home?". Through my tears and sobs I said, "Yes, meet Virginia."

And so Virginia became our first "baby".

Ok why am I crying? My children are looking at me funny.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2580753140082183223WmNeXj

[jetsmom]

Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM supp.
Also Flax oil capsules (per my vet) who says it can boost immune sys, and provide help for arthritis.

Previcox (an NSAID) if it gets worse. Safer than Rimadyl.

[MunchkinsMom]

I use Conquer Canine Mature years for my 10 year old dog, and I feel that it works. If she starts to get worse, I will go to the vet for Adequan injections, which did wonders for my other dogs.

I have also used Rimadyl with some success on some dogs (but not all), and Metacam also worked well for the dog that Rimadyl didn't work on. Those are both prescription drugs.

[Seven-up]

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2580753140082183223WmNeXj

Well, any dog that will wear a wig is a 10 in my book! :lol:

[Simkie]

Previcox (an NSAID) if it gets worse. Safer than Rimadyl.

Interestingly, my small animal vet is NOT a fan of Previcox. He said he used it and it caused horrible stomach ulcers in the dog he was treating, and gave me several of the samples he had (for my HORSE! :lol:)

He prefers deramaxx for dogs.

[Weighaton]

Well, any dog that will wear a wig is a 10 in my book! :lol:


That poor dog is a saint. Our older girls pretty much ignore her until I took them to see "Bolt" the movie. As soon as we returned home they had poor Virginia outside playing superdog. She didn't care she was just happy for the attention.

[T.G.I.F.]

My young border collie had a bone chip removed from her elbow and the next year became lame on the same leg. Xrays showed she now had arthritis in the same joint. She is a young energetic flyball dog that was told to retire. She is back playing again with supplements. With talking with a bunch of vets around flyball I have a diet regime for her. I was told it was important for it to be glucosamine hydrochloride. Webber's makes a liquid one so she is on glucosamine hydrochloride/ chondroitin and msn twice daily and an Omega 3-6-9 capsule twice daily. In talking receintly to a food rep he also recommended I add Ester-C to this.

[Weighaton]

Virginia received her first Adequan shot this morning and will have one every week for a month. She is also going to take Metacam for about 10 days and see how well she is doing at the end of the bottle. Metacam is an oral supplement that controls pain and inflammation. In addition, the vet had a special chew formulated that we are going to give her once a day forever.

The vet showed me where to give her the adequan shot in her leg and avoid the nerve or I can give it in her back about an inch over from the spine. She seems to be doing good this evening.

[Simkie]

Metacam is an oral supplement that controls pain and inflammation. In addition, the vet had a special chew formulated that we are going to give her once a day forever.

Metacam is definitely not a "supplement"--it's a potent NSAID.

[Weighaton]

I didn't mean supplement. My mistake. I meant oral suspension. I was trying to type what was on the box and apparently am going blind.

Non-steriodal anti-imflammatory drug.

[Aussie_Dog]

I just call it a painkiller, lol. One of my cats, Willow, had to have some twice, once for a bladder infection and another time recently when she sprained her foot. First time was in pill form and I just crushed it up into some food, but I much preferred this recent time, since it came in liquid form already served up in teeny little syringes. It tastes really sweet, apparantly, so cats love it, and my little sweet-tooth Willow went bananas for it.

One thing to keep watch for with Metacam is that prolonged use can cause some problems, like liver damage and, in cats anyway, blindness. I wouldn't use it long-term. The stuff works great, but it's too scary using it for a prolonged period of time.

[dalpal]

Double check.....I was told by both the equine and small animal vets (for dog) that the loading dose is TWICE per week for 4 weeks.

[Weighaton]

I will call and double check but could she be getting twice the amount in one shot? I didn't see the initial syringe other than him sticking her. I am supposed to go and pick up the shot each Friday.

[chaltagor]

It depends on what works for your dog. I've used SynoviCre, Dasuquin, Glycoflex, Osteo3 and some freebie I got at a vet conference for my dog with arthritis. The only thing that works well for her is the Osteo3. She has had hemolytic anemia twice and can't have any NSAIDs. I know immediately how well each one works by her pain level.

Feeding food with these ingredients in it won't do much, as the levels of the ingredients aren't anywhere near the levels you get with the actual stand alone supplements. It's just another thing to get you to buy the food.

[Countryclips]

My 10 year old mixed breed dog Oreo started showing signs of hip and back arthritis this summer. She seemed to get so painful she didn't even want to go with me to the barn. My equine vet is also a small animal vet and examined her and recomended trying Glucosamine first and if that didn't work go to something stronger. But within 3 weeks she was moving much better. Then my neighbor told me a story about their dog getting acupuncture treatments for a degenerate back problem that saved her life because it got so bad she couldn't walk. I decided to give it a try on my dog and see if it would help her. She has had 2 treatments so far a week apart and she is playing like a pup again. I am also giving her some chinese herb that has ginseng and other herbs in it and that may be also helping her.

[belle19]

Hello. I have german shepherds and they are notorious for joint issues. I would suggest a supplement called Conquer K9 HA. It's a chewable tablet containing 10mg of hyaluronic acid, which is naturally found in the joints. The tablets help to replenish this which will help maintain joint health and help the dogs feel better. If interested, their website is www.kinetictech.net.

[MajesticDynasty]

Well I have a 80lb shep/chow mix that's 8. She started slowing down a year or so ago. It's gotten to the point I had to do something now and the vet says she has poor hips. I was looking at supplements and getting new food. I figured out my girl is allergic to both corn and wheat/gluten. In my search for a dog food that didn't contain those I stumbled across Breeder's Choice Active Care Healthy Joint Formula. To me it's perfect. My dog loves it and it makes buying a supplement unneeded. All the reviews and the bag said they usually saw a difference within 2 months. It's only been two weeks for me.
Waggin Tails is the cheapest place to buy it that I've found.
http://www.waggintails.com/store/DisplayProduct.php?sku=BCDK-009&name=Avo+Active+Care+Canine+Dry

[LoriO]

I use Hylasport Canine from Horsetech for my dog (use it for the horse too!). It really has helped him a lot and I have been able to get him almost completely off the Rimadyl. Now he only needs his pill on days when he gets carried away running and really over does it.

[fivehorses]

I love the looks of your dog. What a good farm dog.
I gave my old lab cosequin double strength for a few years. I definitely noticed it worked. After a few years, it seemed she needed something more.
So, I continued with the cosequin, and also gave her Zubrin, a prescription NSAID.
She was on that combo for a few years. I really felt it gave her a good quality of life.
I have my young chocolate lab on the cosequin too. She tore her acl and the vets felt it was a good choice for her ongoing. After her surgery repair, they had her on zubrin for the pain and inflamation too. I stopped in giving her the cosequin after a year on it in december, and I hear her clicking now when she gets up, so its back to cosequin for her.
Give that ol cutest farm dog a pet. She is a lucky girl to have found such a good home. Funny how she picked you. Smart dog.

[Seven-up]

The good ol' farm dog is currently sprawled out on my bed and snoring like a freight train. I may have to sleep on the floor tonight. :lol: She picked the right house, alright.

[Baroquecoco]

my 13 year old lab, tank, and I share bottles of spring valley triple strength glucosamine/chondroitin that I get in the people section at walmart. a 6 month supply for him runs around $40. and I tried everything before this. it works the best!!!

[lolalola]

My dogs and I also share the same pills. The only difference is that I down the MSM and glucosamine with a glass of water and theirs is wrapped in a piece of cheese.

[Party Rose]

Good and inexpensive, this is what we use: http://www.horsetech.com/hylasport-canine.htm#Quick%20Links%20to%20Product%20Pages.
They even send a small pack of Famous Amos cookies for us humans in the shipping box. Also the best shipping and customer service I've ever experienced, EVER.

[MunchkinsMom]

I didn't have time to read all the posts, but I have had good results with Conquer K-9 joint supplements for many years, and when the dogs start to get worse (where the supplements are no longer enough, or not started early enough to help with the joint break down), then on to pain relief drugs and Adequan.

[fitzwilliam]

My arthritic 8 yo lab gets Cosequin Equine powder 1/2 scoop daily, Adequan injection once a month and CetylM Canine tablets daily, she has arthritis confirmed by xray, by keeoing her weight down and giving her these supplements she is able to go on a 6 mile skate ski with me and her 18 month old nephew, I start all my dogs on Cosequin and CetylM when they are 1 year old, I think it makes a big difference, my 14 year old was still going for hikes until the day he died, Good Luck

[scpezold]

My 11yo golden girl gets Cosequen tablets (1) 2 x per day. She has done well on it. I will have to look into the Adequan injections. She loves to run full force and slam on breaks right before the pasture fence barking (aka protecting) us from the horses :lol:.

[wendy]

I find it's a lot cheaper to buy the horse joint supplements and give those, dose adjusted of course, to dogs. I have a dog who is dead lame without his daily dose of Hylasport. But back to the OP- I would get the dog off the "diet food" ASAP. Most "diet foods" for dogs are terrible, horrible very grain-heavy diets, very bad for overall health. Grains promote inflammation which makes arthritis much worse. If you want to feed a commercial diet you might want to try Wellness Core reduced fat which will help slim a dog down without aggravating the arthritis; also supplementing with fish body oil can really help relieve arthritis inflammation. And um well, some dogs do need NSAIDs to function, but they inhibit cartilage repair and in the long run will make the problem worse. So be careful about the pain killers and only use if you are sure the dog needs them to maintain quality of life.