Several years ago, we had an incredible vet who worked with us to get to the root of Lucas’ limping. After years of on-and-off problems, he continued to limp in the cold winter months and after activities like hiking or, even worse, a day at doggy daycare. We had him on a joint supplement but hadn’t yet arrived at the root of the problem.
After a series of tests and x-rays, we discovered that, at some point during his puppyhood, he had sustained a trauma (like, getting hit by a car) that was left untreated. As a result, his pelvic bone grew too narrowly to support his big frame. So, while the joint supplements helped – and a doggy aspirin and heating pad on bad days – there wasn’t much to do to alleviate his pain.
Except.
Our wonderful vet recommended that we drop weight off of him. He wasn’t overweight, but she said to think of a runner’s physique: lean, trim, nothing extra. Lowering his weight would decrease the strain on his hips and too-small pelvis. We needed to get him lean. Here he was in July 2009:
Here he is today:
He’s definitely dropped a bit of weight, though not that much – only a few pounds – which you can see mostly behind his ribs. But that lighter load has helped immensely.
We’ve kept up with supplements, too. He’s been taking DGP for a few months now and hasn’t needed any extra aspirin after a day at doggy daycare. The supplements have become as much a part of his daily routine as an afternoon walk. It’s just part of overall health and maintenance. With Lucas, especially, I worry a lot about aging, so we’re trying to do what we can now while he’s still young (although… he’s younger at heart than in reality, but don’t tell him that).
Joint problems in dogs range from Lukey’s oddity to things like hip dysplasia, nutritional deficiencies, and dozens of other possibilities. If you suspect there’s something going on with your dog’s joints, definitely get a full work-up at the vet. I’d encourage x-rays because it wasn’t until our vet here in Bloomington that a set was ordered, thus getting us to the root of the problem. (His DC vet felt that his limp was likely because he had been severely malnourished, and he would grow out of it. He didn’t.) Talk to your vet about supplements, too. DGP has been great for Lucas, and we intend to keep him on it.
We’ve gotten a few comments here and there – most recently from my mom! – about Lucas looking way too skinny. He definitely is thin, thinner than most shepherd mixes his age. However, it’s kept the pressure off those delicate joints, so as long as he’s healthy – eating like a pig and exercising like a champ – we’ll strive to keep his runner’s physique.
Do you deal with joint issues with your dog? What steps have you taken to alleviate any issues? Any preventative measures?
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Disclaimer: We were not compensated for this post, though DGP did provide Lucas with samples of the product to see if it would work for him. It did. All these opinions are mine, all mine!
This post is so very timely! I was just mulling a similar post over in my mind about Ray’s legs and considering some supplements to help, though I know he also needs to take some pressure off by losing weight. We’ve started a “diet” for him and I’m eager to get him back on the scale to see if we’ve made some progress.
PS what exactly is doggie asprin?
We definitely have some hip problems, though we don’t usually see it, except in cases where she’s not gotten a lot of exercise, then tries to do some laps at the dog park, or after a long day of doggy daycare. She does the hip dysplasia “hop”, where her back legs tuck in together. We need to do x-rays to see how bad it is, especially since she’s got no weight to lose. (She’s teeny, but tall. About 28 pounds for a medium sized dog.) The vet said that our best option would probably be total hip replacement since she’s young and a good candidate for it, but I know we won’t be able to afford it, so that’s some serious guilt right there. It doesn’t seem to hurt her, just looks awkward, and I don’t want her to be in pain later. Thanks for the heads up on supplements, definitely want to keep those joints in as good of shape as possible.
Hi Amanda! If you would like to try DGP for your dog, I would be happy to send you some sample packets and more information. We’ve seen a lot of success with dogs like yours… Just let me know! Good luck with her 🙂
I would absolutely love that! Her stomach can be a little picky about what it will tolerate, so I hate going all in on new products. My email address is amandamarieg@gmail.com.
I think he looks great. People are just too used to seeing overweight dogs. And even if he were slightly too thin (which I don’t think he is) that would still be better than him being in more pain.
I used to have a naturally slim dog, and it always bothered me seeing his ribs, but I knew it was normal for him and he ate plenty. I think you are right Jessica – people are accustomed to seeing overweight dogs, and that’s definitely not healthy!
Mom said her hip was hurting from running 13 miles today so I told her she was too fat.
Your Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
We had a large shep mix (90#) and always kept him on the lean side to delay the onset of hip problems. As he got older we managed to keep him mobile with weekly swimming, supplements and adequan injections. He was still going up and down the stairs and playing in the yard at 13! Btw I think Lucas looks great!
I get comments from people when they see Neeko wet. I keep her very lean for this same reason. The vet scored her 4/9 on her BCS, but is fine with it. I personally think Lucas looks great, but I love a lean dog.