Home Forums Birds & Dogs Hunting Dogs Joint supplement suggestions for aging lab

I give my setter Dasuquin, it is a perscription chewable treat made for dog joint health.. After about a week the difference in her is amazing. I will give it to her for life,

Great conversation--our 12 y-o Rhodesian mix was experiencing some pain and stiffness in his neck. [he is only 55 pounds] The vet gave me some pain meds to use when it gets bad. He had trouble bending down to his food dish. On a whim I bought Cosequin chews maximum strength from Costco online [also on Amazon] The label says includes Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM and Omega 3. Supposedly these take some time to work but we give him 2 a day and he seemed improved after just a couple of days. I have continued providing these, also set the food and water on an overturned rectangular baking pan 3 inches tall to raise the dishes.

Plus 1 on giving the dogs some help loading into the truck, I always have lifted my dogs in even when they are young, much easier to have them used to it than trying to change only when they are older and they have the habit of trying to jump ingrained.

My 9 year old DD wants to be lifted down from the tailgate after a hunt so think I'm going to start him on a joint supplement. Thanks for the info in this thread!

My 12 year old wire-haired pointer has developed considerable arthritis in her hips over the past couple of years. A year of treatment with daily doses of rimadyl and dasuquin tablets helped initially, but as things gradually declined we then added a monthly injection of adequan, alternating hips from one month to the next. Three months ago she slipped going up stairs and really torqued her right rear leg and hip, to the point that she was all but unable to walk and falling down when trying to get outside in the snow to do her business. At that point I thought we were going to have to put her down, but our vet suggested that we first try the recently-released librela injections. Those have had an amazing effect. While she's never going to get out for another pheasant hunt, she walks with little or no limp and is actually running around in the yard and enjoying life again. For a dog that is in real trouble with joint deterioration, the librela injection is very much worth looking into.

I give my dogs Wellness liquid in their food, seems to work. I run my GSP’s at least twice a day at my gun club down the road about a mile and bird hunt about 50 days/year.

I suspect you already know, but it’s worth saying: keep the dog at a healthy weight. Obesity is terrible on joints. Swim the dog regularly if he’s ok with it. Of course avoid very cold water and especially avoid muddy shorelines as this is very hard on his joints.

Meds? Talk to your vet about treating pain when necessary. I suspect that none of the popular joint supplements will actually alter the course of his arthritis. I understand the desire to help your buddy, but most of the evidence for benefit is pretty shaky.