My 4 Year old Chow has Arthritis

[Milano-mama]

I just took my 4 year old female Chow named Milano to the vet because she was limping on her right left paw, the vet told me its arthritis and i was wondering if there is any tips and hints of what i should do. I am really concerned because she is so young how is it going to be in a couple years? I have her on a natural diet, and am going to to start her on a liquid glucosamine. The vet also gave me chewable tablets for her to take daily rimadyl, is there anything that is more natural then this that she can take? i can just use all the advice in the world right now im just really concerned about my baby girl.

[chowpups]

You did not mention what tested we're done to confirm arthritis? Was there any blood tests done? Lymes disease also presents itself like arthritis some times. not sure where you live if lymes is an issue? Also I notice you have tile floors if she is sleeping on the tile she might benefit from something softer.. ( I too had tiles) if she doesn't already. Just a few thoughts . Hope she is doing better I agree 4 is so young and I understand how you feel looking and asking for any help. I can't help much since mine did not have arthritis but maybe some others here might have some better info on it.

[Victory]

There are more natural pain relievers than rimadyl, but at the moment I can't remember them. If you do a search on this site you'll pull some threads up that mention them. Also you said liquid glucosamine, is that a human one? If it is switch to a pet one. glucosamine isn't really approved as a medication for humans so the human versions aren't always exact as to their ingredients, (that's why they are cheaper) the pet ones are actual medications and have to contain certain amounts of the ingredients by law, so they are more effective, (and a bit more expensive). Also my older girl, I think she's 12 the vet says 11--anyway, I've noticed this past winter she was a bit stiff in her back legs on the cold hard fake wood floors in our old apartment, we just moved to one with carpeting and she's feeling a LOT less stiff, we are back to zoomies everyday, wrestling matches with her brother and she seems to have forgotten about walking in the house, she runs from room to room again. I think its because the floor she sleeps on at night is soft now and warm too, it's doing her old joints a lot of good.

It is unfortunate but some chows do develop artheritis very young. Poor breeding is the cause, but once you have a chow and they are in your heart then you just do the best you can to keep them comfortable and give them a good quality of life. Fortunately, vet science is working on it too.