Deep heat for

[bertiesmum]

Can you get deep heat for hounds?? As berties hock that he broke gets sore when it's really cold even on a short walk....I'm not really sure way else I could put on it as I was thinking that if you kept the warmth in/cold out then the hock
may not ache as much?!

That why I was thinking of deep heat/stuff like tiger balm...
Any other ideas or suggestions would he lovely as bertie does
love his walk and I don't like to shorten them bit
I don't want him to be in pain :-)

[yvonned]

If it's arthritis you could try flexi joints for dogs (which is glucosamine and chondroitin and a special type vit c) and green lipped mussel from www.healthspan they really helped my friends GSD. I've noticed that some complete dog food has it included now, but whether there is enough included I don't know. You could also try cod liver oil but I don't know if it would upset his tummy.
Yvonne

[andyips]

Feb 13, 2010 19:51:25 GMT yvonned said:

If it's arthritis you could try flexi joints for dogs (which is glucosamine and chondroitin and a special type vit c) and green lipped mussel from www.healthspan they really helped my friends GSD.
Yvonne

As always, thanks for the knowledge, experience and advice/tips, Yvonne. I always enjoy your posts. Aside from the wonderful humour, many, many are very informative and very useful. I'd never heard of that product, but have bought from health span in the past, and will be looking it up. Sounds an ideal supplement for my Kristin, and also Sonny too as he's also getting that bit older, and both seems to suffer the odd twinge of arthritis, similar to their dear ole dad ;D x

[yvonned]

Doctors can now prescribe glucosomine and chrondoitin for arthritis, so do vets under a fancy name but at a cost of about £40 for a months supply. You can get 240 tabs for £14 from healthspan, you need 3 or 4 a day for a greyhound and try them for about 3 months to see if it's going to help your dog.
Yvonne

[bertiesmum]

I give bertie 1xcod liver oil and 1x glucosamine a day....ammo
giving him enough? Before we gave them to
him his legs would get sore even In warm weather but now only cold weather effects
him....thing is I have to take him out in the evening so he can relieve himself an also
if I don't he goes hyper and won't settle even after a bellyfull of warm dinner!!! :-)

[jac]

Holland & Barrett do a glucosamine capsule specifically for animals

[bertiesmum]

Bert has
1000mg I think....is that enough? :-)

[bluelou]

Hi Bertie's mum - I think you've been given some good advice about the oral supplements - there is some evidence that they're effective and they don't seem to be harmful so well worth a try.

In my non-greyhound life I'm a pharmacist and I'd strongly advice AGAINST using Deep Heat or any other heat rubs. They act by causing irritation in the skin which opens the blood vessels to produce a feeling of warmth. It is superficial warmth and doesn't really penetrate the muscles or joints that you want to reach. Being irritant it's an awful product if they lick it and is a disaster if you get into your or their eyes.

A heat source like a very well-wrapped hot water bottle might be better if you think that heat is what Bertie needs.

If you think Bertie's in pain then it might be worth trying acupuncture - I know people who've had some success with it. Our vet runs a pain assessment clinic and offers physiotherapy and acupuncture; they also sometimes recommend hydrotherapy though I'm not sure how our not-very-buoyant greyhounds would take to it.

[yvonned]

Healthspans vet vits contain 400mg of glucosamine HC1 per tablet and they recommend 3-4 tablets a day for dogs weighing 25kg and over. They also contain chondroitin sulphate 75mg to help maintain cartilage strength, vitmin E and vitamin c. So it looks as if Bertie needs 11/2 tablets a day
Yvonne

[SJ]

Feb 13, 2010 19:51:25 GMT yvonned said:

If it's arthritis you could try flexi joints for dogs (which is glucosamine and chondroitin and a special type vit c) and green lipped mussel from www.healthspan they really helped my friends GSD. I've noticed that some complete dog food has it included now, but whether there is enough included I don't know. You could also try cod liver oil but I don't know if it would upset his tummy.
Yvonne

Vet Vits Flexi Joints is an excellent product. I use them on four out of seven of my dogs and they have helped a good deal. I would definately recommend them.

[yvonned]

I give Cass 2 a day, she hasn't got any joint problems that I'm aware of, but I regard them as a sort of insurance against any. My friend started giving her old GSD human greenlipped mussel from Healthspan as well, then stopped, but has now put her back on them.
Yvonne

[yvonned]

Cassie perhaps you should shorten Berties walks, I've got arthritis in both hips and spine and it's about finding a balance, some days I can walk further and do more than others and dogs must be the same. Before you ask, I don't take flexi joints for dogs, I take the human variety, but if I've done too much one day I take it a bit easier the next
Yvonne

[bertiesmum]

We only walk for about 15
minutes as I
shortened them already :-) he loves
his walks and his leg isn't very painful just a bit annoying I think....the reason I asked about deep heat is because I thought that it would keep the cold off....then I was thinking about a hock
sock.....well tonight was cold and his leg seemed fine....so
I think I shall keep an eye on it, shorten walks when necessary and increase his
cod liver oil.....also is his glucosamine for a high enough dose....it's 1000mg
to :-)

[yvonned]

I don't know how much codliver oil to give as I don't use it for Cass, but I think you should try increasing the glucosamine to 11/2 tablets, give it a go and see. It doesn't help me walking on rough ground, I'm better on the flat(makes me sound like a racehorse), shame our dogs can't talk to us in a language we understand then Bertie could tell you.
Yvonne

[Rubyshoes]

LOL yvonne - I'm the same, much better on the flat. Think its age though - he he