Annette47 (12-29-2017), Charlotte K. (01-01-2018), voodoo (12-28-2017)
Arthritis at such a young age, what a bummer.
Put him on glucosamine & chondroitine supplements, if you haven't already. You can also supplement with vitamin C, it helps to reduce the inflammation, since you won't be putting him on NSAIDs. Vitamin E can also be helpful for dogs with arthritis.
There are a lot of things you can try, but definitely start with the weight loss. If there is an underwater treadmill or a pool, take him for some swimming. It's easy for the joints, helps lose weight and helps build muscle.
Cookie Black Snowflake
July 12th, 2006. - May 25th, 2023.
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Annette47 (12-29-2017), Charlotte K. (01-01-2018), voodoo (12-28-2017)
i feed chili 2 cups a day of acana dry food...i walk him 45min up/down hill everyday...so how exactly can i lose his weight, he has been 95lbs forever.
barry581 (12-28-2017)
Time to get out the canned green beans. Just for comparison, Brooks, who is almost 20 months old and very active, get 3.5 cups of Eukanuba Performance 30/20 per day (1.75 cups 2x per day), plus training treats, and a filled kong once or twice per week. He's also intact.
Some Labs just run heavy, but it's still a matter of calories in/calories out. Reduce the amount of food, and replace with the canned green beans (unsalted) for filler. Also really check the amount of treats your giving (if any). Can add up to a lot of calories.
voodoo (12-28-2017)
Awww, I am sorry Chili is limping...
Once you enter a joint capsule, (Surgery!) it compromises the joint surfaces, and it is not a matter of "if" but "when" arthritis sets in. I had bilateral elbow surgery done on my Labrador Ben, years ago, (rest his dear sweet soul) for FCP, (Fractured Coronoid Process) one of the more prevalent elbow dysplasia's. Within a year, he had a complete breakdown of his joint surfaces of both elbows, and limped the rest of his life. I managed his pain the best I could, gave him Adequan injections, and supplements, (Lubricyn was a good one at the time) glucosamine and chondroitin, kept him moving with light exercise, and kept his weight down. Keeping weight down is the single best thing you can do for him, along with some of the newer generation joint supplements. I know it's hard, but you have to get at least 15 lbs off of him asap.
Also, please don't be averse to pain medications, I tend to try stay away from NSAIDS if I can, but sometimes they are necessary, when you weigh the risk vs benefit. Gabapentin is a good drug, and you may want to have something on hand for when it seems like he needs it. Again, I am really sorry. :-( Hugs (and no cookies!) for Mr Chili.
And none of my girls get more than 1.5 cups a day! Well, Cookie lately has been getting closer to 2 because she was getting a little thinner than I like. Of course, they get training treats and little bits of what we are having as well. Chloe is my most active and she gets the least amount of calories because she is like me - looks at food and gains weight!
To the OP - I second Barry’s idea of replacing some of the kibble with green beans ... we’ve done that for years. The other thing is that walking, even for 45 minutes at a time, really isn’t enough exercise for an adult Lab. Just like us, they need cardio if they are going to burn calories. If he’s limping, I wouldn’t run him, but once he is a better, then that would be better. Swimming is ideal if you have a place to take him as it is strenuous yet easy on the joints.
Annette
Cookie (HIT HC Jamrah's Legally Blonde, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Sassy (HIT Jamrah's Blonde Ambition, UDX, OM2, BN) 6/4/2015
Chloe (HIT HC OTCH Windsong's Femme Fatale, UDX4, OM6, RE) 6/7/2009
And remembering:
Scully (HC Coventry's Truth Is Out There, UD, TD, RN) 4/14/1996 - 6/30/2011
Mulder (Coventry's I Want To Believe, UD, RN, WC) 5/26/1999 - 4/22/2015
And our foster Jolie (Windsong's Genuine Risk, CDX) 5/26/1999 - 3/16/2014
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My 11 1/2 year old get more than that and he also has arthritis in his elbow. I'd increase his daily exercise BUT I'd cut the long walk of 45 minutes. I'd do two walks of about 20 minutes each, and see how he does, than increase gradually to three walks of about 20 minutes. No jumping, running, playing with other dogs, just gentle walks on leash.
Also what may be helpful is to cut the carbs completely, but it's impossible if you feed kibble though. You've got some good suggestions in the previous posts.
Cookie Black Snowflake
July 12th, 2006. - May 25th, 2023.
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the doc did mention a few times about rx dog food and i plan on bringing it up with local vet and also grabbing prescriptions for those bad days chili is in obvious pain. i went with surgery clinic doc just to save a step, and the good news. for me was no surgery needed and nothing wrong with hips/knees, etc...so Im relieved. now just monitor food better and walk shorter/more often. I got this.
barry581 (12-29-2017), Charlotte K. (01-01-2018)
Our 13 year old Molly was having a lot of trouble with arthritis. She can't take Rimadyl because of an elevated ALT liver level which she already had, so vet tried her on Galliprant, a new med for arthritis. It is expensive because it is new, but it really helps Molly. You might ask your vet about it.....I also have her on Cosequin DS which I can buy at Wal Mart. She has also taken Gabapentin a few times when she was really hurting--it helped her also, & didn't seem to hurt her any. Good luck with Chili--I hope he will be feeling good again soon!
I'm not a big fan of rx food unless there's no alternative because what I've seen tends to have a lot of grain products. In the Hills rx weight management food, for example, the first 2 ingredients are whole grain corn and corn gluten meal. I think those provide protein but it concerns me that there isn't more meat protein. The first meat product is the 3rd ingredient, then cellulose (aka wood pulp), and then 2 more plant based products. I'm sure it works but I probably wouldn't feed it long term if I could help it. Hill's® Prescription Diet® r/d® Canine - dry
I'd also consider and discuss with your vet sticking with his current food and decreasing the amount or looking at a different food with fewer calories or fat than the Acana you feed but maybe less plant based. Or maybe that's just me.
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