Eddie is a sweet and friendly Papillion mix who has been coming to visit us at Markham Veterinary Clinic since his very first puppy visit 14 years ago! Recently, Eddie’s observant family noticed a reduction in his mobility. It was taking Eddie a few tries to stand up after laying down for long periods, and he struggled with the stairs or anything that required jumping.
His physical examination at the clinic showed that he had back pain and leg stiffness due to arthritis. Thankfully, there were no signs of a more serious injury. His family felt that his mobility had gradually reduced over time as he aged, but lately he is in more significant discomfort.
When managing arthritic changes in senior patients, it is important to take a multimodal approach and try to manage the pain and stiffness using a variety of different methods including pain medication, joint diets, joint supplements, acupuncture, and so on. Eddie was started on a scientifically-proven joint supplement named Dasuquin, and a disease modifying osteoarthritis injection called Cartrophen that would help stimulate healthy cartilage, joint fluid, and antioxidants in his joints.
Eddie responded very well to these treatments. His owners reported that he was like a much younger dog, being much more active and interested in his surroundings.
Eddie will still need occasional courses of anti-inflammatory medications to help with his arthritis, but by adding in other therapies, we hope to continue keeping that need to a minimum.
Dr. Cathy Leung DVM
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