Pain in front leg.

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer over the internet. It is really common for labs to get joint problems as they get older. The most common reason for a lab to have problems with a front leg is problems with the elbow joint such as arthritis, but there can be other issues.

If funds are tight would recommend not spending too much money on things like glucosamine, vitamins and cherry flex as they are not likely to do too much. There are some types of glucosamine when combined with chondroitin (such as Cosequin) that can have a beneficial effect but most of the glucosamine that you can buy is not helpful at all. Good glucosamine with Chondroitin is just as expensive as anti-inflammatory medication which would actually probably do a better job.

If Daisy is this uncomfortable then if she was my patient I would be recommending xrays to see if there is something very serious. I probably would also be prescribing an anti-inflammatory medication. Vetprofen is a drug that very few vets use these days because we have much better and safer options such as Metacam, Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx and others. Daisy may need to be on one of these medicines long term.

Handling the stairs is a tough one. When a *back* leg is affected, then sometimes using a towel as a sling under the belly can help to take some weight off of the leg but I'm not sure if this would work well for a front leg. Unfortunately, lifting her may be the only option.

I wish I could offer more. The warm compresses may help somewhat but really there is not a lot more that you can do at home. I would not be pushing her to do any exercise and let her move at her own pace. Hopefully you have good news at your vet visit!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

It's not that I don't recommend those things, but really there is not a lot of evidence to show that they are helpful. Fish oil, if it has the right balance of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids can be a good add on to anti-inflammatory medication but it is not going to cause a dramatic improvement.

I am concerned by a few things that you have written. Often what we think is a joint problem like arthritis can actually be problems somewhere else in the body. If Daisy has lost a lot of weight to the point where you can see her spine and ribs then this could be a sign of a significant health issue. I would highly advise having your vet do some blood tests to see if there are any obvious issues.

I would not recommend using the expired Vetprofen. My main reason for saying this is that Vetprofen can be hard on the kidneys if there is any kidney issue. It is not meant to be used for long term use.

It's a tough call though if you can't get her to the vet until a week from now. I can't legally tell you specifics on which medicines to give so I would recommend giving the vets office a call where you are going to take her next week and ask them if the vet recommends continuing with the medicine.

It is ok to give her fruit as long as her system handles it ok (i.e. no diarrhea).

I hope that she is able to see her doctor soon and I really hope that they can help!

Dr. Marie