Re: **Question: Dog
My dog Cricket had a lifetime of orthopedic issues, including hip dysplasia, arthritis, spondolosis, etc. She had a total hip replacement at age 4 and two cricuate ligament surgeries, and it was a constant battle to keep her comfortable and mobile.
Every dog is different of course, but what I found helped her was:
1) Exercise. It was "use it or lose it" type thing and I made sure she had regular exercise daily for over 14 years .... not just running-around-the-yard-type exercise, but off-leash jaunts where she could choose her own speed and get her muscles warmed up.
2) Canine Corta-Flx. I tried many different supplements over the years but this was the only one that really seemed to make a noteable difference for her. At the time I chose it, my horse was on it (it was one of the few joint supplements that had undergone clinical trials at the time) and so I tried it for the dog too. No matter how many times I left and tried something else, we always came back to Corta-Flx.
http://www.corta-flx.com/
3) Acupuncture. I wish I'd have found the veterinary acupuncturist sooner. It was definitely worth every penny. I can't overemphasize this one--it helped significantly.
4) Chiropractic. I was surprised to find that Cricket's hips would go out, as well as a few vertebra in her neck and back. The chiro adjustments really helped her in her later years (again, wish I'd have found the doc sooner).
5) Massaging the muscles. Cricket loved it. I did it myself as best I could, but there are some professionals who specialize in pet massage.
6) Maintain a healthy weight. Every extra pound adds significant stress to the joints. I could see a real difference when Cricket packed on a few extra pounds.
7) NSAIDs (Rimadyl, Previcox, Deramaxx, etc.). Although in Cricket's case they nearly killed her (caused liver failure). I personally would use them again only as a last resort. You'd want to do bloodwork regularly to monitor for problems.
8) Realistic expectations. Cricket was stiff when she first got up and started moving around, but I think it probably LOOKED worse to me than it felt to her. My aging knees don't work quite as well as they used and I sometimes laugh at how stiff I am when I get up and start moving around... it looks funny but it doesn't really hurt. If Lady Bug is losing her balance or stumbling or showing signs of pain, then that's different. But it might be that the stiffness is just going to be "normal" for her as an aging dog.
