Jakes stiff back legs

[beth corbett]

Hi Im Beth I have a 3 year old great dane boy Jake. I know great danes suffer from stiffness as they get older however I’m shocked that Jake has started with arthritis already. I was very careful with him as a puppy not to over exersise but I’m now worried I might not have helped him by doing too many sit and down exersises at dog training. We have been to the vets and have had him xrayed which showed the start of arthritis in his back legs. He has had some cart injections and was on the pain killer Metacam which I would prefere not to have him on all the time if I can avoid it. He also has 3 glucosamine tablets per day. He was doing ok until a couple of days ago when he started to be a bit reluctant to sit down. Now he is starting to really struggle to sit and get up. He is walked for about 40 minuets to an hour every day some of which he is off the lead. However when he is really stiff he sometimes just gets a short 10 minute walk and a play in the garden. I am getting quite worried as he is still young. Has any one got any other suggestions for us. 

[kizkiznobite]

this may also link in to the other post???

what are you feeding him….

what brand of gluc are giving him and how heavy is he and how tall to the withers…and sorry to say this …..real sorry…but…at 3 he is already starting his middle age hun….can you post the xrays? val has experience of danes…if you can post the films we can have a look and maybe help more

[Val]

Hallo
Could you tell me what kennel you brought him from ? were his parents hip scored? usually even on a complete diet Dane breeders give a diet sheet the dogs are usually fed a food for giant breeds along with meat, rice pudding all that sort of food they have to have good levels of calcium as the bones are so large.

It is certainly not good news to have a young dog or in the case of a dane mid aged dog with joint problems.

As for the behaviour I agree with Kiz reading your posts it does sound like you are encouraging his behaviour, be it that you do not know it
Val

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